Taken from ‘Bungklang Bungkling’, ‘Layangan’, a column by I Wayan Juniartha, published in Bali Post, Sunday 10th July 2011. Translated by Putu Semiada.
Layangan (Kites)
The Balinese are playing kite recently.
“I’ve often got headache recently as everywhere I go, I’m stuck in traffic jam, because people carry kites on the streets,” says I Made Migren Bulenan (I Made Got Panic Easily).
“Every turn I take, I always find trucks loaded wit kites or boys in parades carrying kites. It usually takes 15 minutes for me to market but this morning it took more than one hour. I threw up due to my gastric problem,” I Made continues.
The others just laugh having heard I Made with his various sickness.
“We Balinese are so silly. When one tells about his sickness, others laugh funnily. That’s why I don’t like my Balinese fellows. No matter how serious is a problem, they always response with laugh,” comments I Ketut Cendekiawan Cendawan (I Ketut Amateur Intellectual).
I Ketut is a kind of serious person. He always analyzes every problem based on scientific theories or modern concepts.
“I don’t understand my Balinese fellows. A Balinese often blocks the roads every time he carries out an event, no matter how small it is; from a three-month baby ceremony to village fund raising (bazaar), not to mention kite parade. Isn’t it useless and inefficient? Doesn’t it waste your time, money, and business opportunities?”
The palm toddy members never take I Ketut’s comment too serious as long as palm toddy and peanuts available at the warung. And they actually don’t like arguing. They would think that no matter how often one criticizes a situation, it would never make a change. That’s why they just keep enjoying their palm toddy.
But this time is different. They react as I Ketut dares to give negative comments on kites. To the Balinese, there are ‘four things’ that they must stand for; palm toddy, Chinese card gambling, cockfights and kites.
“How dare you say like that, Tut,” interrupts I Made Tuak Labuh Gentuh (I Madé Palm Toddy For Ceremonies).
“Look, how many our Balinese fellows block the roads in a year. Have you ever seen a customary village (desa adat) block the roads for a long time?
“Even they don’t block the roads, there are still traffic jams. Who pass the roads when the roads are not blocked? There are motor bikes, cars, trucks and tourist buses.
Everyone passes the roads to pursuit money and ‘serious or important businesses’. Why don’t you just let your Balinese fellows sometimes ‘use’ the roads for unserious matters, hanging out, traditional and inefficient matters, or having fun.”
“If everything that a Balinese does must be something serious or modern, or efficient, Bali will become a ‘dry’ island; one might be rich but stressed. If the Balinese do not do cockfights, or Chinese card gambling, or play kites, or drink palm toddy, where do you think the Balinese, especially the ‘alienated’ ones from tourism can go to enjoy themselves?
“Let our Balinese fellows once in while ‘block’ the roads, just to make them feel that they still ‘own’ this island, in spite of investors, tourists, the rich Jakartans, high ranking officials, labours from other islands, who seem own the island.
A question has been asked by the Balinese: Does this island still belong to us?
