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Home / Test of Vigor : Perang Pandan

TEST OF VIGOR : PERANG PANDAN

author : , published : 21 June 2017

 

_MG_0401Balinese people have a lot of way to celebrate their culture and Perang Pandan is one of the manliest annual traditions done as a vibrant coming-of-age ritual.

DSCF8245 copyAlso referred to locally as ‘mekare-kare’ and ‘megeret pandan’, Perang Pandan is a mass coming-of-age ritual, dedicated to the Hindu God of war and the sky, Indra, which sees friendly duels between all male villagers, who bout each other armed with a small rattan shield in one hand and a tied packet of thorny ‘pandan’ leaves in the other. The women are also present, look exotically appealing draped in Balinese traditional costume and make up, but they do not take part in the fighting ceremony. Instead, they cheer for their relatives,  and male family members who take part in this noble and ‘manly’ battle ritual.

_MG_0444This festival is open for public, meaning not only the village inhabitants are allowed to take part, but outsider also, by following certain rules. So don’t be surprised if you see some foreigners in the arena as well.  Although none of the participants hold back their ‘punches’, this festival, strangely, have more ‘fun’ vibrant than violent or gory. After the fight, they apologize to their opponent and take care of each other wound with turmeric and traditional medicine. Instead of grudges, everyone acknowledges that it’s just a game; a medium to socialize and preserving the long historical tradition of Tenganan village indigenous ‘Bali Aga’ people.