Monday, October 5, 2009, the inhabitants of Kapal village held The Aci Rah Pengangon ritual, known by local people as Perang Tipat‐Bantal or The Tipat Bantal War. This ritual is preceded with collective praying by the participants of this ritual at the inner courtyard of Kapal Village’s Pura Desa (Village Temple).

After the praying session was over the participants enacted the first Tipat Bantal War on the middle courtyard of the Village Temple. Dozens of bare-chested men, divided into two groups threw tipat (cooked rice wrapped in a square shaped woven coconut leaf) and bantal (cooked rice wrapped in cylindrical shape container made of coconut leaf) at each other. This war last for five minutes and served as preliminary to the bigger war was conducted on the outer courtyard of the village temple.

The second war, the bigger war, involved hundreds of men and children. They threw the tipat and the bantal with all their might to other participants on the opposing side. They enjoyed the war so much and seemed did not mind one or two hits. Some stray shots also hit the onlookers but it made them even more excited to watch the war. The war last for ten minutes and concluded with a feast of the “ammunitions” that they used in the war. The remnants of tipat and bantal which strewn on the ground were picked and buried in the rice fields as a symbol of prosperity and fertility.

Popularity: 1% [?]