BALI TENGANAN VILLAGE

BALI TENGANAN VILLAGE IS THE OLDEST AND ANCIENT TRADITIONAL VILLAGE THAT STILL EXISTS WITH FAMOUS PEGRINGSINGAN ART IN BALI ISLANDS

Bali’s Tenganan Village is one of the oldest Balinese Traditional Villages located in Karangasem Regency on the eastern part of Bali Island. The village is known for the famous Tenganan Pegringsingan cultural literature in Bali. The pattern of community life is very unique and represents Bali Aga (Prehistoric Hindu) Village culture, different from other villages in Bali. Today, the village has become an attractive tourist destination with a variety of unique things that can add variety to the experience for tourists. Seeing a village that still maintains its traditions and culture from generation to generation without being affected by modernity is an interesting experience, especially for those who want to explore the cultural aspects of this beautiful island.

If you visit Tenganan Village, here’s what you need to know:

• Location Tenganan Village
• Mythology Tenganan Village
• Holy Relic Tenganan Village
• Traditional House Tenganan Village
• Tenganan Villager’s Profession
• Pegringsingan Weaving Craft at Tenganan Village
• War Dance at Tenganan Village
• What You Can Do in Tenganan Villagey
• Facilities at Tenganan Village

Location Tenganan Village

Tenganan Village is located in the eastern area of Bali, precisely in Karangasem, close to the Candidasa tourist destination. The distance is quite far from Kuta, taking about 2 hours to drive to the east if you use a private vehicle. For easy travel, it is recommended to use Google Maps as a guide to the village from Tenganan. If you don’t want to explore on your own, Bali Driver Hire offers a Hire Car and Driver program that provides comfortable transportation and is accompanied by experienced drivers. This will make your trip to Tenganan Village more enjoyable. In addition, you can also visit other tourist destinations along the way, such as Goa Lawah Temple and other interesting places in the same direction, so your day will be more meaningful and memorable.

Mythology Tenganan Village

The mythology of Tenganan Village can be described in several stories related to Tenganan Pegringsingan Village and is still inherited in the local community today. In the days of the Belalu kingdom, led by a strong but arrogant king named Mayadenawa, the entire Peneges village community within the kingdom was prohibited from performing religious ceremonies and praying at Besakih Temple. Mayadenawa’s arrogant behavior reached heaven so that the gods were angry, and Bhatara Indra descended to the world to fight the king. In a very fierce battle, Bhatara Indra defeated the powerful King Mayadenawa. This victory was celebrated by the Peneges villagers, and Bhatara Indra commanded them to go back to pray at Besakih Temple. This ceremony is known as Asua Medayad, which is a sacrificial ceremony using a white horse named Onceswara.

When the ceremony was about to be performed by the Peneges villagers, Onceswara’s horse suddenly disappeared. Bhatara Indra instructed all the villagers to look for the horse. The search team was divided into two groups, one heading northwest and the other heading northeast. The first group heading northwest did not find anything, so they built a house and settled in Beratan. Meanwhile, the second group that searched to the northeast managed to find the horse, but unfortunately the horse was already dead. After knowing the condition of Onceswara’s horse, Bhatara Indra said, “Hey, people of Peneges, don’t be sad. Although your horse Onceswara was found dead, I will reward you”. Then he gifted the area to them with the limit of the smell of the carcass of Onceswara’s horse. Hearing this, the Peneges villagers decided to cut the horse into pieces and throw the pieces in all directions. Thus, they succeeded in taking control of the area as promised by Bhatara Indra.

