Full Moon Ceremony

Last night I was very fortuneate to go to ceremony with my friend Putu. It was for full moon, but it was extra special because it is the 6 month full moon. Every 6 months the full moon ceremony is extra special. Everyone in the village (and Bali) had to make a pillgramage to their respective temples to pray and make offerings.

I had to dress in traditional Balanise clothing. So, I went to Putu's house in the village to get dressed. It was a little like getting ready to go "Out Out" or even getting ready for prom. The women put on make-up and wear clothes that are very expensive. Her firend Wayan's blouse was 1 million rp (just over $100). Then there is the corset, the sarong, the sash, and the shoes. I just wore my flip-flops, but they has on very nice wooden heels. The men wear a sarong, a sash, a white shirt, and a udeng (sash around their head).

After we got dressed, we took her motorbike to the temple. I was on the back, tightly wraped in my sarong. I had to sit side saddle with my feet neatly crossed; I finally looked like all the local women on the back of a bike. Hundreds and hundred of people walked, rode bikes, or took their motorbike along with us. We had to stop to pick up the banana leaf flowers that Putu had prepared for the ceremony.

When we arrived, many men were standing around the temple buying drinks or toys for their children. We went past and walked into the temple. 500+ people sat cross-legged waiting for the ceremony to begin. We walked through the thin make-shif aisle up to the front and sat one behind the other along the narrow pathway. We sat and sat for 25 minutes waiting to begin. We were right on time (or so I thought) for the 5 o'clock ceremony. Everyone we passed outside were waiting for this one to end, so they could attend one after.

Music began to play from the back instrumental gamelon with vocals as well. The priests went to each of the smaller structures withing the temple and blessed them with various waters, incenses, and plants. They then prepared the holy water. This took about 15 minutes. They went throughout the temple, sprinkling water on everyone. This is to clense them before praying.

An announcement came accross the loud speaker to begin the praying. They all chanted in unision and put their hands to their head in a praying mannner. They repeated this 3 mor times taking a flower that they brought and holding it between their hands. After each "prayer" they tucked the flower behind an ear or in the back of their head and got another. After the three flowers, they "prayed" once again with out one. The praying was finished.

The preiests again prepared the holy water and came around to each person. They sprinkled them and poured water into their hands. The person drank the water. They did this three times, then took a few peices of rice and stuck it to their foreheads and throuat around the Adam's Apple. When everyone did this (about 20 minutes) there was the ending announcement. The everyone rushed forward to collect their offerings or fruit and food. We, already at the front, were pushed to the back. Hundres of people then tried to squeeze through the opening 1.5 people wide. 400+ people were waiting outside patiently for their turn to attend ceremony.

I, surprizingly, had many friends there and was greated offen... much to the surprise of locals sitting around me. Additoinally, I was the only westerner in the temple. Many looked over the wall throughout the ceremony, but their view was probably of 500+ people sitting on the ground chanting. I, was blessed, drank the holy water, and recieved rice. I am very fortuneate to have had this experience. I am not about to convert to Hinuism, but I do respect my local friends beliefs much more now. While sitting on the dusty ground, trying not to be as fidgety as the 4 and 5 your-olds around me, I realized that this was the same as "church." That might sound funny for me not to have thought this already, but there was water, and praying, and preists, and eddiquitte, and obligation. I don't know if I could attend ceremony often, but now ve much more respect for religious beliefs.