Balinese Hindu Ritual of Ngotonin: Bali
In Bali children are considered holy and the smaller the child the closer he or she is to heaven. Seldom disciplined, a child is never beaten as it is believed it will damage the soul.
Very rarely Balinese children are left alone. In Bali the birth of a baby brings joy not only to the parents but also the entire clan. This affectionate display of communal happiness can be seen in the traditional Balinese Hindu ritual of Ngotonin. This is how they become part of a clan creating communal happiness. Here is an article about Ngotonin written by Balinese writer I Wayan Juniartha:
A baby for the whole clan
I Wayan Juniartha, Denpasar, Bali
From a religious perspective the Ngotonin ritual, which takes place 210 days after the birth of the baby, aims at giving the baby spiritual protection and the blessing of ancestral spirits and benign deities. Elaborate offerings, usually including two suckling pigs, are presented to appease the Bhuta Kala (forces of nature) in an effort to ensure the baby's health and well-being.
The most interesting part of the ritual however lies in its social function as a tool to strengthen family cohesion.
"It is the baby's first public appearance. During Ngotonin the baby will be officially introduced to his extended family" a happy grandmother, Ibu Della said.
On a clear December morning Della's face beamed with pride as she watched her grandson, Arya Wiraguna, being prepared and pampered for the Ngotonin.
The jovial baby sat comfortably in his mother's lap, his innocent eyes curiously scanning the dozens of people gathered in his family,s compound in western Denpasar. Sometimes, many times, actually, he made faces at his older sister, Diva, or his mother before breaking into infectious laughter.
By 11 a.m. the whole clan which included Arya's extended family on his father's as well as his mother's side, had turned the usually spacious and quiet compound into a cramped lot alive with talk.
The social function of the event was particularly obvious in the ritualistic lunch that started the ceremony. The elders from both families sat around a wooden table facing an array of specially prepared traditional dishes such as the minced vegetables and meat of Lawar and grilled satay.
A beautiful offering of fruits and flowers or Gebogan was placed at the head of the table to symbolize the presence of the divine at the lunch. The family elders ate in silence. When they finished each of them poured a small cup of arak palm wine on the ground to show their respect for Bhuta Kala.
Arya's mother, Sri Widani, then took and introduced the baby to each of the family elders. She was followed by three women carrying the Gebogan.
"It means that the divine spirits will always accompany the baby in his future life as a member of this clan" Arya's father, Muwaranata said.
The family elders took turns picking a piece of fruit from the Gebogan before eating it and acknowledging the baby with a touch or smile. They also placed a rupiah note onto a silver plate carried by Sri.
"This signifies the clan's willingness to support and assist the parents in bringing up the baby. From this moment the baby's well-being and future are the responsibility of his parents as well as of his clan" one of the elders said.
"Thank God I had my wallet with me or I would have embarrassed the whole family" a young father, Yande said. Yande participated in the lunch on behalf of his father who was unable to attend.
By the time the formal introductions had been completed, Arya had fallen contentedly asleep in his mother's arms. His handsome face and soft breath soon drew the hushed admiration of all of the members of the clan, who joyously welcomed the newest member.