Masegeh tradition at Tambakan customary village

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Cultural treasures in Buleleng County have special uniqueness, so that they attract travelers to see and learn the meaning of the tradition. It is without the exception for masegeh or exorcism rite tradition slaughtering 28 calves at Tambakan customary village, Kubutambahan subdistrict. Hundreds of residents denoting the local customary villagers have gathered from the morning to invoke blessing with the hope of being endowed with fortune and offspring, Wednesday (Jul. 1).
One day before the masegeh tradition is started local residents prepared dozens of calves that are ready to be slaughtered. Equipped with ritual paraphernalia, they hoped the masegeh activities held every full moon in July can run solemnly in the area of Prajapati Temple of the Tambakan customary village.
According to the spouse to the priest of Dalem Temple, Jro Mangku Made Suartini, the tradition known as masegeh aims at making invocation ritual to God. In relation to this ritual, residents present calves. After being given a sacred mantra and holy water, they are ready to be presented should there be any vow at the Dalem Dasar Temple of Tambakan village. Residents of Tambakan have confidence that presentation of calves will give smoothness to their fortune. “We believe in this tradition. Should there be people making a vow in order to earn their living flourishingly, they promise to sacrifice a calf after it has worked. There are also residents wishing to invoke an offspring. To note, the presentation of calf is made on new moon,” said Suartini.
Long enough procession is made by customary villagers, where prior to organizing masegeh ritual the calf will be cleaned up and makes notification prayers at Prajapati Temple. After that, the calf is given a freedom by releasing it. People believe it can prevent the calf from getting stressed when being impaled. Besides, the calves in the wild are not allowed to tie so that they have flexibility to move.
Customary villagers then conducted a procession of carrying I Dewa, where they invoked by saying notification prayers at the trinity temples, Bale Agung, Dalem, Prajapati, and Melanting temple. In the prayers, they begged safety for customary villagers during the procession, where they will use a rope to tie up the calves in a gang. Dozens of calves are tied during three days, and will be slaughter by way of impaling. “Right on the full moon of July (sasih kasa), we invoke deities administering the territory of Tambakan to perform masegeh procession with the residents of Tambakan customary village,” she added.
A total of 28 calves are presented based on the agreement of customary village apparatus to express gratitude of residents for having been endowed with fortune and offspring. The beef obtained from slaughtering calves are equally distributed to all local residents. This year the committee prepared 28 calves, while last year they sacrificed 22 heads. It is said that residents believe that they do not slaughter haphazard calves, and the man entitled to spear first is the village apparatus. After that, the turn is given to the priest Jro Mangku Dalem, Jro Mangku Gede and chief of customary village and villagers.www.bali-travelnews.com
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