ANPAc..r..<\/p>\n
Bali-Nyepi-OgohOgoh<\/p>\n
JP\/18\/OGOH2<\/p>\n
'Ogoh-Ogoh' parades conjure up demons among Bali's youths<\/p>\n
I Wayan Juniartha
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Denpasar<\/p>\n
Traffic congestion in Denpasar is often the result of erratic
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
This includes occasions when the telephone, electricity and
\nsewerage utilities take it in turns to dig huge holes at
\nprecisely the same location, or during cultural celebrations,
\nsuch as when the municipality held one of the largest Ogoh-Ogoh
\ncontests ever on the island on Feb. 20 and 21.<\/p>\n
During those two days, not even a seasoned traffic policeman
\ncould navigate his way through the thousands of people who filled
\nevery available open space around the city's most famous
\nlandmark, the Caturmuka, a statue of the four-headed Brahma at
\none of the city's main intersections.<\/p>\n
A total of 99 Ogoh-Ogoh, giant papier-mache dolls, from
\nvarious banjar (traditional neighborhood associations), desa adat
\n(traditional villages) and other customary institutions
\nparticipated in the contest.<\/p>\n
The competition was divided into two categories: traditional
\nand new creations, and offered total cash prizes of Rp 28.5
\nmillion.<\/p>\n
The participants turned the contest into a colorful and
\ninspiring event filled with new artistic and surprisingly
\ntechnical accomplishments.<\/p>\n
For instance, the Ogoh-Ogoh entered by Banjar Yangbatu Kangin,
\nwhich depicted the ogre warlord, Kumbakarna, succumbing to an
\nattack by hordes of monkey warriors, for instance, mesmerized the
\naudience with its artistic presentation.<\/p>\n
Dozens of children dressed in monkey costumes danced
\nanimatedly around the effigy. It was also technically
\naccomplished: is seemed to defy gravity as it lurched from side
\nto side while smaller monkey dolls hovered around the giant's
\nlimbs and torso.<\/p>\n
The Ogoh-Ogoh parade is usually held on the night of
\nPengerupukan, which falls one day before the Hindu new year,
\nNyepi.<\/p>\n
On the morning of Pengerupukan, the Balinese hold the grand
\nsacrificial rituals of Tawur Agung Kesanga to appease the
\ndestructive forces of nature and demonic spirits.<\/p>\n
Later in the evening, they parade around their respective
\nvillages, carrying burning bamboo torches, sounding gongs and
\ncarrying fearsome-looking Ogoh-Ogoh in a noisy ritual aimed at
\nscaring away demons.<\/p>\n
\"Ogoh-Ogoh were not originally part of Pengerupukan parades.
\nTheir inclusion is instead the fruit of our young people's
\ncreativity and they have been incorporated into the parade ever
\nsince the early '80s,\" said Hindu scholar I Ketut Wiana.<\/p>\n
That creativity soon transformed itself into an established
\ntradition and since the 1990s Ogoh-Ogoh have been prominent
\nfeatures of the Pengerupukan parades instead of just sideshows.<\/p>\n
The Ogoh-Ogoh are usually made by the Sekeha Teruna Teruni
\n(STT), a youth organization that has branches in each banjar.
\nMembers of the banjar raise the necessary funding to make the
\ndolls, which can cost as much as Rp 10 million.<\/p>\n
\"Making Ogoh-Ogoh has a positive impact on strengthening the
\ncohesion of the youth organization, and teaching members the
\nvalue of cooperation and teamwork. It also provides young people
\nwith an appropriate way of expressing their artistic sides and
\npassing their free time,\" Balinese scholar I Ketut Sumarta said.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, it has apparently also has had several
\nadverse side effects. The tradition of making and parading Ogoh-
\nOgoh has, for years, been associated with an increase in alcohol-
\nrelated disturbances.<\/p>\n
An increasing number of Balinese youths treat the event as
\nan excuse to get drunk, usually on traditional alcoholic
\nbeverages tuak and arak. Intoxication often leads youths to
\nbecome involved in various acts of delinquency, the most common
\nof which are street brawls with rival youth associations from
\nneighboring banjar or villages.<\/p>\n
\"It usually begins with members of one youth association
\nramming their sanan (a structure made of bamboo poles used to
\ncarry the Ogoh-Ogoh) into the sanan of a rival group in an effort
\nto topple its Ogoh-Ogoh. Soon, punches fly and the violence can
\ncontinue for days after the parade has ended,\" Komang Awidya, a
\nBalinese youth, said.<\/p>\n
A dyed-in-wool arak drinker, Komang has may stories to tell
\nabout street brawls.<\/p>\n
\"They can be triggered for serious reasons -- a long feud
\ndating back since time immemorial between two banjar -- or due to
\nsomething trivial -- a youth from a rival banjar stealing the
\ngirlfriend of one of our boys. Most of the time the brawls are
\nbrief and not too serious, with no serious injuries or hard
\nfeelings,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
Incidents such as these are the main reason why Denpasar
\nmunicipality recently issued a regulation that specifically asked
\nall the banjar and traditional villages of Desa Pekraman in
\nDenpasar not to include an Ogoh-Ogoh parade in the upcoming
\nPengerupukan celebrations on March 10.<\/p>\n
\"To provide an outlet for the Ogoh-Ogoh lovers, the
\nmunicipality organized the two-day Ogoh-Ogoh contest. Hopefully,
\nthis year Balinese Hindus in Denpasar can celebrate Pengerupukan
\nand Nyepi in a peaceful atmosphere without having to worry about
\ntheir youths parading Ogoh-Ogoh and getting drunk on the
\nstreets,\" municipality spokesman Erwin Suryadharma said.<\/p>\n
Komang was not so sure.<\/p>\n
\"In fact, after the contest was over we put our Ogoh-Ogoh in a
\nsafe place so we can take it out again and parade it for
\nPengerupukan. This year we will be able to show off our creation
\nto the public not once, but twice.<\/p>\n
\"We will be back -- by popular demand,\" he grinned.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/anpacr-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }