SACRIFIECES ON THE EIGHT MONTH: THE TRADITION OF A BULL SLAUGTHER AND THE ELEMENT OF BAIRAWA AT THE VILLAGE OF ASAK, KARANGASEM

Tradition of a bull slaughter ritual at the village of Asak, Karangasem became viral in the media. Some people consider this tradition as animal abuse, and critize to ban this ritual. This research attempts to understand the ideology and meaning behind the tradition.

            The study was conducted in the 10^th January 2019. A week before the ceremony has taken place, a bull has been bought by the villagers at Bebandem and its cost was Rp 18 millions. The bull was looked after by the traditional youth organization or SekaaTeruna of the village of Asak.

            In the morning on the 10^th of January 2019, the bull was brought to the field close to Dalem Alit temple of the village, and it was decorated particularly the head and the tail of the bull. Around 10 o’clock at the same day, the bull was paraded from Dalem Alit temple to Balai Banjar Serbaguna of Banjar Kangin of Asak.

            The members of traditional youth organization that include men (Sekaa teruna) and women (Sekaa daha), guests as well as communities of Asak praying together.The bull was tied up at palinggih patok (a shrine). It should be noted that when praying or ceremony  was over the bull were released, and it allowed to run to the village street. The men of the traditional youth organization were waiting the bull in the street with their daggers ready to kill the bull.  When the bull run to the street it was stubbed by the men, and the bull collapsed around 20 meters from the village community (balai banjar)of Banjar Kangin.

Head and tail, as well as meat of the bull were kept by the villagers. Head and tail of the bull were used for sacrifice or carucere mony on the next day or 11^th of January 2019, and the meat were cooked for magibung tradition/ eating together by the villagers.

The bull killing tradition/ceremony might be related to Durgamahisasuramardhini of Hindu myth. According to the myth, Durga killed Asura or demon of negative spirit. It is expected that the power of Durga in killing Asura was absorbed by the youth of Asak. Based on this phenomena, it seems that bull killing or slaughter tradition at the village of Asak is related to Durgamahisasuramardhini Hindu myth, when Durga killed Asura as a symbol of bad and negative spirit. Durga’s spirit wants to be  preserved by the youth traditional organization to avoid bad or negative spirit in order to keep prosperities of the villagers. It also indicates that Bairawa cult is still being practised at the village of Asak, Karangasem.