Saturday, October 27, 2012

Jangkahan Village

October 28, 2012

After a busy morning in Janur's village, you might consider us all to be on siesta here at his family's home in the village of Jangkahan.  They are currently celebrating a 50 year cleanse with processions, ceremonies, and offerings at temple all month long.  I decided the best way to describe these events is to post a collection of photographs.  It's not such a bad way to spend the afternoon sitting on the stone tiled floor of the open air home redesigned by Hillary and Janur listening to the two toned cadence of a Tokay.  Not too long ago I watched a snake, not larger than the diameter of my finger, squirm through the ceiling before dropping down on a small frog in the brush beyond the roof line.  The calls of the frog could be heard even while it descended down the throat of the snake.  What a trip!  Poor little frog, happy snake!

The photos from the past few days include some of the work I prepared for the new kiln built by Gyan Hall.  Gyan is a wood fire ceramic artist and kiln designer here from Australia to help out at the Ceramic Arts Center while Hillary raises her little ones. 
 The double walled bottle shape is designed with a Middle Eastern brick laying technique and layered to move the heat through the kiln evenly and efficiently. 
 Here the kiln is being prepared for a small Balinese blessing to invite the gods to dwell with the structure.  A more elaborate blessing is planned for Monday on the more auspicious occasion of the full moon.
 From the room I'm staying in I have a beautiful view of Hillary's paintings and her sewing table.
 Snails on the leaves outside.
 The Ceramic Arts Center building is called a Joglo, an open air architectural structure based around a central rectangle.  Glass blocks were scattered in the roof tiles to allow for better light.
 TWINS!
 The farm just beyond the edge of the Yoga Barn.
 Colorful dinner salads with sterilized drying baby bottles close at hand.
 The entrance to Janur's home in the village.
 The morning procession began as the sun was breaking the horizon.
 Offerings are piled high with fruit and sweets and carried by the women to the village's Temple to Shiva.
 The long line of women in matching costume flowed along at a good clip like a river of white and orange.
 We traveled along with the procession for a good stretch while the Bali version of a marching band followed close behind.
 So many of the pictures turned out so beautifully, I could not resist posting!
 An example of the elegant script of Balinese writing.  I don't know what it says.
 Papaya's growing in Janur's father's garden.
Each home displays a sanggah, an impermanent alter at the front of every home including the high arching penjor where only the base is visible here.
 A simple walkway on the property leading to an alter.
 Janur, Hillary, Koko, Yoda, Kaylas, Nena, and Tio pose in the beautiful bed I got to sleep in last night!  The three babies are all just around four months old now.
 The procession past Janur's house returns to the next village with multiple Barong and Randa, Lion and Dragon figures possessed with magic.


 The procession heads off through the penjors.
 Pudja, Paksari, Nena, Yoda, Janur, Koko, Kaylas, Hillary, and Me!
 Koko and Hillary pose with Janur's sister Sari.
 Koko and Kaylas pose with their cousin and body guard Yoda.
 The diapers dry on a rock in the garden.
 A meeting of the minds.
 Let's put our heads together!
 A luxuriating bath in the stone tub/kitchen sink!
 The three tiered roof line of Janur's parents house.
 Twins in their dresses from India.
 Jam session with Tio and Gede.

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