(Balinese women carrying Gebogan – photo credit: Nat Stravers Photography)
As we may know, Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebration in United States. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. The meaning of Thanksgiving itself is a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest of the preceding year. The history of Thanksgiving is the event that Americans commonly call the “First Thanksgiving” was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in 1621. This feast lasted three days, and it was attended by 90 Native Americans (as accounted by attendee Edward Winslow – the separatist who traveled on the Mayflowers) and 53 Pilgrims. Thanksgiving is one of the major holidays of the year. Together with Christmas and New Year, Thanksgiving is a part of the broader holiday season. Normally, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving in a way of gathering with family member watching “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” or watching football on television while enjoying stuffed roasted turkey with cranberry sauce.
Thanks giving is celebrated differently in different countries. Many different nations have their own way and reasons for dedicating a day to gratitude. From Mooncakes in China and Vietnam, to a festival honoring yams in Ghana, a number of countries around the world have unique traditions to celebrate the harvest. What do people do in Bali for “thankgiving”?
In Balinese culture, there is a term of “Tri Hita Karana” (three causes of welfare) which are the relationship between human with God, human with nature, and human with other human. To be able to keep the good relationship between those three aspects, Balinese practice gratitude in their daily activities. So, Balinese do “thanksgiving” every day.
How do the Balinese practice gratitude to their God, nature and other people on their daily life to reach the “Tri Hita Karana”?
1. Gratitude to God
To be able to keep the good relationship between them and their God, Balinese provide offerings, either on their daily prayers or special ceremonies and big days, like Galungan and Kuningan. There are several kinds of offerings; on their daily prayers, Balinese provide Canang (that is normally placed in front of houses, shops or temples. Canang is a symbol of giving thanks for the peace given to the world), Banten Jotan (offering that consist of food that cooked on that day – a little of rice and side dish). Banten jotan is a symbol of giving thanks to the objects that help our daily life. Another offering is called Gebogan, an offering with the reflection of triangle or mountain. Gebogan normally consists of fruits, flower and ornaments made of lontar (dried palm-leaf). This offering normally offered in special ceremonies or Balinese celebration. Gebogan is a symbol of giving thanks to the God for everything that has been given to human.
2. Gratitude to nature
One of several ways for Balinese to give thanks to the nature is to provide offering to animals (pets or livestock). The ceremony for “thanksgiving” to the animal is called Tumpek Kandang. There are different offerings for different groups of animals. The offerings are distinguished based on group of animals which are quadruped and fowl. The offerings consist of Canang, Tumpeng (steam rice in mountain shape), Panyeneng and Sesayut (ornament made of palm leaf and flowers), Ketipat (steam rice wrapped in palm leaf in a shape of diamond) and flower. There is also “thanksgiving” for the plants called Tumpek Wariga and for the fowl is called Tumpek Krulut. The ceremony for the fowl normally is done together with the ceremony for the quadruped.
3. Gratitude to other human
To do “thanksgiving” to other people, Balinese normally share foods and offerings with their neighbors (Balinese or non Balinese) after having ceremonies, this term called Jotan. Jotan normally consists of fruits, caked, crackers, or anything that can be share to the neighbors. The Jotan can be given on Galungan and Kuningan Day, wedding day, or other ceremony or big days. By giving Jotan, it is a great way to keep the relationship with the other people who live around the area. This is not only sharing what they have, but also taking care of each other among the community.
( Offering for animal on Tumpek Kandang – Photo credit: pandejuliana.wordpress.com )
In conclusion, there is no special celebration for people in Bali on Thanksgiving Day. However, they do “thanksgiving” everyday in their daily activities to keep the good relationship between them with God, nature and the other human.
How do you do “thanksgiving” in your country?
