PERANG PANDAN AT TENGANAN

Perang Pandan is offering ceremony conducted to honor the god Indra (god of war) and the ancestors. Perang Pandan also called mekare-kare. This ritual activities held annually in June in the village of Tenganan, located at 70 km in the east of Denpasar, more than 70 minutes by motorcycle. This village belong to one of the old village in Bali, this is called Bali Aga village. The location of this village surrounded by hills, while the shape of is like a fortress worthy of having only four entrances to the system of custody, making it easier to know who is coming and going from the village.
Trust adopted Tenganan villagers are different from Balinese people in general. Tenganan Villagers have written rules or awig-awig that hereditary bequeathed by their ancestors, also did not recognize caste and believed to be the god Indra is the god of all gods. Lord Indra is the god of war. Historically Tenganan was a gift from God Indra to wong peneges, the ancestral village of Tenganan. While the Balinese Hindus in general makes the Tri Murti Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva as the supreme god.

According to the story, in ancient times Tenganan and the surrounding area was ruled by a king named Maya Denawa unjust and cruel, he even makes himself as God and disallow the Balinese perform religious rituals, to hear that the gods in heaven were furious, and the gods sent Lord Indra to awaken or destroy Maya Denawa, by lifting the god Indra as the lord of war or battle leader. Through heavy fighting and casualties , in the end God Indra succes to kill Maya Denawa.

 Perang Pandan or Makare-kare was held 2 days and held a once a year on sasih Kalima (the fifth month on the calendar of Bali) and is part of the ceremony Sasih Sembah is the largest religious ceremony in the village of Tenganan. The implementation location of Perang Pandan is in the middle of village hall. The execution usually begins at 2 pm in which all citizens use traditional Tenganan clothes (Pegringsingan woven fabric), for men only use gloves (Kamen), scarves (saput), and a headband (Udeng) without clothes, bare-chested. Supplies thorny pandanus war is bound to be one form of a mace, while the shield is made of rattan. Every man (start rising juvenile) in this village must participate in the implementation of Pandan War, the stage is about 5 x 5 meters square. With a height of about 1 meter, without a safety rope around.
Before the Perang Pandan starts, beginning with the ritual ceremony surrounding villages to beg salvation, then held a ritual drink palm wine, palm wine is poured into bamboo in the banana leaves that function like glass. the participant poured each wine into banana leaves to other participant's. Then the wine is collected into one and thrown aside the stage. When the ceremony will begin, Mangku Widia indigenous leaders in the village of Tenganan gestured with his voice, then two young men getting ready. They were face to face with a bunch of pandan leaves in his right hand and a shield made of woven rattan on his left hand. Mediator as the referee standing between two young men.
After the arbitrator raised his hands up high, two young men fight each other. They hit the back of the opponent in a way hug first. They hugged each other. Hitting the opponent's back with pandan leaves were then scratch.Therefore, this ritual is also called Megeratn Pandan. Another war participants cheered encouragingly. Gamelan fast-tempo beat. Two young men hugged each other and beat until they fall. Mediator need to separate them while help by the other villagers (pemedek)
This match did not last long. Less than a minute even. Finished one game directly connected another game, This was done turns (more or less for 3 hours).
After the ceremonythe ritual leader gives the scratch an oil made from herbal medicine, and spread holy water to the fighters. No heart feeling among fighters, and they all sit together to have meals on banana leaves.

Taken From: http://www.thenirwana.com/place-of-interest/mekare-kare-at-tenganan.html

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