Professional Documents
Culture Documents
สาขามนุษยศาสตร์และสังคมศาสตร์
ปีที่ 12 ฉบับที่ 2 (กรกฎาคม-ธันวาคม)
Research Article
ECO-CULTURAL TOURISM LANDSCAPE AS A CONCEPT
OF TOURISM PRACTICES IN BALI
ABSTRACT
This paper is aimed to reinterpret the ritual of Perang Ketupat based on practical
consciousness into reflective consciousness to preserve agricultural tradition. This
consciousness could be created by deconstructing the pragmatic materialistic perspective
by promoting local knowledge perspective which had been realized in harmony among
human, nature, and God (Tri Hita Karana Philosophy). This research applied a descriptive
qualitative method and glocalization concept to comprehend tourism practice in Kapal Village.
The research shows that the local people at Kapal Village interpret this ritual as practical
consciousness without knowing the function and the meaning of the ritual. It means that ritual
is only performed annually as a routine tradition. Therefore, reflective consciousness needs
to be nurtured through constructing the community`s awareness of this ritual as a tourist
attraction, so that they can get the economic benefit. In other words, tourism becomes a
melting-pot producing space of the triple sections among nature, culture and tourism which
is called Eco-Cultural Tourism Landscape (ECTL).
Keywords: practical consciousness, reflective consciousness, glocalization, eco-cultural
tourism landscape.
Phranakhon Rajabhat Research Journal (Humanities and Social Sciences) 47
Vol.12 No.2 (July-December 2017)
tourism. The quality tourism has the principle to the investor, so that, the land conversion
called sustainable tourism development is becoming more and more excessive
which takes into account the participation annually. At Kapal village, there is the ritual of
of local community as the agent of tourism Perang Ketupat which has a lot of traditional
development (community base tourism). values (local wisdom) that could be utilized
The philosophy of tourism development in to inspire the local community to reduce their
Bali is based on cultural tourism. According willingness to sell their land (rice field). Up to
to the Regulation of Bali Province No. 2, now, the local community conduct this ritual
2012, explains that cultural tourism in Bali as practical consciousness for the annual
have a basis on Balinese Hindu religion and ritual. They do not know the philosophy,
the Philosophy of Tri Hita Karana which is the function and the meaning of this ritual
actualized in tourism sector to create the because they just did it as routines event
dynamic correlation between tourism and yearly. Since the tourism development in Bali
Balinese culture which both of them will be is based on cultural tourism, the philosophy
developed in synergistically, harmoniously of local wisdom could be utilized to create
and continuously to give prosperity to the dynamic and synergy correlation among
the people, conservation of culture and touristic space and cultural space.
environment (The Regulation Government of This paper will highlight two prominent
Bali Province of Number 2, 2012 ) problems, such as, (1) what is the function
Kapal Village which is belonged to and the meaning of the Perang Ketupat?;
Badung Regency in Bali province since (2) how could the philosophy of this tradition
2010 has been decided as one of rural could be applied to make the melting-pot
tourism in Badung region. The impact of between the touristic space and the local
tourism development in Badung region value?
had converted the green area (rice field) to
become tourism facilities, such as home stay, METHODOLOGY
public facilities, supermarket, etc. In the last This research utilized the qualitative
fifteen years, the rice field has been converted method to understand the phenomenon
to become residential area is 44 hectare (The on natural setting through combination
Department of Revenue of Badung, 2016) emic and etic interpretation (Denzin &
The local community tend to sell their land Lincoln, 2009) The collection data used
observation, depth interview, library research
Phranakhon Rajabhat Research Journal (Humanities and Social Sciences) 49
Vol.12 No.2 (July-December 2017)
and focus group discussion. The concept suddenly there was a message from the God
of glocalization is adopted to elaborate the of Siwa Pasupati and his wife Goddess Uma
tourism phenomenon Kapal village. This to conduct the ritual of Perang Ketupat.
term is formed by telescoping global and The artifacts of ritual consist of ketupat
local to make a blend (Khondker, 2004) In and bantal. Ketupat is made from young
the business world, the idea was adopted coconut leaf which has tetragon shape
to refer to global localization (glocalization). symbolize the feminism (yoni) and bantal is
Glocalization means the creation of product also made from young coconut leaf which has
or services intended for the global market but oval shape symbolize phallus (lingga)
customized to suit the local cultures. Tourism
phenomenon as part of the global market has
standard etic and the other hand the local
community can`t be separated from their local (Bantal)
wisdom (emic).
