Still related to my last article about Bali, in this time I would like to tell you guys about the unique traditions in Bali which are very original and authentic. Beside its beautiful beaches and scenery, Bali has so many traditions from generation to generation which still preserved ‘till now.

The traditions are spread throughout Bali, and every region has its unique tradition, so I can say that Bali is very rich in tradition and also culture. I’m going to share you 4 unique traditions in Bali…here you go 🙂

4 [Most Popular] Unique Traditions in Bali, Indonesia

1.Ngaben Traditions

Yes…The first one is Ngaben. Ngaben is like a ceremony or much like cremation procession of someone’s body. This procession in order to sanctify the soul of someone’s who already passed away. This tradition still preserved by all the Hindu people in Bali.

The Ngaben ceremony starts after couple days since he/she passed away. This ceremony can be implemented by a person, one big family, or even one village, it all depends on financial ability of someone. Usually this ceremony held with splendor without sadness and sorrow.

Why?

Because Hindu people believes that they are not allow to cry and sobbing when someone passed away, ‘cause it will hamper the trip of the soul to his/her very last place.

2. Omed-omedan Traditions

The second one is Omed-omedan tradition. Omed-omedan means pull each other following by single teenagers or adults between 17th – 30th years old. This tradition is very unique, the procession is held a day after Nyepi.

Omed-omedan procession starts after all the people pray together then the people divided into 2 groups, girls and boys, and then they are facing each other, pull each other, hug each other, and kissing.

For the people who cannot kissed their couple will be doused with water. This procession held in Sesetan village in south of Denpasar.

3. Trunyan

Another unique tradition come from Trunyan Village. In Trunyan Village, people who already passed away will not be buried. The body will be wrapped with cloth, then the body will be putted on the ground below Menyan tree surrounding by ancak saji (woven from Bamboo trees).

Strangely, the corpse will not release any of bad smells because of the smell from the body already absorbed by the Menyan tree.

Not all of the corpse will be putted below Menyan tree, this place only for the adults body who died normally and not disabled.

4. Megibung – Unique Traditions

In Karangasem, Bali there’s another unique tradition called Megibung. Megibung is one of the ancestral tradition. Megibung is eat tradition where the people will gather together to eat in one dish without a shame.

This tradition is a form of togetherness, without seeing the caste they will eat together while getting to know each other and laughing.

There are some of the etiquette before the people eat together, first they have to wash their hands, they’re not allow to drop any of the food when they eat, and they can’t take the food next to them and then if one of the them already feel satiated, they can’t leave because they have to wait for their friends. The rules are unwritten, but the people in Karangasem already know about it and respect the rules.