Aside from being famous in the world of tourism, the island of Bali is also rich in unique cultural traditions handed down through generations and generations from ancient ancestros and preserved by the community. Many island itself, but the outside world aswell, one of which os the Ngurek tradition.
Ngurek, or what can be called Ngunying is one of the ceremonies of Dewa Yadnya, or in the Hindu beliefs of ‘Offering to the Almighty God’. Ngurek is a tradition that is focused as an offering to Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (Balinese Supreme God). Ngurek comes from the word ‘urek’, which means to pierce a hole, done so by using sharp weapons like the Kris, which is applied with force to the chest, neck and face without actually causing any bodly harm, in an unconscious condition.
In the past, this tradition was only done by Hindu religious leaders, but now people who does the tradition are no longer distinguished from status, can be religious leaders, temple refugees, member of village manners, community leaders, men and women. The only thing that doens’t make any changes in how the tradition work is that people still do it in a state of possession, or unconscious. Even though, the unsheathed keris was plugged into the body, not even a drop of blood came out or was injured.
This unique tradition is usually done outside man temple complexes. Before it begins, Barong and Randa dances usually come out of the main temple complex alongside possessed pepatihs and surrounds the temple’s wantilan (outside temple) 3 times. While soing so, the pepatih experience the highest spiritual culmination point. Possession in Ngurek usually occurs afetr a ritual process. To reach a climax of procession, they must carry out several stages.
The first stage to be carried out is Nusdus. Nusudus is menat to stimulate the perpetrators of ngurek with a sweet-smelling aromaticsmoke to make the individual immedietly be possessed. the process is a dance stage acommpanied with songs and choirs, keack or gamelan sounds.
After Nusdus, the next stage is called Masalah. Masalah is when the performers are dancing while being in a trance, while the performers are dancing while being in a trance, while also accompanied by gamelan music. Usually these gamelan music could also be acoompanied by kecak choirs. The next stage after this would be Ngaluwur.
Ngaluwur means returning the perpetrators of ngurek to their true identity, The entry of spirits into the individual can be marked through their body shivering, trembling, moaning, and squeling, while also being accompanied by the sound of gamelan music. The possessed harborers, usually directly stick their weapons, in the form of dagger on their body above the navel like chest, forehead, shoulders, neck, eyebrows, and eyes, even though the dagger is plugged in and repeatedly pressed hard, not even a single blood drops or bleeding happens.
The Ngurek tradition is a Balinese custom. where when the ceremony of inviting ancestral spirits is performed, the spirits are asked to enter the bodies of those who’ve been appointed, and become a sign, that the invited spirits are present around them. The tradition is also trusted, to invite Ida Bhatara and his warriors to accept ritual offerings during the ceremony.
Not everyone wants to and can participate in this traditional Balinese tradition. Participants who are first to follow the Ngurek traditional, usually wont be fully immune. the individual could experience bleeding which is the impact of the level of consciousness when jabbing the keris, the sharp object plugged into the body.
In addition, participants must have holiness purify, not only physically, but also spiritually. Therefore, those who have just been married, cannot directly participate, as they must first take a bath in the sea following the purification ceremony. Those who have been following the tradition as a routine in their life, would have a higher level of immunity.
If you want to witness this Balinese traditonal Ngurek tradition, you can go to the Dewi Yadnya religious ceremony, that is, if you dare to witness it.