Ritual combat in the camera drone era: indigenous tribe the Bali Aga in Bali, Indonesia, keep tradition of harvest festival alive
- The Bali Aga fled Javanese invaders but today face a new invasion – of tourists curious about their lives, and ritual duels that are harvest festival highlight
- Once visitors have negotiated dagger-wearing guards, they find Tenganan village full of excitement, the palm wine flowing, as young and old ready for combat
Blood splatters onto the wooden platform from one of the 400 Bali Aga men fighting at the Makare-kare. Known abroad as the pandan wars, the ritual sees men of all ages engage in combat in honour of the war god Indra, and is the highlight of a traditional harvest festival on the Indonesian island of Bali.
“The Bali Aga are the descendants of the Bedahulu kingdom,” says Ketut Pancawan, a fifty-something-year-old member of Tenganan’s patrimonial tribal council. “After the Javanese conquest of Bali led by Gajah Mada in the 14th century, the remnants of the Bedahulu kingdom escaped deep into the interior of the island.”
The Makare-kare is one of many customs that separate the Bali Aga from the Hindu Balinese of the coast. While the Indonesian government also recognises the Bali Aga as Hindu, their animistic traditions more closely resemble those of the Sasak, a tribe on the neighbouring island of Lombok, than of most of the Balinese, who are descendants of the Javanese Majapahit empire.
Now, having fled the island’s imperial invaders and avoided the Dutch colonial yoke because of their isolation in the mountains of Bali, the Bali Aga find themselves having to adjust to another invasion – this time of tourists.
Just 15 kilometres from Mount Agung, an active volcano, Tenganan has gained popularity among tourists in recent years for its traditions and abundant natural beauty.