As the sun sets and darkness replaces the illumination of the sunlight, night makes its way to the earth. “Night” is a phenomenon that all nations in the world have their own point of view, including Balinese. Balinese has their perspective on dealing with night. However, this perspective has greatly changed in the course 50 years due to modernization and tourism.

Title: The Dagger Attack On Rangda, Artist: I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, Media: Ink and tempera on papper, Size: 24 x 33 cm, Year: 1939s, Courtesy: Neka Art Museum.

In the bygone days, night was considered as the time for supernatural beings, malignant spirits, bhuta kala, leak (witch) filled the darkness of the night. The older generation of Balinese see the night as a dangerous time for traveling outside the house compound, though the gamelan at that time was held in the evening but it never lasted until late at night.

What made the night so frightful in those days? Leak (witch) was the answer. Malignant spirits and bhuta kala are believed to be ferocious at dusk and the night is the time for the witches to exercise their magic and fighting among them. My mother and grandmother still can recall the night they watch a leak fight, though all they can see at that time is the collision of two balls of fire. (Covarrubias also gives an account of leak fight in Denpasar in his book “The Island of Bali”. Leak at that time also credited for harassing people who dared to go out during the nighttime.

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Hell from Balinese point of view can be seen in the ceiling of the Kertha Gosa, the traditional courtroom of Gelgel Kingdom in the heart of Semarapura town, Klungkung Regency. I think picture will tell about the Balinese vision on hell better than words so here are some pictures that show various punishments for the sinned souls in hell painted with the classic Kamasan style.

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An important person had died. Some Indonesian and several foreigners who knew well this man admire him while others hate him much. This controversial general left many unsettled problems to solve.

Actually, Balinese are not really concern about problems around Soeharto. They are very upset because Soehartos’ son, Tomy in 1995 grabbed an area at south Kuta (Pecatu) by force and harmed many farmers. Tomy wanted to build a resort but the land owner opposed this project since the substitution for that land given to those farmers were only given 5 millions rupiah, and basic housing on 200m2-land.

Until now, they keep on fighting for justice. However, several of them gave up because they for higher compensation. Their legal counselor is confused to settle this problem because farmers, one by one become inconsistent on what they agreed before.

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Omen for Balinese is an important thing and it can be a serious problem if it occurs inside a house compound. For Balinese an ill omen if it occurs inside a house compound, it signifies that the house compound is “hot”. A “hot” house compound in Balinese point of view is not fit for living since it will bring misfortune for its inhabitants, make them ill, confuse, short tempered, quarrel with no apparent reason, and have short life span.

Omen that occurs in a house compound that signifies the “hot” condition of the house compound is usually in the form of the birth of strange animal for example a cat with three eyes, a dog with two tails, etc; the appearance of strange plant such as coconut with two or three branches; bees or wasps make a nest inside the house; snakes come out of nowhere inside the house compound; blood come out of nowhere, thousands of worms come out of nowhere in the house compound or big fungus growth on the wall of the house.

Accident, death, or fight that cause blood to be shed on the ground is considered an ill omen that signifies a “hot” house compound. Accidents that can be classified as an ill omen are as follow: a tree falls down on the house or family temple with no apparent reason; a house, a kitchen or family temple falls down; someone runs amuck into the house compound or some injured himself badly until blood shed to the ground.

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For Balinese the local customary law, or Awig-awig, is more revered and feared than the official Indonesian law, or hukum since it has a strong root in tradition. Having an awig-awig in order to live peacefully is compulsory for the Balinese. They consider it as a rule of a game in human interaction. Each village in Bali has its own awig-awig and can be totally different from the neighboring villlages’ awig-awig. This customary law manifests the uniqueness of each village and the serves as a village identity.

The awig-awig is created in a forum of village membes (pesangkepan). This forum discuss all aspects of this customary, each rule is examined carefully and debated vigorously, so the rule can accommodate the interests of all village members. This traditional customary law is reviewed every year and if necessary a forum of village members (pesangkepan) will be held for an awig-awig amendment. The awig-awig is written in palm manuscript and given a special offering to invest a magical power to it so the village members will obey the rules written on it.

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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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