Penglipuran: Relection of peace in a Balinese village

Penglipuran: Relection of peace in a Balinese village

Yanes Setat, Antara, Denpasar, Bali

Unlike many other areas in the country that are battered and
jolted by conflicts or face high crime rates, residents in
Penglipuran village in Bali enjoy a peaceful life.

In Penglipuran, a traditional village in Bangli regency, some
45 kilometers northeast of Bali's capital of Denpasar, crime is
unheard of. None of the village's residents have ever been
involved in any criminal acts and Penglipuran itself, which
borders Karangasem regency, has never been a target of robberies.

Breaking into houses in this village would be quite an easy
task since most of the houses' walls are made out of plaited
bamboo or clay, locally known as luluh. Unlike houses in other
villages in Bali, there are no fences or partitions separating
one house from another.

Even Bali Regional Police spokesman, Adj. Sr. Comr. Y. Suyatmo
finds it incredulous that the houses in Penglipuran are always
theft free.

Anthropologist Professor Dr. Ngurah Bagus attributed this
unusual phenomenon to the Penglipuran villagers' ability to
uphold their age-old wisdom and modesty. Barely touched by
modernism, he added, traditional village wisdom prevailed
compared to other villages in Bali.

"This wisdom is reflected in the modesty shown by the
villagers while going about their daily routine, or while they
are out there in a 'heated' situation," said Ngurah Bagus, a
professor at Bali's Udayana University School of Literature and a
lecturer at the university's school of post-graduate studies.

In short, he added, the Penglipuran villagers are immune to
negative influences from their surroundings because they can
maintain simplicity and honesty.

Regional police spokesperson, Suyatmo, said the simplicity and
modesty of Penglipuran villagers, both in their personal
appearance and in their homes, might discourage people from
committing crimes there. Or, perhaps, he added, a thief would
think there is hardly anything worth stealing in this village.

Now, as a symbol of the face of Bali in the olden days,
Penglipuran has, for the past few years, gained a reputation as a
traditional tourist village.

Located to the north of Bangli, the village has attracted many
foreign researchers and tourists to take a close look at a model
of Bali in the olden days.

The name Penglipuran, some say, is derived from two words,
pengeling and pura, meaning a sacred place where they keep fond
memories of their ancestors, who are believed to come from
Banyunggede village in Kintamani.

Others say that penglipuran comes from the word pelipur, a
comforter or a place where you can relax.

Although the origin of Penglipuran's name is still a riddle,
the village has turned into a notable tourist destination as it
offers a glimpse into the people's traditional way of life along
with its traditional buildings -- two aspects that are now hard
to find on the island.

Once you enter the village, you will notice the difference in
the atmosphere.

The 112-hectare village with its 195 families has been
arranged based on the Tri Hita Karana principle, namely the
relationship between man and his omnipotent Creator, the
relationship between man and other beings and the relationship
between man and Mother Nature.

The village's customary chief and guardian I Wayan Supat said
the residents had agreed to keep their age-old tradition alive,
both in arranging the settlement and the awig-awig (regulations)
of the village.

That's why, even today, each house in the village still has an
angkul-angkul, gateway made of bricks or clay with a bamboo roof.

"This angkul-angkul used to be made of clay and a bamboo roof
but many collapsed during the earthquake. So, when they were
renovated, they were made from brick. The process did not take as
long as when using clay," he said.

Another unique rule is, the villagers are not allowed to set
up shops and stalls alongside the road, or at least not directly
facing the road. And although the rule is unwritten, the
villagers adhere to it.

"If a local wishes to run a food stall, for example, he can do
so in his backyard. This way, the beauty of the environment is
always maintained," Wayan said.

A social observer of Udayana University, LK Suryani,
highlighted Penglipuran's villagers strong kinship. "This is
clearly shown by the absence of walls or fences between houses,
allowing families in the village to mingle freely and
harmoniously," she said.

This harmonious relationship, perhaps, is possible because
they live on inherited land owned by the villagers. One pengarep
(farmer) family, for instance, will enjoy the right to occupy a
plot of land measuring between 1,200 square meters and 1,400
square meters.

Another system adopted by the Penglipuran people is the
procedure for the election of a pemangku (a spiritual leader),
locally known as Jro Kabayan.

The principle is based on seniority. Generally, the procedure
for the election of a pemangku is quite complicated as only
particular people will be eligible for this position. A Pemangku,
for instance, must be someone whose attitude, character and past
history serves as a role model for the locals and other people.

In Penglipuran, the system is different. The oldest person
automatically becomes the Jro Kabayan.

"The locals believe that if someone is not destined to become
a Jro Kabayan, there will always be a reason to make him give up
this position," said Wayan Supat, who was born in 1967.

For instance, he said, a Jro Kabayan will automatically give
up his position when his youngest child or one of his
grandchildren is married. Moreover, if the leader's family is no
longer complete, for instance if his wife dies, he also has the
right to retire.

All forms of simplicity based on Balinese traditions are found
in Penglipuran, which according to Suryani, allows the village
residents to live in peaceful coexistence with other villagers or
with those of different religious or ethnic backgrounds.