Penglipuran: Relection of peace in a Balinese village<\/p>\n
Yanes Setat, Antara, Denpasar, Bali<\/p>\n
Unlike many other areas in the country that are battered and
\njolted by conflicts or face high crime rates, residents in
\nPenglipuran village in Bali enjoy a peaceful life.<\/p>\n
In Penglipuran, a traditional village in Bangli regency, some
\n45 kilometers northeast of Bali's capital of Denpasar, crime is
\nunheard of. None of the village's residents have ever been
\ninvolved in any criminal acts and Penglipuran itself, which
\nborders Karangasem regency, has never been a target of robberies.<\/p>\n
Breaking into houses in this village would be quite an easy
\ntask since most of the houses' walls are made out of plaited
\nbamboo or clay, locally known as luluh. Unlike houses in other
\nvillages in Bali, there are no fences or partitions separating
\none house from another.<\/p>\n
Even Bali Regional Police spokesman, Adj. Sr. Comr. Y. Suyatmo
\nfinds it incredulous that the houses in Penglipuran are always
\ntheft free.<\/p>\n
Anthropologist Professor Dr. Ngurah Bagus attributed this
\nunusual phenomenon to the Penglipuran villagers' ability to
\nuphold their age-old wisdom and modesty. Barely touched by
\nmodernism, he added, traditional village wisdom prevailed
\ncompared to other villages in Bali.<\/p>\n
\"This wisdom is reflected in the modesty shown by the
\nvillagers while going about their daily routine, or while they
\nare out there in a 'heated' situation,\" said Ngurah Bagus, a
\nprofessor at Bali's Udayana University School of Literature and a
\nlecturer at the university's school of post-graduate studies.<\/p>\n
In short, he added, the Penglipuran villagers are immune to
\nnegative influences from their surroundings because they can
\nmaintain simplicity and honesty.<\/p>\n
Regional police spokesperson, Suyatmo, said the simplicity and
\nmodesty of Penglipuran villagers, both in their personal
\nappearance and in their homes, might discourage people from
\ncommitting crimes there. Or, perhaps, he added, a thief would
\nthink there is hardly anything worth stealing in this village.<\/p>\n
Now, as a symbol of the face of Bali in the olden days,
\nPenglipuran has, for the past few years, gained a reputation as a
\ntraditional tourist village.<\/p>\n
Located to the north of Bangli, the village has attracted many
\nforeign researchers and tourists to take a close look at a model
\nof Bali in the olden days.<\/p>\n
The name Penglipuran, some say, is derived from two words,
\npengeling and pura, meaning a sacred place where they keep fond
\nmemories of their ancestors, who are believed to come from
\nBanyunggede village in Kintamani.<\/p>\n
Others say that penglipuran comes from the word pelipur, a
\ncomforter or a place where you can relax.<\/p>\n
Although the origin of Penglipuran's name is still a riddle,
\nthe village has turned into a notable tourist destination as it
\noffers a glimpse into the people's traditional way of life along
\nwith its traditional buildings -- two aspects that are now hard
\nto find on the island.<\/p>\n
Once you enter the village, you will notice the difference in
\nthe atmosphere.<\/p>\n
The 112-hectare village with its 195 families has been
\narranged based on the Tri Hita Karana principle, namely the
\nrelationship between man and his omnipotent Creator, the
\nrelationship between man and other beings and the relationship
\nbetween man and Mother Nature.<\/p>\n
The village's customary chief and guardian I Wayan Supat said
\nthe residents had agreed to keep their age-old tradition alive,
\nboth in arranging the settlement and the awig-awig (regulations)
\nof the village.<\/p>\n
That's why, even today, each house in the village still has an
\nangkul-angkul, gateway made of bricks or clay with a bamboo roof.<\/p>\n
\"This angkul-angkul used to be made of clay and a bamboo roof
\nbut many collapsed during the earthquake. So, when they were
\nrenovated, they were made from brick. The process did not take as
\nlong as when using clay,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another unique rule is, the villagers are not allowed to set
\nup shops and stalls alongside the road, or at least not directly
\nfacing the road. And although the rule is unwritten, the
\nvillagers adhere to it.<\/p>\n
\"If a local wishes to run a food stall, for example, he can do
\nso in his backyard. This way, the beauty of the environment is
\nalways maintained,\" Wayan said.<\/p>\n
A social observer of Udayana University, LK Suryani,
\nhighlighted Penglipuran's villagers strong kinship. \"This is
\nclearly shown by the absence of walls or fences between houses,
\nallowing families in the village to mingle freely and
\nharmoniously,\" she said.<\/p>\n
This harmonious relationship, perhaps, is possible because
\nthey live on inherited land owned by the villagers. One pengarep
\n(farmer) family, for instance, will enjoy the right to occupy a
\nplot of land measuring between 1,200 square meters and 1,400
\nsquare meters.<\/p>\n
Another system adopted by the Penglipuran people is the
\nprocedure for the election of a pemangku (a spiritual leader),
\nlocally known as Jro Kabayan.<\/p>\n
The principle is based on seniority. Generally, the procedure
\nfor the election of a pemangku is quite complicated as only
\nparticular people will be eligible for this position. A Pemangku,
\nfor instance, must be someone whose attitude, character and past
\nhistory serves as a role model for the locals and other people.<\/p>\n
In Penglipuran, the system is different. The oldest person
\nautomatically becomes the Jro Kabayan.<\/p>\n
\"The locals believe that if someone is not destined to become
\na Jro Kabayan, there will always be a reason to make him give up
\nthis position,\" said Wayan Supat, who was born in 1967.<\/p>\n
For instance, he said, a Jro Kabayan will automatically give
\nup his position when his youngest child or one of his
\ngrandchildren is married. Moreover, if the leader's family is no
\nlonger complete, for instance if his wife dies, he also has the
\nright to retire.<\/p>\n
All forms of simplicity based on Balinese traditions are found
\nin Penglipuran, which according to Suryani, allows the village
\nresidents to live in peaceful coexistence with other villagers or
\nwith those of different religious or ethnic backgrounds.<\/p>",
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