Temple and societies in Bali has a unique bond in which a temple serves as part of identity of a society. All traditional Balinese social unit from households to kingdoms, possess their own temples where offerings are offered to the deities concerned with their affairs, for example market deities in the market temple, ancestors in the household and clan temple. In other words, each social unit forms congregation of specific temple or shrines, which symbolically defines its place in Balinese social universe.

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In Balinese’s point of view, sin can cause many kinds of illness to the Balinese, which cannot be cured before they realized their sin, perform necessary ritual as a sign of repentance or to appease the wrath of the deities. A concept of sickness as a punishment for one’s sin or mistake still prevails in Balinese minds and influences their daily life.

When a Balinese is sick, there are two options to consider for curing his illness, first, consult a doctor or a witch doctor for a remedy and the second option is to reevaluate his actions, whether he has committed a mistake to deities or ancestors, desecrating holy or sacred places, breaking a taboo, conducting improper or incomplete ceremony, etc. If he is not sure of what sin or mistake ails him (since can’t figure out his sin or mistake) or which one (since he made so many sins or mistakes), he can ask a shaman to summon a spirit of ancestors or a deities to tell him what his sin or mistake that cause his sickness, what should be done to repent his mistake, and what ceremony or offering is needed to cure his illness or show his repentance.

Negligence in paying a promise to the deities is a sin or mistake that can also be punished with various illnesses. A Balinese usually makes promise to the deities (masaudan) when a sickness or misfortune befalls on a Balinese, he promise something to the deity, for example, a student who is going to take an important examination is usually makes a promise to present a certain offering to the deity if he manages to pass examination. If he fails to fulfill this promise after he pass the examination, a misfortune or sickness is certainly close at his heel.

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On Monday night (11/19/07), my village summon the village protecting deities, a Barong which is named Ratu Ngurah Sakti and a Rangda which is revered as Ratu Istri to protect the village and all its inhabitants from the annual invasion of the king of demons, Ratu Gede Nusa and his army which spread plague and pestilence all over the island of Bali especially the south west coast of Bali. Monday (11/19/07) was chosen to be the time of summoning ritual since that day was a kajeng kliwon, an auspicious day which is believed to be full of magical power and it is occurred on the sixth month of Caka year (Kaenem), the month which is believed to be the month of invasion, the month of pestilence (this year Kaenem starts on 11/10/07 and last until 12/9/07).

The main ritual began around midnight; the protecting deities, ratu Ngurah Sakti and Ratu Istri were escorted to the main crossroad of the village. The deities stood on the center of the crossroad and given special offerings, a chicken was sacrificed for the deities. The main crossroad of the village was chosen to be the venue of ceremony since main crossroad in any Balinese village is the center of the village, the central point for community activities and ceremonial events. The crossroad is an open space where the four cardinal points meet and considered to have an extraordinary magical power as well as a strategic point to release the magical power of the deities to four cardinal points.

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To find high quality wood carving in Bali you have to go to Gianyar regency, especially in the village of Mas, and Kemenuh. There are two main types of woodcarving. Traditional carving, in the form of bas-relief tableaux and plaques, are used mainly as decoration for doors, walls and columns and small highly standardized wooden statues od deities and mythical heroes also belong to this group. The second one is contemporary carving. The theme usually highly stylized human and animal figures, often grotesque and psychopathic.

When you buy a wood carving, it is better to dress casually, prosperous looking buyer will get higher price and don’t forget and don’t be shy to bargain, when a reasonable price is reached, buy it. Fixed price created for those who have no time to bargain. Study the item carefully before you buy it. Make sure the artwork is dry (free from moisture). If not, it will crack and mould later.Check for the crack and make sure all attached parts like wings, hands, feet are properly attached. Have the carver explain any discoloration.

Beware of imitation; if a seller claims that an item is made of pure sandalwood or ebony, there is likely a chance that his claim is 90% false, for sandalwood is hard to find and the price of ebony for carving material is extraordinary high. If you can, find a carving that possesses an inner life, a vitality of its own.

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