The Faces Of Indonesia: TENGANAN & PERANG PANDAN

Some photos that I took in the village of Tenganan..

Tenganan is a traditional village on the island of Bali. The village is located in the District of Manggis, Karangasem regency on the eastern side of Bali. Tenganan can be reached from Candi Dasa tourist spot and location approximately 10 kilometers from there.
Tenganan Village is one of the three villages of Bali Aga village, besides Trunyan and Sembiran. What is meant by the Bali Aga is a village that still retains the layout pattern of community life refers to the traditional rules of customary village who inherited their ancestors. The shape and the buildings and yards, setting the location of buildings, up to where the temple was made by following the customary rules of hereditary maintained.

According to some versions of historical records, Tenganan word comes from the word "Tengah" (middle) or "ngatengahang" which means "move to the area deeper." The word is associated with the movement of villagers from the seaside to a rural area in the central hills, the West Hill (Bukit Kauh) and East Hill (Bukit Kangin).

Residents of this village has a unique tradition in recruiting candidates for village leaders, one of them through traditional procession sabatan mesabar-Biu (war banana). Candidates for village leaders are educated according to local custom since childhood or gradually and traditions is a sort of psychological tests for candidates for village leaders. On the specified date according to local calendar systems (around July) will be held ngusaba Sambah with a unique tradition of mageret pandan or Perang Pandan (pandanus war). In the event, two pairs of village youth will fight on stage with each slice using pandanus thorns. Although it will cause injuries, they have antiseptic tubers of material that will spread to all wound up to dry and heal within a few days. The tradition is to continue the war games routine and create conditions for people with physical and mental strength. Tenganan population has been known as the Hindu god Indra flow, which is believed to be the god of war.
Community Tenganan teach and uphold the concept of Tri Hita Karana (concept in Hinduism) and make it happen in everyday life. Tri means three and Hita Karana means cause of happiness to achieve balance and harmony. Tri Hita Karana Perahyangan consisting of (a balanced relationship between man and God), Pawongan (harmonious relationship between humans and other humans), and Palemahan (harmonious relationship between humans and the natural environment around it)