History of Ancient Balinese Desa Adat: Bali Province is one of the regions of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia, the Balinese people to this day still maintain the legacy of the noble traditions and culture of the archipelago. One of these traditional legacies is the “Traditional Village”. Based on Bali Governor Regulation number 4 of 2020, a Traditional Village is a customary legal community unit in Bali that has its own territory, position, original structure, traditional rights, assets, traditions, social etiquette of community life passed down from generation to generation in the bonds of a sacred place (kahyangan tiga or kahyangan desa), duties and authorities as well as the right to regulate and manage its own household.
Long before the influence of Hinduism arrived in Bali, the Balinese people already had a customary law system of government (Adat Village). The ancient Balinese people at that time were known as the Bali Mula, who would later be influenced and assimilated by followers of the teachings of Rsi Markandya. The Bali Mula community later became known as the Bali Aga.
The Balinese people at that time were generally known as a group of people who maintained traditions based on megalithic culture and the concept of rwabhineda, where the religion they practiced at that time was ancestral beliefs.
The orientation or perspective regarding village or sacred site governance appears very simplistic, for example, people are differentiated in their roles solely on the basis of ulu-Ampad, that is, based on seniority or marriage.
More senior villagers are given authority over traditional aspects because they are considered more knowledgeable and considered more sacred. This is because they have already
performed the ceremonial rituals (life cycle) in their village. Furthermore, they adhere to the principle of togetherness.
History records that the Bali Aga began when 400 followers of Rsi Markandya arrived in Bali in the 8th century to spread Hinduism. They later joined the Bali Mula, or Original Bali, who continued to practice Rsi Markandya’s teachings until the Majapahit influence arrived in Bali.
The blending of the early Balinese people and the followers of Rsi Markandya became known as the Bali Aga. The Bali Aga community still adheres to traditions, whether adopted and adapted, modified, or still original.
It can be said that Majapahit ultimately conquered Bali (Shastri, 1963: 90-91; Pageh, 2018: 13).
Several influences on Balinese society appear to have begun to be intense. Among these influences are religious practices, social structures and systems, and the leadership of the Bali Aga.
As a result, the religious aspects of Majapahit Hinduism were able to develop as implemented by Mpu Dwijendra, also known as Danghyang Nirartha and also known as Pedanda Sakti Wawu Rauh.
Meanwhile, the villages that later received Majapahit influence are known as the villages of the Bali Plain.
These villages of the Bali Plain are characterized by a rice-field economy with an irrigation system, centralized power where the king’s position is as a descendant of the gods (devaraja cults), the dominance of pedanda figures, religious concepts written in lontar, the existence of a color system that is divided into castes, cremation ceremonies for the deceased, the existence of a Javanese Hindu calendar system, shadow puppet performances, architecture, and art with Hindu and Buddhist motifs, as well as the famous mask dance.
Leadership in these lowland Balinese villages is a single authority represented by the king. Other characteristics include differences in religion, social patterns, arts and literature, and the arrangement of the palemahan (palemahan) community. The social life of the lowland Balinese follows a social stratification dominated by elements of Javanese Hindu tradition.
Some of the characters that need to be understood are the existence of central power in the hands of the king who is considered to be a descendant of the gods, the figure of the pedanda, and the caste system known as Triwangsa.
This system of power seemed to become even more powerful when Bali came under the rule of the Majapahit descendants of Aryans, namely when the government was in the hands of Dalem Waturenggong, named Sri Kresna Kepakisan (1460 AD—1552 AD). Subsequently, their power reached its peak under King Ketut Ngelesir (Pageh, 2018: 14).
Parimartha and Swellengrebel note that the small-scale traditions that began during the Bali Aga period appear to have continued to be
characterized by an economic system focused on irrigated rice paddies into later periods. The principle of deliberation with simple social differentiation and stratification (rwabhineda), houses with small rooms
made of wood and bamboo, iron, bronze, dyeing, and weaving crafts, and a temple system linked to family, village, and region (nyegara gunung).
In the temples there is a system of rituals and ceremonies based on the wali dance, and local language with oral literature, as well as dances and percussion instruments used in religious ceremonies consisting of slonding, angklung and Sanghyang dance
(Parimartha, 2009, see also: Swellengrebel 1960:29).
It is important to understand that traditional villages in Bali cannot be separated from the concept of Tri Hita Karana, which is related to the existence of a good relationship between humans and God, between humans and humans, and between humans and their environment.
In other words, Tri Hita Karana has become the ideology of traditional villages in Bali, especially after the Tri Murti ideology was introduced by Mpu Kuturan in Bali. This can be seen, for example, how until now, starting from the arrangement of traditional villages, down to the household, it is mandatory to have a Sanggah Rong Tiga (Rong Telu). Rong Tiga is a place of ancestral worship consisting of three rooms, which reflects a blend of original Balinese concepts and Hindu influences, such as the worship of ancestors or ancestors between purusa (male) and pradana (female), which was then manifested in the form of worship to Lord Shiva as an influence of the spread of Hinduism from India to Bali.
