Usually after Galungan celebration, most of Balinese women suffer extreme fatigue.
“I am so exhausted after making 400 hundred canang (offerings),” says Ni Luh Mantu Andel Matua Kendel (Ni Luh Reliable Daughter-In-Law, Happy Parents In Law).
NI Luh is married to a man from a rich family. The family are very rich but too scared of niskala (unseen) things. Being rich, they think that they must spend millions of Rupiah for offerings, otherwise they won’t feel celebrating the Galungan. As they are too afraid of unseen things, they think that they must put offering in every corner. Everyplace where her mother-in-laws gets small accident or feels scared she will put a small offering as she considers it is a ‘spooky’ place.
Consequently from penyajaan (two days before Galungan) until Penampahan Ni Luh has never been able to sleep well. She has to make 400 hundred canang genten, 300 canang meraka, 150 ajuman and 100 tumpeng. She is still lucky as during the penyajaan, three of her house maids still help her. But on penampahan they are all gone. They are supposed to have holidays according to Labours Laws and regulations from Department of Manpower. So she has to do it all alone.
“If my husband help me do this, it will be much easier for me. Otherwise, I’m too tired,” says she.
The women laugh having heard what Ni Luh says. They relax under the ‘sukun’ tree. In old days, Balinese women look for lice in one another’s hair. But we can’t see thing like that today as modern Balinese women look after their hair properly so it looks clean and shiny and of course no more lice. Instead they do texting (sms) with their friends or lovers. “It’s nothing compared to what I do. My mother-in-law woke me up at 4 o’clock and asked me to do offering and at 5 o’clock everything must have been complete. I don’t think our ancestors wake up by that time,” Ni Nyoman Lain Di Bibir Lain Di Hati (Ni Nyoman Never Keep His Words) says.
Everyone laughs loudly. If you talk about women who are happy to dedicate their energy, time and money and have to suffer low blood pressure, and even have less sleep just for ceremonies, no-one compared to Balinese women.
Given above, it can be said that it is the Balinese women who mainly maintain the Balinese culture. It’s them who have to buy fruits and cake in the market, make elaborate offerings, carry the offerings to the temples, dedicate offerings to the gods, serve their husbands, children and parents-in-laws when they pray, take back the offerings to the house and even remove the rubbish left after praying.
On the other hand what the Balinese men do are just killing the pigs and make lawar, which is not dedicated to the gods, but they eat themselves. If not, they play Chinese cards (ceki). They say that playing ‘ceki’ is not a gambling but to maintain traditions. Or they just make ‘penjor’ (decorated bamboo pole put in the front of house during Galungan holiday). After making a penjor, they often ask their wives to give them massages.
“It is much easier for Balinese men. They start their day by taking a bath in the morning, put on their best sarong and shirt and then go to the temples and in the temple they sometimes steal a glance at beautiful girls. After that they go see cock-fighting for gambling,” Ni Nyoman interrupts.
As they are to busy with workload, the Balinese women never really feel celebrating the Galungan holiday. They get stressed and fatigue. Consequently, they are even too sleepy and never able to enjoy the holiday.
“Actually, all I think of during Galungan is pillow because I feel very sleepy, so Galungan turns to Galengan (pillow),” Ni Luh says.
They all nod, except I Made Pecadang Kuang (I Made Needed at the Last Time). He has been listening to the women gossiping. He doesn’t really agree that only Balinese women play important rule in maintaining the Balinese culture.
“But who always think of new French brocade for wearing during Galungan. Who has been thinking of a set of jewellery since one month before Galungan. Is it what you call maintaining the culture?” I Made pleads.
All the women get angry. Ni Luh rushes to her room and returns with a box and delivers it to I Made.
“Well, now you wear my French brocade, long-torso, the jewellery, the hair bun, nad the Yongki Komaladi shoes as well. You take them all. But when Kuningan comes, you do the offerings; make 400 canang genten, 300 canang meraka, 150 ajuman and 100 tumpeng.
I Made has nothing to say. He puts back the box and disappears. The lesson is that for Balinese men, let alone the lazy ones, it’s better for them to be quiet instead of giving comments on their women friends.
