When a grand ceremony such as Ngenteg Lingih (held once every 30 years) or deification of ancestor soul (nyekah) is held both Balinese and visitors will have a chance to see the rare Ketungan and hear its unique rhythmic sound. Ketungan, as a matter of fact is not a musical instrument but a long wooden mortar made of tree trunk complete with some long wooden pestles which is used to thrash the rice in order to detach the grain from the husk. When the rice is thrashed using the mortar, the long trough of the mortar is filled with rice and then the rice is pounded using the tall wooden pestles.

The ketungan is sounded by pounding the wooden pestles continuously into the ketungan. The collision of wooden pestles against the wooden mortar will produce deep continuous sounds which can cover surprisingly long distance. Ketungan is usually sounded by 6 or more women; each of them hold a long wooden pestle and pound the mortar with a specific rhythm. The different rhythms of the pounding will produce a complex interlocking pattern of polyrhythm. Sometimes the outer side of the wooden mortar is also pounded with a wooden hammer or two, adding new rhythms to the complex rhythm of the wooden pestles.

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Yesterday, 7/2/2007, a sacred, joyful Mendak Bagia Pulakerti (picking up the core of peace and happiness) ceremony was held in my village, Sibanggede, in Badung Regency. This ceremony was held as a part of Medudus Agung, a rare once-every-30-year ceremony. The main activity of this ceremony is a journey to pick up the sacred Bagia Pulakerti (core of peace and happiness) offerings from the oldest temple of the surrounding area and bring them to the temple where the Medudus Agung Ceremony is held.

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Daily photo journal of Bali Arts Festival 2006

Day 27, Thursday, 13 July 2006

Time: 10.00
Event: Ketungan dance by Desa Adat Tegal Mengkeb Kaja Tabanan Regency
Venue: Kalangan Ayodya

Ketungan dance by Desa Adat Tegal Mengkeb Kaja Tabanan Regency

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