Commodification of Ngaben Culture in Bali

Ni Wayan Suastini | I Made Sumada | Ida Bagus Suteja

Abstract: The change of Ngaben (cremation) ceremony practice by preparing all of offerings together, at the same time as an education for young generation to make offerings (bebantenan), because making offerings (banten) is a part of Balinese cultures, that should be preserved and inherited to the next generation. The change occurs because of the society life style and the increasing economy status of the people, which causes everything should be measured by money. The change of Balinese Hindus is in the preparation of offerings which has bought from the banten-maker or well-known as nunas puput. It is practical and economical although the value of togetherness and sacred value of making banten to the Sang Yajamana has gone. It is a dilemma for the existence of Balinese culture in the future, because Ngaben ceremony is a form of Yadnya (sacred sacrifice), and considered as an obligation to conduct, which is related to spiritual phenomenon from Schreurs (2002) who defined spiritual phenomenon as personal relationship upon transcendent entity. Spiritual includes individual inner life, idealism, attitude, thought, feeling and expectation upon the Almighty God. The essence of Ngaben ceremony is a deconstruction of hegemony discourse within the people, deconstruction upon hegemony tradition in Ngaben ceremony is started from the rise of philosophical consideration of the people which was started by the emerging understanding of the people upon religious literature. This understanding generates other interpretations such as economic, social or educational interpretation. The practice of Ngaben ceremony is very important because it can develop as well as educational media so there will be people and young generations awareness upon essential values from Ngaben ceremony.

Keywords: Commodification, Ngaben culture in Bali

Edition: Volume 8 Issue 2, February 2019,

Pages: 1780 - 1783