27th of March 2009
It was tradition a day after Nyepi, it’s call Ngembak Geni when a member of this Banjar took place special ritual called Med Medan. It’s place at Banjar Kaja, Desa Adat Sesetan, located in Jalan Raya Sesetan after Jalan Diponegoro about 03.00 pm in the afternoon. The ritual commences by dividing the youths by gender into two opposing lines, where the boys eagerly wait on the northern, and the girls timidly line up in the southern, parts of the street. A referee will signal to start the game where each group gets close to pull each other, until the boys kiss the girls on the cheek. A traditional baleganjur orchestra, with harsh but melodious sounds, will accompany the ritual to encourage the spirit of each of the participants. Other participants pouring water onto the ‘kissers’ to make the ‘war’ come alive. If the kissing continues, more water poured, supposedly to discourage them, before starting with another round. Hundreds of people as well as tourists usually wacth this interesting ritual. Based on eastern culture, kissing in public is considered taboo, but in Banjar Kaja Sesetan, Southern part of Denpasar it is not a negative meaning, and becomes a festival in order to enclose reletionship and pouring loves between the younger villager. Med-medan that is held annually and can be seen by the public. What is behind this festival? Based on the people in this banjar, the aim is to protect the village from any unexpected thing. Arya Jimbaran, banjar's figure, say that one year they did not perform the festival resulting in two big pigs fighting one another until death in the place where the festival was normally held. Nobody can separate them. Since that day, the festival is always held annually in this villages. It is now famous, as many people want to see it. But it only if you are a member of the Banjar Kaja Sesetan you can join the festival.
Source : denpasarkota.go.id
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