An Island Hut ... then an Unbelievable Experience
Sanur, Bali, Indonesia
A vacation from a vacation is sometimes necessary - and so we found ourselves on a boat to a lovely island, Nusa Lembongan - an hour north of Bali. It felt a bit touristy until the tourists left and we had a hut albeit air conditioned for the night.
Our dinner was a table on a beach overlooking the holy volcano of Bali - Mt. Agung. Just a lovely overnight - with a shared, partially open-to-the-skies shower/toilet combination nearby (did I mention the hut was on stilts and we both worried about going to the bathroom in the middlle of the night?) and bigger and more lovely than many a hotel room. As usual, the prople were incredibly friendly. And snorkeling the second day in pristine waters with varieties of fish and coral I had never seen.
But now we are back in Bali as Janet will post above - and describe an incredible and privileged experience from last evening.
Mel
Last night, we again had one of those events that most tourists don't get to. We have been working with a certain touring company in Bali. And, we have been pestering the guide to find a real temple ceremony that we can attend. He is a pretty religious guy and has been telling us how we can't get in to a real temple ceremony but that there was going to be a 20 day ceremony in his temple, part of which would be a dance performance, and he could get us in to that. Last night, he picked us up and took us. I had to wear a sarong, shirt, jacket and he supplied a belt to tie my jacket. Mel had to wear a sarong (actually, a double sarong), dress shirt (hanging out) and traditional hat.
We entered the temple where the stage was set up and people sitting on the ground ready to watch the play. The walls and ceilings were decorated with dried coconut or bamboo leaf decorations (I am not sure which) with hundreds of streamers hanging down made of the same material. He urged us to sit in a certain location where it did not appear to me that there was any space but Mel and I squeezed in and sat down (on the ground - not chairs, not mats, not a cement floor). There was a huge outcry of laughs and giggles when we sat which we, hopefully, interpreted as excitement over two foreigners sitting in their midst. Most of the people were sitting cross legged or squatting, a position they maintained for several hours. Mel and I began suffering from the position almost immediately, and the sweat just rolled off our faces.
The play was a comedy version of the Barong dance, the struggle between good and evil. Only one of the actors was a professional so even though we don't speak the language, we could tell that a lot of improvisation was going on and the dancing was quite amateurish, but the crowd loved it and laughed enthusiastically, as did we. There was a gamelon orchestra trying gamely to provide the proper background music. At one point, one of the actors said "welcome" and we realize he was talking about us, since everyone turned to look at us. Then we heard the word "tourist." Later, I asked our guide what he had said and he reported that the actor had welcomed us and wondered if we were tourists or Balinese since we were dressed like Balinese. It, too, created a huge laugh and everyone looked at us. There were many children around us, all of whom kept sneaking glances at "the tourists" but with big smiles when we caught their eyes.
As the play came to an end, suddenly there was shouting. Apparently, it was to clear a path. Mel and I got up to stand, although by then my legs were numb and I could hardly stand.
The path was for several people who had gone into a trance. (The people of this Village believe that the spirts can enter them, even the spirits played in a play, and they become "possessed.") They were led on stage and expressed their trance through eating live chickens (including little baby chicks), stabbing themselves in the chest (althnough no one bled) and biting off, chewing and swallowing the ends of sticks that were on fire. Finally, a priest came and sprinkled them with holy water to bring them out of their trance. Mel and I discussed it afterwards and decided that it is part of the phenomenon that allows people to walk on nails or across hot coals and that it is inexplicable and incomprehensible to the non-believers.
Afterwards, we were able to walk around part of the temple and see the huge offerings being left for this special event. We are still not sure what it is but it only occurs every 80 years and it will continue all day for 20 days - at least in this particular temple.
* * * * * * *
The Congress that has been going on in the hotel near us has concluded. The party (which is the opposition party) has nominated Metawati Sukarno, daughter of the first President of Indonesia, to represent them in the 2009 election. There have been several editorials against her but she had the votes. The army and the army of security guards have disappeared from the streets near our hotel and it has quieted down a bit.
