Bali Age referring to the old villages in Bali of which are considered as the old villages found in Bali before the advent of Islam in Java that based on the chronicle, which forced the Hindu Javanese who were not willing to accept the new faith then they fled to Bali bringing along their faith, traditions and custom. In those times, in Bali there had been inhabitants who lived in several villages who had different faith, belief, traditions as well custom. Those people are called the Bali Age or literally Old Balinese or Native Balinese, means the people of the original Balinese. Currently this Bali Age can be found in several villages in Bali, namely Trunyan in the Regency of Bangli, Tenganan in the Regency of Karangasem , Sembiran, Julah, Sidetapa, Tigawasa, Cempaga and Pedawa and Banyusri, all are in the Regency of Buleleng.
The Village of Sidetapa, located in the hilly area, southwest of Singaraja, the capital of Buleleng Regency, is believed to be set-up approximately around in the year of 785 in which the population came from around the area of lake Batur and Dauh Totro Ireng and from Java the followers of Rsi Markandea.
Regarding the chronicle of the Village of Sidetapa, so far not any inscriptions are found that clearly refers confirming the story told by the old people of the village but anyhow it can be summarized that the Village of Sidetapa is an Old Village or The Village of Bali Age of which has been interpreted as the all the people who live on the mountain regardless of native Balinese or Majapahit Balinese. This interpretation has been proven by the discovery of clan’s (dadia) family shrines such as Arya Kebon Tubuh, Arye Kenceng, Pasek Gegel. Atrya Kutowaringin. The people in the village of Sidetapa speak Balinese but compared with the rest of Balinese in Bali in general, they speak distinctly different in tone and it might a bit funny for the ear of the common Balinese. Due to the currently easy access to the village and better education the distinctive different Balinese spoken is gradually fading away.
The story goes that the house is built very close one another, so is between two houses the gap is hardly accessible, the windows are very small and the front door is positioned the other way around with the rest of general houses in Bali, in which all activities conducted in the house such as cooking and sleeping. All of this uniqueness is due to their belief that there is an ogre roaming around looking for prey and how to protect them from the threat of the ogre so they design and built their compound and houses in such a way and living accordingly.
Sidetapa’s traditional customary house
The name of Sidetapa, it said derived from two words namely “side” which means “wound” or “injury” and “tapa” means “meditation”. The meditation is practiced before any work is done particularly in making religious constructions such as erecting a shrine or a temple. The name based on a story that once upon a time, in their adhered tradition when there is a work is done in mutual work tradition of the community, usually using bamboo materials, they cut the bamboo trunk using their thigh as the pedestal and it will not be wounded as long as their follow the requirement by not doing any wrong deed such as having sex or just uttering dirty words. , One day a member of the village’s community breached his tradition or his “tapa” or meditation by having sex the night before and as the consequence the member in question was wounded, and since then the village is named the village was changed from previously it was named the Village of Gunung Sari Munggah Tapa to the Village of Sidetapa.
The Village of Sidetapa is famous for its bamboo and wood crafts. The locally produced sugar made of palm juice is also widely known as “Bali sugar” is a product widely sought after locally as well nationally. In addition of those village’s specific products the village is also known for its unique dances which are hardly found in anywhere but may be only in the other Bali Age villages.
The uniqueness of the village blended with its natural beauty such as clove, coffee plantations, serene atmosphere of the rustic environment, the fantastic sunset viewed from the village has made Sidetapa of having a great potential to be developed and promoted as a “Desa Wisata”, a “Tourism Village” or “Rural Tourism”.
The sacred dance of Sidetapa
In this direction, a prominent villager, named I Wayan Aryawan, a clove farmer who has strong spirit of leading the young of villagers to right path instead of roaming or speeding with their motorbikes or such as doing vandalism, he took the initiative of setting up a Foundation named the “Foundation of Sidetapa Tourism”. One of the ideas realized in highly applauded action was their concern of the meaning of clean beach of Lovina as the most strong tourist attraction of Lovina. Despite they have nothing direct self interest, under the leadership of Wayan Ariawan, they came to Lovina to clean up the beach particularly getting rid of plastic trash. What these young villagers had done, it must be highly appreciated and must be followed suit.
Besides of leading the young villagers, Wayan Aryawan is also having a strong concern of clean environment by practicing what is known as “grafting method” of clove. The clove generally grows at a certain level from the sea level, particularly in the hilly area of where the climate is rather cold and temperate, The grafting used another species of tree trunk in this case, the best is what is locally named “banji” and it is grafted with the branch of clove, so it will grows well and faster in the rather hot climate such as on the coast area. For the fertilizer, he uses trash from the kitchen such as disposed vegetables and other liquid trash and converted it into organic liquid fertilizer.
This endeavor is not only beneficial for the clove farmers but also indirectly making it is useful in creating clean and healthy environment. He believes that one man who knows can make the different. Action speaks louder than words, once he said.
The village of Sidetapa is now easily accessible by car due to the asphalted road and as a matter of fact, the village has been frequently visited by tourists and travelers alike in their search of enjoying a unique and different atmosphere after living in relatively big cities and of course we do hope that the possibly great influx of tourists visiting the village will not to tarnish the beauty and the unique tradition of the village and the villagers must enjoy the benefit of the bread of tourism. The villager must be the players. Not just as spectators. All will be in the hand of the people of the Village of Sidetapa.articel by bapak nyoman suwela