Ketupat and bantal are usually as food symbols. The constructive symbol connected
which is contained of rice steamed in young to a metaphysical thing which expressed
coconut leaf. Those two artifacts are utilized the cosmology through the encounter of
as the weapon when the ritual is conducted duality elements i.e. the feminism (yoni) and
by two groups of local community by throwing the phallus (lingga) as masculine. Lingga
it to each other as if opponents so that this is believed as the manifestation of the God
ritual called Perang Ketupat (Ketupat war). (b) Siwa Pasupati and yoni as the manifestation
the expression of gratitude of the farmers to of Siwa`s wife, the Goddess of Uma. The local
the God of Wisnu and his wife the Goddess of community believe that the Kapal Village
Shri for the blessing of successful of harvest. was created by God of Siwa Pasupati and
The local community at Kapal village is his wife dwelling in Puru Sada temple. The
believing in God of Wisnu as the part of the ritual of Perang Ketupat utilized the Ketupat
Trinity and his wife Goddess of Shri who has as the representation of yoni and bantal as
function blessing the prosperity and fertility the representation of lingga. When throwing
for the rice plant. Before the ritual of Perang opponent by using ritual artifact, ketupat
Ketupat taking place, the local community must be collided with bantal in the air until
conducted a ceremony at Puseh temple the contents of them crashed and fell in to
where the God of Wisnu and his wife Goddess the earth as a symbol of spiritual orgasm
Shri are glorified which is presided by a holy which create fertility and prosperity, so that
people. The artifact of ketupat and bantal are the earth and its inhabitant created. (2) The
dedicated to those God and Goddess. (c) the tropology meaning. The ritual of Perang
expression of religious emotion. When the Ketupat has the value of local wisdom
ritual of Perang Ketupat conducted, the local which preaches the moral didactic which is
community who participated in the ceremony connected to respectful to nature and ethic.
driven by his own religious emotion which It can be delivered directly or indirectly.
emerged the spiritual vibration. (d) strengthen Most of the Hindu’s ritual in Bali conveys the
the togetherness among the local community moral didactic indirectly through the religious
(Sendra at.al., 2016) ceremonies. The moral didactic contained
The ritual of Perang Ketupat has some in this ritual are (a) the triangle connection
meaning, such as (1) The allegory meaning. among the human being, universe, and the
The Perang Ketupat using ritual artifacts has God which called Tri Hita Karana. Tri means
constructive, ethic, cognitive and expressive three, hita means the causes and karana
Phranakhon Rajabhat Research Journal (Humanities and Social Sciences) 51
Vol.12 No.2 (July-December 2017)
means prosperity. It means that there are as the motherland. The moral didactic is they
three causes making the prosperity in the should not sell their land and rice field as
universe, such as the interdependence the motherland. (3) The anagogic meaning
relationship among human; the relationship (mystical meaning/spiritual vision). The
between human with the universe and human ritual of Perang Ketupat reflect the lifecycle
with the God. In term of the correlation with the ceremony which is called Tri Kona, i.e. the
universe, the local community in Kapal village birth (utpatti), the growing up (sthithi), and
have to concern with the conservation of land death (prelina). This ritual has sequent
and rice field which has socio-economic and ceremony expressing life cycle which is
religious value (Peters & Wardana, 2010). expressed on the agriculture activities, such
The rice field as economic capital produce as cultivating the land, planting, maintaining
paddy as staple food; and also rice field as and harvesting the rice plants (Kuper &
social capital tied the farmers in to the Subak Kuper, 2000). And, (4) the esthetical meaning.
organization as “customary law community The ritual of Perang Ketupat contained a lot of
who organize their members in correlation to expressive symbols of macro cosmos which
irrigation system”, and as religious capital it emerged the esthetical value. The value is
will bind the farmers to conduct all the religion become inspiration to create some traditional
activities associated with agriculture ritual as sacred dances, such as Rejang Tipat and
well (Windia & Wiguna, 2013); (b) the farmers Baris Bantal Dance, Aci Rah Pengangon
have to maintain the fertility of the land. The Dance, Mapag Toya Dance; besides, the
artifacts of ritual contain steamed rice. After traditional propane dances, such as Carik
the ritual was completed, it will be collected Kapal Dance and Pertiwi Jati Dance (Sendra,
by the farmers and scatter in the rice field et.al., 2016). However, the ritual of Perang
for natural fertilizer; and (c) the local people Ketupat doesn`t has significance and function
should maintain the harmonious relationship in term of tourism yet.
with nature and do not exploit the land 2. The Dynamic of Tourism Practice
excessively. There are some taboos existing at Kapal Village
in folklore, such as the local community Having been decided as rural tourism
should not sell ketupat, because it is utilized destination in 2010, Kapal village could not
as the artifact of ritual. Ketupat is the symbol give significant benefit to increasing tourists
of feminism which has connotation meaning visit to the regency of Badung. By comparing
52 วารสารวิจัยราชภัฏพระนคร สาขามนุษยศาสตร์และสังคมศาสตร์
ปีที่ 12 ฉบับที่ 2 (กรกฎาคม-ธันวาคม)
the total of tourist visiting Kapal Village and regency of Badung show that the numbers is still
small, as well as shown in the figures below:
Table 1 The Figure of Tourists Visiting to Regency of Badung and Kapal Village 2102-2015
(person)
No. Year Regency of Badung Kapal Village
1 2012 2.892.019 224
2 2013 3.148.443 256
3 2014 3.681.342 288
4 2015 3.934.384 320
Total 13.656.188 1088
(Source: The Registration Book of Guest Visiting Kapal Village, 2015; the Government Tourism
Office of Badung Regency, 2016)
On the other hand due to the development of tourism economic and the growth of
population in Kapal village had brought about the land conversion of rice field at Subak Kapal
to become residence area, public facilities, supermarket, and governmental building. The
Subak of Kapal consists of two territories i.e. Tegan and Babakan. The conversion of the land
shows in the table below.