Love,
Janet
A vacation from a vacation is sometimes necessary - and so we found ourselves on a boat to a lovely island, Nusa Lembongan - an hour north of Bali. It felt a bit touristy until the tourists left and we had a hut albeit air conditioned for the night.
Our dinner was a table on a beach overlooking the holy volcano of Bali - Mt. Agung. Just a lovely overnight - with a shared, partially open-to-the-skies shower/toilet combination nearby (did I mention the hut was on stilts and we both worried about going to the bathroom in the middlle of the night?) and bigger and more lovely than many a hotel room. As usual, the prople were incredibly friendly. And snorkeling the second day in pristine waters with varieties of fish and coral I had never seen.
But now we are back in Bali as Janet will post above - and describe an incredible and privileged experience from last evening.
Mel
Last night, we again had one of those events that most tourists don't get to. We have been working with a certain touring company in Bali. And, we have been pestering the guide to find a real temple ceremony that we can attend. He is a pretty religious guy and has been telling us how we can't get in to a real temple ceremony but that there was going to be a 20 day ceremony in his temple, part of which would be a dance performance, and he could get us in to that. Last night, he picked us up and took us. I had to wear a sarong, shirt, jacket and he supplied a belt to tie my jacket. Mel had to wear a sarong (actually, a double sarong), dress shirt (hanging out) and traditional hat.
We entered the temple where the stage was set up and people sitting on the ground ready to watch the play. The walls and ceilings were decorated with dried coconut or bamboo leaf decorations (I am not sure which) with hundreds of streamers hanging down made of the same material. He urged us to sit in a certain location where it did not appear to me that there was any space but Mel and I squeezed in and sat down (on the ground - not chairs, not mats, not a cement floor). There was a huge outcry of laughs and giggles when we sat which we, hopefully, interpreted as excitement over two foreigners sitting in their midst. Most of the people were sitting cross legged or squatting, a position they maintained for several hours. Mel and I began suffering from the position almost immediately, and the sweat just rolled off our faces.
The play was a comedy version of the Barong dance, the struggle between good and evil. Only one of the actors was a professional so even though we don't speak the language, we could tell that a lot of improvisation was going on and the dancing was quite amateurish, but the crowd loved it and laughed enthusiastically, as did we. There was a gamelon orchestra trying gamely to provide the proper background music. At one point, one of the actors said "welcome" and we realize he was talking about us, since everyone turned to look at us. Then we heard the word "tourist." Later, I asked our guide what he had said and he reported that the actor had welcomed us and wondered if we were tourists or Balinese since we were dressed like Balinese. It, too, created a huge laugh and everyone looked at us. There were many children around us, all of whom kept sneaking glances at "the tourists" but with big smiles when we caught their eyes.
As the play came to an end, suddenly there was shouting. Apparently, it was to clear a path. Mel and I got up to stand, although by then my legs were numb and I could hardly stand.
The path was for several people who had gone into a trance. (The people of this Village believe that the spirts can enter them, even the spirits played in a play, and they become "possessed.") They were led on stage and expressed their trance through eating live chickens (including little baby chicks), stabbing themselves in the chest (althnough no one bled) and biting off, chewing and swallowing the ends of sticks that were on fire. Finally, a priest came and sprinkled them with holy water to bring them out of their trance. Mel and I discussed it afterwards and decided that it is part of the phenomenon that allows people to walk on nails or across hot coals and that it is inexplicable and incomprehensible to the non-believers.
Afterwards, we were able to walk around part of the temple and see the huge offerings being left for this special event. We are still not sure what it is but it only occurs every 80 years and it will continue all day for 20 days - at least in this particular temple.
* * * * * * *
The Congress that has been going on in the hotel near us has concluded. The party (which is the opposition party) has nominated Metawati Sukarno, daughter of the first President of Indonesia, to represent them in the 2009 election. There have been several editorials against her but she had the votes. The army and the army of security guards have disappeared from the streets near our hotel and it has quieted down a bit.
Love,
Janet
posted by Mel and Janet Muchnik | 10:29 PM
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