The Tri Hita Karana concept historically emerged after the teachings of Mpu Kuturan were popularized in Bali. From this description, it can be concluded that the history of traditional villages, from their inception, has been that of autonomous villages, generally considered to have the governance requirements of a village republic (Dorp Republik).
This is understandable because a traditional village in Bali already has a territory, government, customary law, which is able to organize and manage its own life in a sustainable manner followed by a system of customary sanctions that are adapted to dresta or oral tradition, and awig-awig which flexibly follows the developments of the times.
Meanwhile, regarding Majapahit’s influence on Bali after the 14th century, it can be said that there was an adoption and adaptation of the two powers, with Shiva Shiddanta as the primary center.
The power of local power presented by the existence of kingdoms positioned the concept of nyatur by placing the kingdom, market, town square, and supporting residences around the great meeting of the kingdom, which is known as the Catur Muka concept.
The Nyatur deity, centered on Shiva as its main stream, even later divides Shiva into three or a trinity of deities: Shiva , Sada Shiva, and Parama Shiva. This concept informs and shapes the culture of thought, speech, and action in the daily lives of the community, with the ability to master the sacred Vedas and Hindu teachings practiced in accordance with the development of the concept of traditional villages in Bali. Source: History of Traditional Villages and Their Characteristics (I Ketut Ardhana)
The origin and history of the term Traditional Village
The term “Customary Village” was first introduced by the Dutch government. Liefrinck, in his book ” Bali en Lombok ,” stated that a Customary Village is actually a “small republic” that has its own laws, customary rules, or traditions, a more democratic government structure, its own territory, and funds to manage its own household ( Liefrinck, 1927: 36 ).
Customary legal communities in Bali are regulated by the 1938 Constitution No. 490. The term customary legal community (traditional village) in Bali is then referred to as a Traditional Village. The term “traditional village” and its internal regulations (members/krama) are regulated by customary law that has grown and taken root in the community.
During the Dutch colonial era, the main duties and functions of the Traditional Village were as organizations that fostered, developed, and preserved customs, culture, and religion, as well as serving the community in accordance with the provisions of their respective villages. Then, the task of serving the king in the field of government was assigned to Dienst (berjanas/on duty), namely a village official who had the task of providing colonial government services and public services. Dienst had the task of representing the Dutch East Indies government in carrying out official government in the village.
During the independence period, the civil service institution (diens) was still used in village government, which later became the Village Service. During the Dutch colonial period, the term “Customary Village” emerged as a traditional organization whose operational basis was regulated by customary law, while the Village Service’s operational basis was regulated by government regulations (written law).
History records that the Traditional Villages in Bali remain recognized by the Indonesian government as legally protected customary community institutions. Efforts to standardize and merge the Traditional Villages with the Administrative Villages have yielded no concrete results. This is because the two types of villages differ in their primary duties, functions, and governance systems.
The government guarantees the existence of Traditional Villages and Service Villages, this can be seen from the legal basis that regulates them, especially in the 1945 Constitution, in Article 18 it is stated that;
Recognition of the existence of traditional villages is regulated in Article 18 of the 1945 Constitution, then regulated again in Law No. 22 of 1948 concerning the Principles of Regional Government which states that;
The territory of the Republic of Indonesia is structured into three levels, Province, Regency (big city), and Village (small city) called Nagari, Marga and the like, which have the right to regulate and manage their own households that have been established according to Law No. 1 of 1945 including Village, Marga, Nagari and so on, continuing until the formation of a government to merge one Village with another Village. Source: Mudra; Journal of Arts and Culture volume: 25, ISI Denpasar.
As an effort to preserve and maintain the existence of Traditional Villages in Bali (Balinese customary law communities), the provincial government of Bali has enacted Bali Governor Regulation number 4 of 2020, concerning Traditional Villages.
Article 1 (11): A Traditional Village is a unit of customary law community in Bali
which has its own territory, position, original structure, traditional rights, assets, traditions, social etiquette for community life passed down from generation to generation in the bonds of a sacred place (kahyangan tiga or kahyangan desa), duties and authority as well as the right to regulate and manage its own household.
Article 1 (12): Customary Village Government is the implementation of social life in Customary Villages related to Parahyangan, Pawongan, and Palemahan which are recognized and respected in the government system of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. Source: Bali Governor Regulation number 4 of 2020 concerning Customary Villages in Bali.
This is a brief history of traditional villages in Bali, compiled from various sources. We hope you find it helpful.
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