travelinwoman: Cremations! (no one sends the dead off like the Balinese)

One of 47 "caskets"

The night I arrived there was No One to greet me at Ina Inn. Very, very odd. I found out the next morning that Kadek's (daughter) fiance, Wayan's (who lives at the compound also) uncle had died just as I had arrived. He was rather young and had died quite unexpectedly I believe of TB. It was a shock (especially since TB vaccines are free). I saw Wayan the next morning and he was visibly shaken and sad. He is a very gentle and artistic young man. The Balinese do not show these kinds of emotions; it is said to be "unevolved" as to not be "in control". (one does not cry at funerals {prior to cremation} so that the soul may depart easily. Remember it's all about reincarnation; perhaps the uncle may come back as Kadek + Wayan's child)
I hugged him and told him I was so sorry and that I'd like to come to the cremation. Also, the wedding dress that had been so proudly displayed in the bale (open air platform) would not be worn... quite yet. Kadek+ Wayan's wedding was to be postponed yet again (#4).
Out of respect and then a new date needed to be chosen that was "fortuitous". It's all done with the Balinese calendar- auspicious days for everything and completely inscrutable. New date: Sept5 and I'll be there. Kadek is 3 months pregnant and would not be present at the cremation. (this is fairly typical; couples live together for a couple of years.... and then when the woman becomes pregnant , then they marry). Therefore, I've known Wayan as a member of the family since I first came to Bali.

As usual, I never can get a straight story as to the time for this cremation. I was ready by 11am (for 12) then Ibu tells me 2 more hours, and then she tell me let's go to Lungsiakan........ NOW.
So I get on back of Putu's motorcycle (but I should be sitting side-saddle, as only one leg is covered by my sarong and the other Big White thigh is out there like a beacon) EEEks, not only am I going on a motorcycle (luckily it's the dry season) but I look like a Hussy in Balinese dress. I do try and comport myself so that my "keluarga" will not be ashamed of me. Of course there are different rules for bule.

Ibu entering the temple....i am right behind her

this is Wayan's Uncle I Ketut Kantor

Well we arrive and I find out there will be 47 bodies...... it's very very expensive for cremation, therefore bodies are often interred for a while (there were bodies waiting up to 5 years for this cremation). There are thousands of people in the procession and thousands of people watching the procession. Who was the only bule (foreigner) In the procession? That's a rhetorical question.
Since I am 5'6" and I tower over 99% of the Balinese women and a lot of the men......I well, stood out. I walked next to Ibu. There were family groups from each person being cremated (about 50-75 per family) ....so that's at least 2500 in the procession then there were at least another 10,000 watching. Whew! I felt a little strange, but I got to do all the rituals instead of being a voyeur.

ritual clothing

As I enter the temple grounds the priest is ringing the bells and intoning. I love this part. I find the family we are to join and see who exactly it is that died. We then get down and kneel to pray. And then we wait and wait. And wait.

Here is where the organized chaos appears. There are all kinds of things that are placed in the
fiery bier from the former's life. Each member carries all kinds of symbolic material things. The five elements are represented, earth, fire, water, metal + wind. Old money, beautiful batiks, boxes of
secret contents and of course.....many many sacrificed animals.
Ducks. Pigs. Birds. I always end up standing next to some animal
frozen in rictus. It's hard not to have those duck bills not come by and graze your shoulder ........ ah.... what's a vegan with an acute
sense of smell to do. Grimace internally...... and get out of the way. All those sweet animals ( I know , I know, they will be reincarnated).

holding precious familial things to be burned with the body

leaving temple ground

any + all surfaces are decorated, O! the stories and where you can go (Hindu/Buddhist text)

So, the organized chaos goes something like this: how to line up the procession...with all the members..... in order...... carrying their relatives offerings............and in a way that will not forgo any of the ritual pathways, chants,songs........ get out your flow charts.....
It takes a good 90 minutes to do this.......(we must step over a line of offerings to make sure that the spirit knows NOW is the time to cross over..... one guy in an awful hurry (he was carrying a rather large coffin on his head festooned with all kinds of stuff) tried to skip this process....... o! the gods were not Happy about this at all.
He was sent back for a "do over" and there were mumblings about the state of his relative.
We finally leave the area, and are out on Jalan Sanginngnan ( yeah, try and say it 3times fast) and we're off like a herd of turtles singing ........the gamelan playing.....and of course.... the biers swerving topsy turvy all over the place to confuse the body (so that the spirit does not try and re-enter: see former blog about Royal Cremation back in 2010). The road is lined with people .... just watching....observing, taking photos, eating ice cream.... your usual Sunday fare. We walk for an hour and then we descend descend down to the place where the 47 bodies will be consumed by fire.

recognize Siddhartha under the bodhi tree? (the intermingling of Buddhism + Hinduism)

Ina relaxing with the relative (Ina does a lot of relaxing)

Ina cuts open the bier and many rituals occur.

After the women take their hair and "brush it along the body" to cleanse it all the offerings are laid with the body.
Then Ibu has another surprise; she wants to go to another cremation; where her Uncle will be cremated; only two bulls. Well at first I say, no, I am going to stay.... but then I think about 47 bodies being torched..... down in the ravine, and me, not a spectator ......but Right There and I say.......Yes, I'll go.
This time Agus takes me on the back of his motorcycle, back to Ubud. and it's close to Jalan Bisma.....across the sawah.
I arrive to see the first bull about to be torched.