Summary

The article discusses the personal and cultural significance of the Balinese festival Galungan, which honors ancestors and marks the victory of good over evil, as experienced by the author who feels reconnected with his deceased brother during this time.

Abstract

The Galungan festival in Bali is a period of spiritual and familial significance for the author, who describes the serene atmosphere and the palpable presence of the ancestors during this time. This ancient festival occurs every 210 days in the Balinese calendar and is marked by the erection of penjors, which are similar to Christmas trees in Western cultures. The author explains the preparations leading up to Galungan, including the ripening of bananas, introspection, and the making of traditional cakes. The festival's highlight is the Ngelawang ceremony, featuring the barong, a lion-like creature symbolizing good, who dances through villages to restore balance. The author reflects on the comfort derived from imagining his deceased family members walking alongside him during the festival, emphasizing the importance of these cultural ceremonies in providing an opportunity for remembrance and reflection.

Opinions

The author finds the Galungan festival comforting as it allows him to feel the presence of his deceased brother and other family members.
There is a sense of skepticism towards the modern world's tendency to intellectualize and dismiss ancient ceremonies as primitive, with the author suggesting a simple acceptance of their significance.
The author does not subscribe to the concept of good and evil but acknowledges that good and bad things happen in the world, and he believes in the enduring presence of his brother beyond the festival period.
The festival is seen as an important moment to pause and contemplate life's priorities, with the author expressing a humorous and comforting thought that his brother might be watching over him as he writes.
The author welcomes back the spirit of his brother, John, with

Travel

Walking with the Dead in Bali

The ancient festival brings my brother back to me each year

Photo by Pier Francesco Grizi on Unsplash

“The past is not dead, it is living in us, and will be alive in the future which we are now helping to make.” — William Morris

There was a quietude as I looked across the river ravine this morning.

The mornings are always peaceful where I live here in Bali. But today there was a tangible presence that even the animals sensed.

The dead come back to us today as we begin the ancient Galungan festival.

My brother will be with me for the next ten days.

Galungan happens every 210 days, once a year in the Balinese calendar.

All around Bali penjors — tall bamboo poles decorated with fruit, coconut leaves, and flowers — are placed as offerings to the spirits. I see them as similar to our Christmas trees that we put up once a year.

Penjors in Bali. Photo by Khamkéo Vilaysing on Unsplash

Galungan is the most important event in the Balinese calendar, honoring the creator of the universe and the spirits of the honored ancestors.

It marks the time of the year when the spirits of our ancestors visit Earth.

The three-day festival symbolizes the victory of good (Dharma) over evil (Adharma). The preparations begin several days before the actual day.

Three days before Galungan — Penyekeban — families begin their preparations. Penyekeban means the day to cover up, as this is the day when green bananas are covered up in huge clay pots to expedite their ripening.
Two days before — Penyajahan — is a time of introspection as well as a time to make Balinese cakes known as jaja.
The day before — Penampahan — is the day to slaughter sacrificial animals for the temples and altars as offerings.
On the day of Galungan, the Balinese Hindus return to their ancestral villages to pray at the temple and make offerings to the spirits.

A highlight of the festival is Ngelawang. Ngelawang is an exorcism ceremony performed by a barong — a lion-like creature who is the king of the spirits and the leader of good.

A barong in an exorcism ceremony. Photo by wahyu pratama on Unsplash

The barong is paraded through the villages performing an elaborate dance. Balinese invite the barong into houses as he makes his way through the village. It is believed that his presence is meant to restore the balance of good and evil in a house. The residents of the house will pray to the gods before the dancing barong. Once Galungan is finished, the Balinese visit their families and closest friends.

The tenth day marks Kuningan and the end of the festival when the spirits ascend back to heaven.

In our modern and fast-paced world, we sometimes forget about the culture and ceremonies that came before us.

Or we just don’t want to take the time to remember.

I find the ceremony comforting as I imagine my brother, dad, and other family members who have died to be walking along with me. I feel them around me.

We tend to intellectualize these ceremonies and dismiss them as primitive. Why can’t we just accept them for what they are? I do not believe in the concept of good and evil but I believe there are good and bad things that happen in the world. I believe that my brother still walks with me not just through this week but every day.

These ancient ceremonies offer us an opportunity to stop and reflect on our lives, to focus on what is important.

And there is something comical and comforting to consider that my brother might be looking over my shoulder right now as I type this.

Welcome back, John. 🙏 🦋

Me and my older brother, John. Author’s photo.