Holy Relic Tenganan Village

In the mythological story of Tenganan, there are megalithic relics found. It is believed by the people who inherited the tradition from generation to generation that these relics are actually parts of the Onceswara horse that were cut and thrown in all directions. The aim was to expand the territory of the land given to Bhatara Indra. The parts of the horse are then made into stones that are considered sacred by Tenganan villagers. They worship the relics on certain days, and each relic has a different function. Today, we can still see the relics and the location of the abandoned horse, where the local people consider it a sacred place or a place of worship, such as:

1. Kakidukun, located in the northern part of Tenganan village, has a shape that resembles the phallus (genital organ) of a horse in an upright position. According to local beliefs, this place is believed to provide fertility blessings to couples who do not yet have children. They can pray here in the hope that they will be blessed with offspring.
2. Taikik Stone is located on the northern hill and is the largest monolith stone in Tenganan village. According to local beliefs, the Taikik stone is considered a symbol of the entrails, or horse dung, of Onceswara. In this place, the local community performs various religious ceremonies with the aim of asking for prosperity.
3. Penimbalan is located in the western part of Tenganan village and is a monolith considered to be the thigh of the horse Onceswara. This place is considered sacred by the local community, and the religious ceremony performed here is related to the traditional ceremony for Teruna Nyoman.
4. The Jaran Stone is located to the north of Tenganan village and is considered to be the place where the horse Onceswara died. This place is sacred to the local community and is part of the history of the early formation of the Tenganan village that we can see today.

Since Bhatara Indra is said to have inhabited this place, the Peneges villagers built a village consisting of three hills: Kangin hill (east), Kaut hill (west), and Kaja hill (north). Because the village was located between the three hills, it was called Tengah, and over time, the word “tengah” changed to “Tenganan”. The village is a small village consisting of three banjars (community groups), namely Banjar Kauh, Banjar Tengah, and Banjar Pande. The population structure in Tenganan Village is built linearly with six banjars. Each banjar has several large courtyards, and the buildings here are used by the local community to display handicrafts for tourists. All traditions in this village reflect the harmony between humans and God, humans and their neighbors, and humans and their environment, in accordance with the concept of Tri Hita Karana.

Traditional House Tenganan Village

Traditional houses in Tenganan Village have significant differences compared to Balinese houses in general. This difference is mainly due to the concept of space division in Sanga Mandala. This concept leads to the division of house lots into nine parts, with the northeast area being the highest hierarchical area, influenced by the philosophy of mountain orientation and the east-west direction (sunrise and sunset). In Tenganan Village, the concept of Meulu ke Tengah is applied in the division of residential lots. The highest hierarchy zone is placed in the area near the front yard or outside the house because the main road (awangan) is considered a sacred area. Each residential house in Tenganan Village usually consists of four main buildings, namely:

1. Bale Buga is a place where religious rituals are performed. Its function can be seen from the location of this building close to the main road or the clouds, because the clouds are considered a sanctified area. The roof of Bale Buga must be made of palpalan (coconut leaves) or palm fiber. Bale Buga buildings are either attached to the entrance, known as the Jelanan Awangan type, or stand separately, known as the Kori Ngeleb type.
2. The Central Bale is a traditional building consisting of two rooms. One of the rooms, or bale, is used to perform death rituals, while the other room is used to place newborn babies.
3. Bale Meten is the building that has the most common function among the other buildings. It can be modified and used daily as a bedroom or living room. However, when there is a wedding ceremony, one of the rooms in Bale Meten is used to carry out the ritual ceremony.
4. Paon, or kitchen, in Tenganan Village has the same function as a kitchen in general, used for cooking activities and other kitchen matters. However, in the tradition of the Tenganan community, the kitchen must be completed with a furnace (jalikan) because there are special ceremonies performed in the furnace. In addition, on the south side of the kitchen, attached to the wall, there is a bathroom.

