PRESERVING TRADITION AND UNDERSTANDING THE MEANING OF RITUAL OF USABA SUMBU AT THE VILLAGE CUSTOMARY OF TIMBRAH, KARANGASEM

AciUsabaSumbu is a ceremony  or annual event that is usually carried out at the village of Timbrah, Karangasem regency.  The ceremony is normally conducted around August, every year. Within four days, the villagers are held two ceremonies  orusabanamely UsabaPantiKaja and UsabaSumbuPantiKelod. During UsabaSumbuatPantiKaja, people make threesumbusandtwosumbus at UsabaSumbuPantiKelod. Sumburepresentsthe world or mountain which is associated with the Hindu myth of ksiraarnawa or samudramanthana (oceanmilk). According to the myth, the world or mountain is rotated by the gods and daities or bad spirits to search the essence of life or amerta.

            During UsabaSumbu ceremony, the sumbu is rotating by SekaaTeruna (traditional youth organization) of the village, and a young lady or a member of SekaaDaha (traditional women association) goes inside the sumbu. This activity  symbolizes rotating of mandaragiri or mountain in searching the essence of life or amerta. It  also represents the meeting of lingga/purusa (men) and yoni pradhana (women).

            It is interesting to note that during the ceremony, the villagers must present the offerings that consist  ofhundreds of babiguling or cycling pigs. There were more than 1300 cycling pigs were offered during the last year ceremony; 950 cycling pigs for UsabaPantiKaja and 400 pigs for UsabaPantiKelod. The aims of offering of hundreds of cycling pigs  gain successful of agricultural products and prosperities of the people of Timbrah. It is a unique and authentic annually  event and must attract the tourists. The village of Timbrah is very close and easy access to the CandiDasa tourist destination.