KISSING IN FRONT OF PUBLIC Posted by Admin on 2004-03-05 [ print news | tell a friends ] Based on eastern culture, kissing in front of public is considered as a taboo thing, but in Banjar Kaja Sesetan, Southern part of Denpasar it becomes a festival, called med-medan, that is held annually and can be seen by public. And you can be a witness of this "different" festival on March 22, 2003 at Sesetan Village.
Every year a day after Nyepi, there's a group of teenagers, one in north side consists of girls and the other group in south side consists of boys. Bleganjur instrument follows both of groups walk in ellipse form, then when the Bleganjur becomes faster both of groups have stand (girls in north and boys in south) face to face, they become closer and closer until,suddenly, the first erson in every group kissed each other. After a couple of minutes both of groups will down their first and some adult people, who behave almost like a refree, pour water over them and the groups will be on their line and separated. The first person will be replaced by others and they will repeat and repeat again until all group's members have their chance, to be the first person. Before they run the festival both of groups held a praying in banjar temple and during the festival the road in front of the banjar will be closed for a couple hours. And what the folk behind the festival? Based on the people in this banjar, the aim of it is to protect the village from unexpected thing. Arya Jimbaran, banjar's figure, say that once time they did not perform the festival then in the place where the festival commonly held there were two big pig fighting each other and there nobody can separate them until they full of blood. Since that day, the festival never absence again in this village and today it has got its famous, because many people want to see it even foreigns people. But to be a member of group that can join the festival still limited for people from Banjar Kaja Sesetan Only.
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