'Gebuk Ende', a rare ritual to invite rain

Mas Rucita Dewi, Contributor, Denpasar, Bali

Rarely presented traditional performing arts are the real treat of the ongoing Bali Arts Festival.

Before, even the Balinese did not have the opportunity to see the rare performing arts themselves, although it might pose a serious threat to the future of such shows.

One of the rare art performances is Gebuk Ende, a ritual dance hardly performed for tourist demands. The performance was shown last weekend during the one-month festival.

Gebuk literally means hit, while ende means shield. The dance performed by three pairs of male dancers was like a tribal war dance with the use of martial arts movements. Every dancer brings a rattan stick and a shield to protect his body, especially his head, from being hit by his enemy.

Accompanied with traditional Balinese orchestra gamelan, the music was alive and energetic. Before the show started, two of the dancers acted as referees. They first demonstrated the dance movements and regulations which should be followed by the dancers. The dancers are only allowed to hit the torso of one's enemy. Each of them shield their heads to protect from the rattan stick.

During the course of the dance, each dancer had to work hard to defeat his enemy. While waiting his chance to hit the stick, he frequently made humorous gestures and teased his enemy creating laughter from the audience.

A.A. Gede Putra Agung, a noted Balinese historian, estimated that the Gebug Ende dance which was popularized in Seraya village near Karang Asem regency, East Bali, but actually originated on the neighboring island of Lombok. The ritual dance was brought by people from Seraya to Gerokgak village in Buleleng, North Bali.

The historian said that Gebug Ende was founded in l692 when the Karang Asem Kingdom defeated and occupied Pejanggik royal territory in Lombok island, West Nusa Tenggara Province.

Seraya people, who served as Karang Asem's royal troops, were believed to bring this Lombok dance into Bali island. Gede's analysis was primarily based on the fact that no other communities in Bali recognize Gebuk Ende ritual dance.

On the other hand, almost all villagers in Lombok performed this dance under a different name, Perisian dance.

In Bali, the ritual dance has been performed for generations in Seraya and Gerokgak villages. Many scholars revealed that the dance's movements represented pre-historic art forms. The dance was used as a ritual to invite rains, especially before cultivating the seeds of the corn plants.

"At that time, we usually performed Gebug Ende ritual, and later in between three and five days, rains would pour down," explained I Nyoman Sukerta, one of the dancers from Sangalangit traditional village of Gerokgak.

Because of its ritual function, any performance of Gebuk Ende dance was preceded by a series of ceremonies completed with numerous offerings dedicated to Ida Sang Hyang Widi Wasa, the God. For the Bali Arts Festival, they only presented offerings to ask for permission and blessings.

"We pray to the God to bless us with fertile lands and plenty of water," said Nyoman.