The Village of Tenganan in Bali

The Tengah village in Bali carefully preserves the cultural heritage of the Majapahit Empire period and offers a unique opportunity to glimpse into the lifestyle of the ancient Balinese.

Every year in the middle of the year, the unique village of Tenganan in Bali holds a grand festival. Buffaloes are sacrificed, and intricate family costumes are displayed outside the houses. An ancient wooden drum is specially made. And, perhaps most disturbingly, ribbons of thorny pandanus leaves are piled up in preparation for war.

The village is in the midst of preparations for the fifth month of its festival. The Tengah have maintained their traditional integrity for hundreds of years, strictly observing daily, weekly and monthly rituals and customary rules. For tourists, visiting these quiet villages in Bali offers a deep dive into the island's past; a time capsule that preserves the lives of the indigenous Balinese people.

Ancient culture
Tenga is a strong tribal village that has preserved its vibrant cultural customs for centuries. The village is located at the entrance to a narrow valley at the foot of the sacred mountain of Bali, about 3 kilometers from the hills of Kandy, the resort center of the east coast.

The Tenganan are called Bali Aga or Bali Mula by the locals, meaning "first Balinese". Their culture therefore predates the Majapahit Empire (1294–1478), and most claim to be the inheritors of traditional Balinese cultural and spiritual traditions. The Tenganan, who number about 300, generally live in a region spread across the surrounding mountains. They are considered one of the wealthiest tribes in Bali.

At first glance, Tengana might not seem like a particularly wealthy or socially sophisticated place. This nameless, walled village has no roads or cars; just two rows of houses stand in the ancient village square, each used as a shop.

Magic cloth
Tengana is known for its traditional fabrics, also known as Kamben Gringsing; this fabric means "burning fabric" and "against disease." This unique double -weave ikat fabric, woven only in Patole, India, and Guatemala, Central America, is known for its distinctive colors. A set of four Gringsing fabrics can take up to eight years to make, and each fabric can cost up to 32 million rupiah (US$3,494). However, some Gringsing fabrics, which are passed down from generation to generation, are not for sale.

Gringsing is shrouded in mystery. In the 1930s, Mikael Covarrubias wrote in his book The Island of Bali that the gringsing kamben was once dyed with human blood and had magical powers. As a result, it was said to protect its owner from black magic. Even today, many traditional Balinese avoid the tenganan due to fear of black magic.

The strict social structure of Tenganan prohibited outsiders from marrying members of the community. Until 1925, marriage in Tenganan was permitted only within the village. After amendments to this law, a villager could marry an unmarried woman from the higher Balinese tribes without losing his right to reside in the village. Anyone who violated the laws of Tenganan was considered guilty of violating divine law. As a result, he was permanently banished from the village and forced to join a fallen clan.

More than any other village in Bali, Tengah village holds various rituals every day to ensure spiritual purity and balance for the entire community. The most famous and main attraction of the fifth month of Tengah is undoubtedly the spectacular Pandan Shield Battle (Bal Pandan) ( Makere-Kare ).

Blood feud
On the second day of the Usaba Sambah festival, held annually from June 13 to 15, the excitement of the Tengan festival reaches its peak. The atmosphere becomes tense as hundreds of local and foreign visitors arrive, cameras in hand. Everyone tries to watch the Tengan-style battle: a battle between village men, boys and adults, each wielding a stick and a shield made of thorny betel leaves.

Gradually, the rhythmic beat of the ancient gamelan orchestra grew stronger, accompanied by encouraging shouts, and one by one the warriors began to drink rice wine, or tuwak, in preparation for battle.

Brother! Brother!
This is not a game. Men of all ages engage in fights for success and defeat, and the goal is to provoke bloodshed. When bloodshed occurs, the fight must be stopped. But sometimes reason and the excitement of the moment win out, forcing the elders to intervene and separate the sides.

The main strategy of this fight is attack and flight. The opponent is attacked by scratching or grabbing various parts of the body with a prickly betel leaf. Any part of the body from the neck to the waist is considered a suitable target for attack. The scratches are usually made more towards the back.

Interestingly, the rules of this game involve bloodshed. The referee does not stop the fight until bloodshed begins, so the game can go on for a long time. The injured are then treated with a traditional medicine called "bareh", which heals the skin within a few days.

Agreement compliance
The villagers consider this bloodletting ritual, where there are no winners or losers, a healthy form of courage. According to village headman E. Putu Suarjani, bloodletting helps maintain harmony in the village, according to Teng tradition: "When a man fights in Makere-Kare, anger builds up in him. But as soon as the fight is over, this anger disappears on its own."

While men assert their masculinity, young women strengthen their cultural bonds, warriors don smiling costumes, and family heirlooms are passed down from generation to generation.

In addition to this public display of cultural continuity, other important steps are being taken to protect Teng, including limiting the spread of capitalism. When concerns arose that the integrity of the village was being compromised by the increasing use of houses as shops, the village council ordered their original appearance to be restored. Another village elder, Niyoman Sadra, explains: “In the coming years, all our shops will be moved to the parking lot near the main gate. But visitors will still be able to enter our houses, where ancient arts are practiced, including gardening.”

While Tengah embraces outside influences, it continues to draw strength from its own traditions. Some areas of Bali may have changed significantly due to tourism and change, but Tengah village is determined to maintain its identity.

Lyrics written by Ed Belaitis - Mandala mgz