Tenganan Villager’s Profession

Tenganan Village in Bali, which is the oldest village on the island, still maintains and preserves its customs and culture, making it a Karangasem places of interest that is used as a cultural tourism destination that continues to exist today. The majority of residents in this village have professions as craftsmen, farmers, plantations, and fishermen. It is located close to Candidasa Beach. Handicrafts, such as bamboo weaving, carving, painting on palm leaves, and pegringsingan woven fabric, are the most dominant in this village. In particular, the pegringsingan weaving craft has received a positive response from tourists, so many families here have switched professions to become pegringsingan weavers. This is evident from the presence of looms in people’s homes that are used to make cloth. The positive response encourages most of them to focus on this pegringsingan weaving business, not only to maintain the culture of Tenganan Village but also as a source of additional income by selling woven fabrics to foreign and domestic tourists.

Pegringsingan Weaving Craft at Tenganan Village

Apart from being a cultural village that has existed for a long time and preserved its characteristics for generations, Tenganan Village is also famous for its weaving craft, called pegringsingan weaving craft. The famous pegringsingan weaving craft in Tenganan Village comes from the word “geringsing”, which consists of “gering” which means pain, and “sing”, which means no. It is literally interpreted as a tool to keep away evil or magical activities known as black magic that come to us. The Pegringsingan weaving craft is special only in Tenganan Village, which makes this village have a characteristic weaving that is also known as Tenganan Pegringsingan Village. For weaving lovers, Tenganan Village is a must-visit place to see the process of making Pegringsingan woven fabric. The manufacturing process is still very traditional and takes a long time, about 3-6 months and can even be more than a year if the motif is complicated. This makes the price of this weaving quite expensive because the manufacturing process takes a long time.

Since it was introduced to foreign tourists visiting Tenganan Village, this pegringsingan weaving craft has become very popular. Many residents here have switched professions by weaving this pegringsingan cloth, which you can see directly when entering Tenganan village. To the left and right of the house, you will see household businesses that make Tenganan pegringsingan weaving with various motifs and prices that are quite high because the manufacturing process takes a long time. Although the price is a little expensive, this is not an obstacle for pegringsingan weaving lovers because the results of the weaving are amazing and worth the price. Tenganan Village is also known as Tenganan Pegringsingan Village because, on the Bali Island, only in Tenganan Village, this pegringsingan weaving craft can be found, making it a beautiful work that you can only get in this village.

Pegringsingan woven fabric from Tenganan Village has a rich history and is used in various religious ceremonies such as metatah (tooth cutting) and wedding ceremonies. Its long manufacturing process and coloring using natural materials make it relatively expensive. Dyeing using hazelnut oil gives a deep and long-lasting color, adding to the artistic value and quality of this fabric. The double ikat technique used in making gringsing cloth is unique to Indonesia, especially in Tenganan Village. This requires a complicated and long process. Pegringsingan fabric is one of the ancient cultural heritages of Bali that is still maintained today. The presence of pegringsingan-woven fabric also makes a significant economic contribution to the local community in Tenganan Village. For example, this fabric was chosen as a souvenir for the participants of the 2022 G20 Summit held on to Bali Island in December. This demonstrates the value and uniqueness of pegringsingan woven fabric and its important role in supporting the local economy and culture.

War Dance at Tenganan Village

Tenganan Village is often referred to as Bali Aga because it was not influenced by the culture of the Majapahit kingdom that entered Bali. This makes the village very unique in terms of culture and customs. In addition to being a unique cultural tourism destination with its cultural sustainability as well as a center for pegringsingan weaving crafts, Tenganan village also has a unique tradition called Pandan War, better known as Mekare-kare. In Mekare-kare, the village youth fight using pandan leaves and wear rattan-woven shields. This is part of a traditional ceremony called Usaba Sambah. While the war is going on, gamelan seloding music accompanies the event. This tradition does not happen every day, but only on certain days that fall once a year. So, if you want to watch this Pandan War or Mekare-kare festival, you need to ask the Tenganan village officials for the schedule. This tradition is also known as the War Dance.

