Lontar (Manuscript)
Is there anybody in Bali who really has the commitment to look after the old lontar (manuscripts)?
The question comes from I Made Paling Pokokne (The Most Important Thing Man) who does KKN (rural-social-action-internship for advanced university students) in his village during the last week. He has visited the palm toddy stall and has been talking and suggesting that his village fellows give more serious attention to Balinese language and arts. Hence he talks about lontar for two hours before he gets drunk from Karangasem palm toddy and eating fish satay. There is an unwritten rule at the palm toddy warung that if anyone talks too much, he will be “hazed” by the senior fellows.
The topic of their discussion today is about lontar. I Made says that he feels very sad having seen the lontar in his village that has been neglected and that nobody cares.
“Don’t you know that lontar is one of important and invaluable in heritance,” says I Made sadly.
I Nyoman Legu Gendong (Cheeky Mosquito) the palm toddy association chief (klian) quietly pours the strongest palm wine into I Made’s glass. He recalls that there will be a live football match on television, and he thinks that if he lets I Made keep talking, they will not be able to enjoy it properly.
“Are you serious that the lontar are invaluable? If so I will sell all the lontars that my grandfather inherited. He was a powerful shaman: I might be able to buy a new motor bike, a laptop, a mobile phone and an iPad,” says I Nyoman Makelar Saplar (Greedy Broker).
I Nyoman is a kind of a “modern” Balinese: selling anything he can, or mortgage anything that can not be sold. If temples and gods can be sold, he would have done it. Given this, temples and gods are offered for tourist attractions and views for villas owned by investors for free.
“Is it true that lontar are very important inheritance? I’ve never seen a lontar, let alone read one,” says I Wayan Tuna Segala (Challenged Every Which Way).
I Wayan is correct: even though he is given a chance to see lontar, it will be completely useless as he can not read. He was a drop out from elementary school. He tries very hard just to read a simple sentence, like “Ini Bapak Budi” (This is Mr. Budi). He is only good at reading lottery numbers (togel).
I Made glares at everybody as he gets very upset having heard silly comments from his fellows; his face turns red. He might have drunk too much strong Karangasem palm wine (arak).
“What kind of Balinese are you? Don’t you know what things are mentioned in lontar? It describes about our founding fathers’ thoughts, their way of life, religious beliefs, curing methods (usada), architectural codes (asta kosala-kosali), agriculture , etc. Everything is there. It also mentions about Balinese custom and way of life, from Tri Kaya Parisudha (Three Ways of Good Behave) to Tri Hita Karana (Three Connected Relations between the God, Human and Nature). If lontar doesn’t exist anymore, how we can learn those things?” he asks loudly.
Meanwhile the football match on television has started. Nobody care anymore what I Made says.
