Bali Aga

The original inhabitants of Bali are said to have come long before the Hindu-Javanese immigration wave, from Bedulu village. The legend is, there lived the last king of the Pejeng (an old Balinese kingdom), Sri Aji Asura Bumibanten, who had supernatural powers. He could cut off his head without feeling pain and put it back on again. One day, though, his head accidentally fell into a river and was swept away. One of his servants, panicked, decided to quickly decapitate a pig and replace the king's head with the animal's head. Embarrassed, the king hid in a tall tower, denying anyone to see him. However, there was a small child who discovered the secret and since then, the king was known as Dalem Bedulu, or He-who-changed-head. A more scientific reason is the theory that it comes from the name Badahulu or "the village upstream". After the Pejeng kingdom, the Majapahit Empire rose to power. Culture The Bali aga live in isolated areas in the mountains. Tourists wishing to visit certain villages must take care in not putting themselves in danger due to the geographical circumstances. While visiting, it is also important to be respectful and quietly observe the preserved way of life the Bali aga have. In Tenganan, where tourism is more easily embraced and the people are said to be more friendly, a three-day festival called Udaba Sambah is held during the months of June or July. It is also to be noted that Tenganan prohibits divorce and polygamy, unlike other villages. Craftwork An important part of Bali Aga culture is the unique weaving skills found especially in the Tenganan village, called geringsing. Geringsing consists of an intricate ikat technique, where patterns are applied in such a way that it only appears when completed. The geringsing threads are dyed and cross-dyed until they achieve a color that is often mute. The villagers believe the geringsing to be sacred because of its ability to drive away bad spirits, or black magic [Bali Aga Wikipedia Articles]

This film shows the true Balinese people or "Bali Aga" of the Tenganan village in Karangasem regency, east Bali. Showing 1 of their rituals, where 2 men fight with pandan sticks like the god of war, Indra.