Omed-Omedan ( Events to find a mate or tradition)

 

Bali has a unique and funny tradition called Omed-omedan. Watching this show, you will smile broadly. Young people kiss and tug, but not carelessly, you know.

Perhaps a traveler has heard of the unique tradition of Omed-omedan from Bali. Yes, at this event a traveler can see hundreds of young Balinese kissing each other.

Eits, don't think negative first. Omed-omedan is not a place to indulge in lust. This is a traditional event where we can learn about a sense of togetherness and close kinship. Omed-omedan in Indonesian means attraction. The omed-omedan event is usually held the day after the Nyepi Day celebration.

One of the villages that is still holding this event is Sesetan Village, Denpasar, Bali. Young people aged 17-30 years in this village who are not married will participate in the omed-omedan event. Omed-omedan, listening to each other, wrestling with each other. Everywhere...

Omed-medan, hard to bother, ne len listens. Everywhere...

That's a fragment of the lyrics of the song sung by the youths of Sesetan Village. Gelut means hugging each other, which is defined as expressing affection with a kiss, siam which means flush, and kedengin which means tug. 

Yes, the essence of this omed event is hug, kiss, flush and then pull! And so on, over and over again until all the young men and women of Sesetan Village get their turn. The Omed-omedan tradition aims to strengthen the sense of Asah, Compassion, and Fostering among residents, especially residents of Banjar Kaja, Sesetan Village. The event started with praying together at the temple. Then continued with the performance of the male and female Barong Bangkung. After finishing, then the group of participants entered the courtyard of the temple.

There are two groups involved in omed-omedan, namely the male and female groups. The positions of men and women were made facing each other. Before the event started, gamelan music was played. A village elder gave a signal for the two groups to approach each other.

As the two groups approach, the leading participant from each group will wrestle with each other (hug), then diman (kiss), then Siam (water splashed), and the other participants will listen or tug. Meanwhile, the audience who witnessed it couldn't help but laugh at the excitement of this event. It is said that the Omed-omedan tradition originated from the residents of the Puri Oka Kingdom located in South Denpasar. The residents used to take the initiative to make a game of attraction. Over time, this game becomes more and more interesting, so that it turns into an embrace.

But because the atmosphere became noisy, the King of Puri Oka who was seriously ill was angry, because he was disturbed by the noise. However, as soon as the King came out and saw this ominous game, he actually recovered from his illness.

Since then, the King has ordered residents to hold omed-omedan every year, every time they light the first fire or Ngembak Gni after Nyepi Day.

The omed-omedan tradition was stopped by the people of Sesetan Village. However, a few moments after being stopped a strange incident occurred, namely there were two pigs fighting each other in front of the temple grounds.

Residents also consider the incident is a bad sign. Since then, Omed-omedan has been implemented again. For travelers who want to laugh and have fun with Sesetan residents, it feels obligatory to watch Omed-omedan which is so typical in Bali.