Tumpek Uduh in Bali Today

Wherever you travel in Bali today you will observe the Balinese partaking in a ritual called Tumpek Uduh. Tumpek is one of the most interesting of the coincidence dates on the island of Bali. Tumpek occurs six times in every Pawukon and each of these dates is separately important. The ritual of Tumpek Uduh falls five weeks later on Saturday of Wariga, the seventh week in the cycle. This particular day has many alternate names including Tumpek Nyuh (coconut”). It is a day when the Balinese offer respect to trees, particularly to the coconut palm as they are important to the livelihood of the Balinese.

In Southern Bali, the trees are dressed in traditional Balinese clothes complete with a headband, tlie udeng, a kilt-like kamben, and a special scarf, saput, as a belt. Then the tree is hit ceremonially with a hammer to notify the tree that offerings are nearby and to ask it to produce abundant fruit.