Selamat Hari Rayah Galungan!

Today was Galungan, a long awaited ceremony that began with preparations in the various compounds a week in advance of the official day.  Ayu, who takes amazing care of us here at di rumah (the house), warned us numerous times that there would be no staff working for a three day period.  One day before, one day after, and the day of.  For the Balinese who work at least six days a week, particularly the women, a true holiday like this seems a very well-earned and welcomed event.  But of course there is much work to do in preparation as well as during the event itself, so it still would not fall into the realm of what we might consider a real ‘holiday’.

The word for ceremony in Indonesian is ‘upucara’ (pronounced oop-a-charra), and in many ways Galungan is the upucara to end all upucara’s.  It sets off a ten day holiday that ends with Kuningan, and another three day interval of no work.  A bit like Christmas and New Years except that it comes along every 210 days, following the Balinese Hindu calendar.  It happens to fall close to Christmas this time around, and in some ways it is a bit like Christmas, minus the tree, the presents, and the jolly fat man.  They do however decorate the streets and temples in festive reds and yellows, with long bamboo poles that curve over at the top to support a hanging woven lantern of sorts.  Each compound seems expected to make their own and the result is quite beautiful. 

Typical 'dragon tail'

Pride of the compound

Morning came too early, with Erin being called twice for births during the night and Vaughn waking at quarter to six hungry and wanting his Mama.  Thankfully, the second birth was a quick one, and Erin was home a little after six so that we could get the kids fed and into templeware and ready for the first ceremony which takes place in each family compound at 7:30.  The ceremony began with the ringing of a small handbell and the gathering of all the members of the compound.  I’d say we did alright for not having made it to many ceremonies previously.  I did forget my sash, which is apparently the most important piece of attire, but no one seemed to notice or care.  Ayu helped tie my headscarf on properly and I found a rather nice sarong to wear as well.  Erin and Chloe were well attired in clothes they managed to find here in the house, and Harmon and Vaughn both looked pretty sharp as well.  Finn, still on sarong strike, waited behind in the house, while Heather, another volunteer here, took pictures to document the event from various angles outside of the family temple.  Oddly, her pictures all went away inexplicably as her memory card seemed to just delete them on it’s own.  The gods did not want those pictures taken for some reason.  The memories are still fresh though.

Inside the temple in the compound

Harmon chooses a flower for the next prayer

  

This was my first time in the family temple, and my first time inside of a temple for a ceremony, and it was quite an experience to be part of it, especially in the smaller more intimate atmosphere of the compound, where we knew most of the people involved.  As the ceremony unfolded, I was really taken with a feeling of serenity and calm and even joy, as I joined in with my own prayers for the people I know as well as the Balinese people, everyone in our world and the earth itself, giving thanks for the moment I was participating in.  After the family ceremony, we fed the kids a little more and then it was time to go to the village temple for the next ceremony.  The village ceremony was much the same as the house ceremony, except that everyone from the village was there, and of course the temple is much larger.  Again, it was comforting to sit among the many faces that have become familiar to us over the past two and a half months, soaking up the warmth of the Balinese people along with the morning sun that broke through after a brief sprinkling of rain.  The atmosphere was once again very soothing, kids were allowed to squawk and be a little impetuous even, and there was smiling and laughter throughout, as is the Balinese way.  

Awaiting the blessings in the village temple

As we walked home, the smell of some very pleasant incense filled the quiet morning air, and it did feel a little like Christmas morning; everyone dressed in their finest, hanging around enjoying the moment and no one rushing about.  There was for me for the first time a real feeling of being a part of this community and a part of the rituals of the Balinese and their Hindu beliefs, that in many ways hold their communities and way of life together.  Although I do not understand much of the Hindu gods and their stories, I feel I am able to understand some of the feelings and beliefs behind the many prayers and offerings made daily from things people here have shared with me; ideas about karma and respect and sharing positive energy by smiling and being loving to those around you.  The feelings stayed with me throughout much of the day and I saw the beauty that is so abundant here and I was reminded of what a unique and special place we are in.