The Balinese , Origins and Beautiful Culture
The Balinese and their origins give you more information about the diversity of Indonesia
Bali is the one of most famous and beautiful islands in the world
Many tourists from around the world spend their time and holidays in Bali and some of them stay in Bali for a long period of time.
From the beautiful landscapes such as rice fields, waterfalls, and sacred mountains, stunning beaches and waves for the surfers
you can have it all in Bali.
The origins of the Balinese
Source : Kompas.com
As part of Indonesia, of course, there is a question, what is the origin of the Balinese people,
are they same with Javanese people?
We can trace the origins of the Balinese from historical records written by many historians in Indonesia
The history of the Balinese themselves is also very long because their existence dates back hundreds or perhaps thousands, of years
Who are the Balinese and where do they come from?
Just like the Javanese, Sundanese, and Sumatran people, the Balinese are a group of Austronesian people who have inhabited the island of Bali for a very long time.
The majority of Balinese adhere to Hinduism, although some adhere to Islam, Christianity, or Buddhism, The majority, around 95%, are Hindus.
The Aga Balinese
There is an opinion that says that the original tribe of Bali is the Aga people, which is one of the sub-tribes of the Balinese people who live in Trunyan Village.
The Aga people live in mountainous areas and they don’t want to mix with foreigners
The Majapahit Balinese
Apart from the Aga people in Bali, there is also the Balinese Majapahit group.
This group originates from Javanese immigrants who mostly live on the island of Bali, especially in the lowlands.
The Balinese people originate from Javanese society in the Majapahit kingdom, which adhered to Hinduism.
The livelihood of this tribal community is farming. This tribe is also one of the influences of Balinese tribal history.
What AreThe Physical Characteristics of The Balinese?
Physical characteristics include mostly straight and smooth hair, skin color that is predominantly brown,
small stature with a height ranging between 156 cm and 169 cm (depending on gender and body condition), and a face shape that tends to be oval.
What are the characteristics of Balinese?
The characteristics and habits of the Balinese people that make tourist fall in love with Bali island
Friendly and Nice
Balinese people are friendly and nice. You will feel the friendliness of Balinese when you visit this beautiful island
Relax
Balinese people are relaxed because they have moto every day, which is a holiday
Living with Art, Culture and Traditions
Balinese people are very artistic,they have high skills in arts such,
Painting, dancing, crafts, sculpture and music like Gamelan
They also adhere to their traditions and culture
Every Culture has Meaning
They are very respectful with their culture, so you see many rituals when you come to Bali and of course you must respect them
The ‘Silent’ Natural Beauty
There is a day called Nyepi where they respect the silence, all the activities are off, and all the residents stay at home
Presenting Something Different
They are very unique and creative,you will find something new and different from others
Balinese people can speak English
Most of Balinese people can speak English well because Bali is tourism industry in indonesia
Balinese Architecture
The Architecture of Balinese house is very stunning and artistic; they have different style compared to javanese people.
What is The Most Famous Traditions in Bali?
Bali is very rich in customs and traditions that have been rooted since ancient times
Balinese people are known to be very obedient to the teachings of their ancestors and highly respect their traditions
7 Balinese traditions are very famous and attract the attention of many foreign tourists
The following are these traditions:
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Ngaben Ceremony
The Ngaben ceremony is a body-burning ceremony in Bali which is believed by the Balinese Hindu community to be a ritual to perfect the body and return it to the Creator.
Ngaben ceremonies are divided into three types, namely: Ngaben Sawa Wedana, Ngaben Asti Wedana, and Swasta.
The Ngaben Sawa Wedana ceremony is carried out after the body is preserved before the burning ritual takes place.
Meanwhile, the Asti Wedana Ngaben is carried out after the body is buried first.
Lastly, Swasta ceremonies are carried out for Balinese residents who died outside the area or whose bodies were not found.
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Melasti Ceremony
The Melasti ceremony is a purification ceremony for both oneself and sacred objects belonging to the temple.
In Hindu religious beliefs, water sources such as lakes, seas, or springs are the source of life or tirta amerta. In this event,
people flock to the sea or water sources dressed in white, carrying prayer equipment
and usually carrying pratima, sacred objects, or statues to be cleaned.
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Saraswati Day
Saraswati Day is a holiday to celebrate science.
On this holiday, Balinese Hindus usually perform special ceremonies to worship or glorify Goddess Saraswati, who is believed to bring knowledge to the earth
and make everyone in the world smart and educated.
Everything related to science, such as books and scriptures, is prayed for in the Saraswati ceremony.
Not only that, there are usually dance performances and story readings that last all night.
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Galungan Day
Galungan comes from Old Javanese and means ‘Winning’. As the name suggests, this traditional ceremony in Bali aims to celebrate victory against evil.
Apart from that, the Galungan ceremony is also held to commemorate the creation of the universe and its contents.
The series of Galungan holidays takes place around 25 days before the Galungan holiday. Every 210 days of the Balinese calendar, Hindus in Bali celebrate Galungan Day.
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Mepandes Ceremony
Also known as Metatah or Mesuguh, the Mepandes traditional ceremony is carried out when a child begins to enter adolescence.
In this Mepandes Ceremony, the 6 upper canines of children who are growing up will be filled.
This tooth-cutting ceremony is held with the aim of eliminating bad desires such as greed, jealousy, anger, and so on.
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Ngerupuk Ceremony
The Ngerupuk ceremony is held just the day before Nyepi day arrives and people are obliged to make offerings to Bhuta Kala,
with the aim of expelling Bhuta Kala so that it does not disturb people’s lives while they are performing Brata Penyepian.
The ritual begins with torching the house, spraying the house and yard with gunpowder, and hitting objects to make a noise.
After this traditional ritual in Bali is finished, there will usually be an Ogoh-ogoh parade which is carried with torches around the area where the residents live.
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Tumpek Landep Ceremony
Tumpek Landep is a ceremony carried out by the Balinese people to purify the weapons and equipment they own, with offerings and prayers.
This ceremony will be led by traditional leaders and carried out in a temple that is considered sacred and has the right location.
All weapons and equipment belonging to the community that are purified are expected to provide blessings for the owners of these weapons and equipment.
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