Bali Expat Forum - Bali Travel Forum

Yesterday was the day for our Melaspas ceremony at our new compound. I am still exhausted, and haven’t yet gone through the more than 200 photos I took during this day which began at 6 AM and ended after midnight. Here are a few photos which give a sense of what when on. I promise to write more about this extraordinary day, its events, and the powerful moments that made this day the most remarkable for me in all my years on Bali.

PS…the Obama button that Komang was wearing was not my idea!

Nice picture Om Roy ... i like the spirit from melaspas ceremony... bring new structures to life ... begin something with purification. Selamat-Congratulation!
Well i am sure that Obama is the next US president with help of your botton...
-Dyah

Great photos! I hope you will post some more. I just love looking at photos from Bali and ceremonies.

It must have been a big thing for your family. Was it also part of a family temple odalan ceremony?

Regards
Kadek

A million thanks Dyah! I had no idea what to expect, and Eri didn’t fill me in completely in advance as to what to expect. That was no oversight on her part, rather, it was her wisdom which I have grown to rely upon...and love as well.

Many things happened yesterday that I am still trying to “work out” in my mind, but one thing was so obvious as to be inescapable. Right after the first high priest finished her part, which was the purification and marriage of the land, the skies opened up with a deluge of rain. It rained buckets, and from a sky which only moments earlier could only be called partly cloudy.

This reminded me of my past otons, where the high priest goes way beyond the sprinkling of holy water on me, but rather, gives me a mandi of holy water.
This was very well received by all. Our new compound was truly married to the adat land of our village, and purified.

Of more concern to Eri, and her family than to me, was how the village would react to this ceremony. Our gamelan group wore their finest adat, normally reserved for when they play in competition, or at the royal palace in Ubud. I’ve seen them in this dress only twice before. Was this out of respect for Eri being the leader of our gamelan wanita? I don’t know, and as you know, I can’t ask either…nor should I. But, it meant a lot to me…a whole lot.

Over the course of the entire ceremony, the entire village turned out. They all came, one by one, and for whatever their reasons, as someone could cite…curiosity, an excuse for cock fighting, some good food, a social event…they all came to support our family, and to acknowledge our family and compound as an integral part of our village.

So, why is it that after ten years plus, I am more at home, and feel more at home than I ever did when I lived in the US? That answer is obvious. But with this great sense of belonging which extends far beyond Eri and our sons is the fear. My greatest fear isn’t if I can rely on them…rather, my fear is if they can rely on me. This level of intense community is something I have never experienced, and now, I could never live without.

With two exceptions, I invited no westerners to this event. This was entirely my call, and it meant that close friends of Eri, who are married to westerners, were not invited either. In my mind, I didn’t want my time distracted by being a host in any other manner than a good Balinese host and for the Balinese of our village. I didn’t want to spend time, at this time, with my close western friends, as this wasn’t about my friendships, rather, it was all about something far more important for my wife, our boys, her family, and our entire village.

In the seamless way that all Balinese ceremonies come together and happen as if by memory or genes, but always without a boss, or a director, so went our Melaspas. While I was a part of everything that happened yesterday, I don’t understand it all…not by a long shot. But I do know this one thing, and that is when I woke up this morning, and went to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee, everything around me was singing, looked more beautiful, smelled differently, and felt better than ever before. Bali magic for certain, and now it’s on a whole new level for me.

Om Swastiastu Kadek.

I was working off-line to reply to Dyah, so I’m thinking my response to her will answer your question as well.

And yes, I promise more photos, and more insight too, such that my insight is of any interest.

As reserved, polite, and even shy of getting personal as the Balinese are, once those flood gates are breached, there is no end to what one can learn.

But I do know this one thing, and that is when I woke up this morning, and went to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee, everything around me was singing, looked more beautiful, smelled differently, and felt better than ever before. Bali magic for certain, and now it’s on a whole new level for me.

Reading between the lines, I think I can imagine what a glorious morning it must have been for you. Would it be presumptuous for me to say that it must have surpassed how you felt after your otons?

PS. Very nice pictures. Pl. keep them coming.

Thanks Daniel!

Would it be presumptuous for me to say that it must have surpassed how you felt after your otons?

Not at all presumptuous and yes, this ceremony very much surpassed how I feel after my oton. Same kind of super clean and head clear feeling, but much stronger.

compliments Roy,

you are truly rich.

Here are a few more photos from our recent Melaspas ceremony:

Thanks for sharing this Roy, your post is really from the heart and quite moving.

There seems to be a bit of paranormal activity on the forum today with moving and vanishing posts. Or is Bert behind this one too? My main menu says there is another post on this thread

Last postMelaspas Preview
by lhpnhi
on Tue Nov 18, 2008 11:11 am

It was a spam post, which I removed

I'm glad I am not going crazy!

Thank you Roy for sharing your day with us, I am definitely looking forward to reading and seeing more.