The Mekare-kare procession, or War Dance, is a form of respect for the Tenganan community for Lord Indra, or the God of War. The local community considers Lord Indra as the main god without distinguishing caste, so they show special respect through the Pandan War or Mekare-kare festival. The festival lasts one full day and involves a fight between two people in a prepared arena. Each participant is armed with a spiked pandanus and a round shield made of rattan. A referee decides the winner, and the loser survives the one-on-one attack. Participants are often injured as the sharp pandanus leaves pierce the skin. However, they use traditional concoctions such as grated turmeric, galangal, and coconut oil to treat the wounds, which do not leave deep marks. Although challenging and painful, this tradition is considered very precious and unique to Tenganan Village. You can watch this event only once a year on certain designated days.

What You Can Do in Tenganan Village

Visiting one of the cultural tourist attractions in Bali, namely Tenganan Village, better known as Tenganan Pegringsingan Village in the east of the Bali Island, will provide a memorable experience for visitors. The uniqueness of Tenganan village is a special attraction for visitors who feel happy when visiting this place. Walking around the village and observing the preservation of village customs and traditions that have been maintained from year to year without being eroded by the changing times that are increasingly complex is a valuable experience. The people of Tenganan village show great solidarity in maintaining their culture. During the visit to Tenganan village, there are several activities that can be enjoyed, such as enjoying the beauty of the village and its unique customs, as well as looking at the beautiful handicrafts produced by the local community.

1. Tenganan Village: In Tenganan Village, you can enjoy the beauty of the customs that are still very well preserved. You can walk around Tenganan village and see the daily social life of the people, who are still well preserved. You can also mingle with the local people of Tenganan village because they are not much affected by outside cultures, so their daily lives remain the same as in the past.
2. Take a photo at the traditional house: In addition, you can visit one of the traditional houses here and take pictures in one of the old houses that have been well-maintained over the years. The buildings retain their traditional style without any touch of modernization, so the houses here look like they belonged in the olden days. Feeling this sensation while taking a photo in a traditional house reminiscent of yesteryear must be very enjoyable.
3. Pegringsingan Crafs: You can also visit one of the famous pegringsingan weaving crafts in Tenganan Village. Here, you can see the weaving process carried out by the local community, which is a very unique process and results in beautiful work. In addition, you also have the opportunity to buy these pegringsingan fabrics as souvenirs.
4. Watching the War Dance Tradition: For the Kembang Mekar tradition, you will not see it often as this event is only held on certain days, usually after Nyepi. This tradition is a rare event and does not happen all the time. If you want to watch this event, make sure to check the schedule first so that you don’t miss the chance to see it.
5. Watching the Swing Tradition: One of the other traditions in Tenganan Village is the swing tradition. When a girl is about to enter adulthood, she wears traditional clothes and pegringsingan cloth and sits on a large swing made of wood that is moved by two people. This tradition symbolizes a life that keeps turning. However, this tradition is only held if there are girls entering adulthood in the village.
6. Buying Souvenirs: Apart from pegringsingan cloth, Tenganan Village also offers various types of handicrafts that you can buy as souvenirs. You can find paintings on palm leaves, decorated eggs, crafts made from animal bones, traditional masks, and more. This wide variety of handicrafts will surely amaze you when you see them and give you many options for unique souvenirs from your visit to Tenganan Village.

Facilities at Tenganan Village

Cultural tourism in Tenganan Village offers complete facilities for the comfort of visitors. A large parking area allows tourists who come with private vehicles to park easily and without worry. In addition, there are various other facilities that make visitors feel comfortable, such as food stalls, clean toilets, art shops, and a large parking area. The toilet facilities are quite clean, and visitors can use the toilets comfortably by paying a donation. There is also a small stall that provides food and cold drinks, so visitors don’t have to worry about finding drinks to quench their thirst. Around the parking lot area, there are several souvenir shops that sell unique items as a memento of a visit to Tenganan Village. These good facilities will certainly make visitors feel at home in this place while enjoying the unique social activities of Tenganan villagers, who still maintain their characteristics today.