'Pandanus war' ritual attracts and repels

'Pandanus war' ritual attracts and repels

By Kadek Suartaya

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): The ancient Balinese village of Tenganan
Pagringsingan in Karangasem regency has a unique religious
tradition mekare-kare, in which thorny pandanus leaves are used
in a duel.

People from outside the village call the bloody attraction
"pandanus war".

The ritual in the village situated about 60 kilometers east of
Denpasar can only be seen during the Hindu religious ritual Usaba
Sambah, one of the most important religious ceremonies in the
village. The ritual, which aims to repel evil spirits, takes
place between June and July. The ritual last took place on June
18.

Armed with pandanus leaves, the Balinese youths fight like
men, ignoring the blood that covers their bodies. For local
youths, participating in the pandanus war is an honor.

The duel is watched by local girls clad in traditional
Balinese attire. They act as cheerleaders.

Customary laws allow only Tenganan village youngsters to
fight. But as the ritual has developed over time, older people
and children are now also allowed to participate. Today, people
from outside the village, and even foreign tourists, are allowed
to try their hands at fighting if they have the guts and the
consent of the customary leaders.

On June 18, the duel started at midday, when the scorching sun
was directly above everybody's head. It took place in front of
Bale Agung, a sacred long village hall, which has a palm fiber
roof. Villagers gathered at the building wearing traditional
Balinese costumes. Men wore Balinese sarongs and headbands
(udeng), and were shirtless.

As soon as the traditional music played the mekare-kare song,
the fighters began hitting each other with pandanus leaves. Each
fighter clutched a bunch of 30 centimeter-long pandanus leaves in
their right hand, and a rattan or bamboo shield in their left
hand.

There were several referees squatting around the arena ready
to intervene if the fight became too brutal, or if a fighter
broke the rules of the game.

The legal target is any part of the body between the neck and
the navel. There is no set time limit to the fight. If any of the
fighters can no longer bear the pain, and can no longer afford to
lose blood, the fight can be stopped. Those who are not satisfied
with their performance, and who are still strong enough, may
resume fighting with the same opponent or a new one.

The cheerleaders' screaming, together with the energetic music
playing in the background, obviously boosted the fighters'
spirit. The scorching sun was no impediment to their efforts.

People who had finished their bouts were seated outside the
arena. Blood and sweat dripped from their bodies. Fighters
awaiting their turn wearily looked around for potential
opponents.

Aren't the wounds painful? Obviously they are. But the daring
fighters do not have anything to worry about as long as the
traditional medicine men are around. The medical team will apply
boreh on the wounds. This is a mixture of traditional ingredients
comprising crushed turmeric, kemiri (candlenut) and vinegar. The
formula is said to be highly effective. Wounds are said to heal
in less than a week without leaving a scar.

The festivity ended at dusk. All the fighters gathered in the
community hall for dinner. Everyone buried the hatchet to tuck
into typical Balinese food, such as lawar (vegetables with
shredded pork), komoh (pork soup), oret (pork sausage) and
steaming hot rice. There was no room for individuals to bear
grudges. Everyone sat in a large circle and shared jokes.

Mangku Widia, aged 67, a Hindu religious leader in Tenganan
said the bloody ritual was originally a ceremony to mark the
entry of a youth to adulthood.

For I Mudita, aged 70, a painter and writer, the duel
signifies recognition of one's adulthood. The pandanus leaf --
locally believed to have the magic power of repulsing evil
spirits -- symbolizes self-control.

People outside Tenganan believe the bloody contest is a ritual
to evict evil spirits. In other areas of Bali, animal blood is
used in the ritual, and no human blood is spilled. In some areas,
roosters fight in a ceremony to symbolize the war.