Table 2 The Land Conversion at Subak Tegan Kapal 2003-2017
No Year The extensive of land Percentage
1 2003 183 ha
2 2016 162 ha -11.4
The Total of Land Conversion 21 ha
(Souce: The Monograph of Subak Kapal, 2016)
Due to the fact that there is a quite large of rice field conversion at Subak Tegan being
about 21 ha in the thirteen years. It means that 11.4 % less than before.
Phranakhon Rajabhat Research Journal (Humanities and Social Sciences) 53
Vol.12 No.2 (July-December 2017)
On the other side, the conversion of (b) Government Tourism Office of Regency of
the rice field at Subak Babakan more than Badung; (c) Tourism Businessmen and Travel
Subak Tegan i.e. 23 ha due to the increasing Agents. There is some effort that has been
of residential area. Both of Subak in Kapal done by the local actors establishing Kapal
Village had decreased about 44 ha. Moreover, Village Eco-Tourism as a local destination
the development of rural tourism at Kapal management. Its product is built upon
village has no contribution to increase the diversification which is based on cultural
number of tourists to visit Badung. It indicates heritage, people and their tradition and
that there is no synergistic relationship among culture, nature and agriculture. Their brochure
nature, culture, and tourism sector yet. In and pamphlet are fraught with moral didactic
addition, the local community could not get to conserve nature, tradition, and culture. Yet,
the hang of the philosophy of Perang Ketupat the number of tourists visit do not increase,
performing only as a yearly routine festival. due to there is no synergic correlation among
Still, the stakeholder of tourism at Kapal the local and government and business actors
village had not managed the rural tourism as well. The local actors tend to refuse the
simultaneously having brought about conflict intervention of governmental actors, because
of interest so that the practice of tourism could of the difference of tourism practice between
not be organized productively. mass-tourism or quality tourism. Moreover,
The stakeholder of tourism at Kapal the lack of promotion and the collaboration
village consist of (a) the local community with travel agents caused the tourism life-
institutionally involving the formal and cycle at Kapal village only attained the level of
customary institution i.e. the customary involvement of limited local actors. In addition,
and administrative village and sub-village the local community did not give response to
54 วารสารวิจัยราชภัฏพระนคร สาขามนุษยศาสตร์และสังคมศาสตร์
ปีที่ 12 ฉบับที่ 2 (กรกฎาคม-ธันวาคม)
the tourism development, since most of them “Let Balinese live their own beautiful
had established livelihood become craftsmen native live as undisturbed as possible. Their
who had involved in some sectors of home agriculture, their village life, their own form of
industries, such as ceramics, the cremation`s worship, their religious art, their own literature-
artifact, family temple shrines, etc. all bear witness to an autonomous native
3. Conceptualizing of The Melting- civilization of rare versatility and richness. No
Pot Among Nature, Culture and Tourism: proselytizing Mohammedan nor Protestant
Ecological Culture and Touristic Space and Roman Catholic. The island of Bali as
The basic discourse of tourism a rare jewel, that must protect and whose
practice in Kapal village is based on Eco- virginity must remain intact” (Picard, Michel,
Cultural Tourism Landscape (ECTL) which 2006)
is in accordance with the principle of cultural Accordingly, the basic ideology of
tourism in Bali. Nurturing Bali as a cultural tourism development in Bali is cultural tourism
tourism destination was established by the which is accommodated on Bali Province
Dutch Colonial in Bali since Bali was entirely Regulation 2012. Developing Kapal village as
occupied in 1906 (Creese, Putra & Nordholt, the tourist attraction is based on the principles
2016) The image of Bali as a cultural tourism of culture tourism. Those principles are taken
destination was created by orientalists who from the interconnected system among
were sneaking to Christianization and Islamic ecology, culture and tourism variable since
movement and westernization as well, by Kapal village was decided by the regent of
creating the slogan, such as Bali as the Island Badung to be developed as rural tourism
of Thousand Temples, the Last Paradise, the destination since 2010, and cultural tourism
Island of Paradise etc. (Sendra, 2016) The destination since 2014 as well.
Dutch Government had promoted Bali at Paris The evolving of tourism sector at
Colonial Exposition taken place at Bois de Kapal village doesn`t run productively, could
Vincennes from 6 May until 9 November 1931 be tackled by deconstructing the practice
(Bandem, A.A. Gede Raka, et.al., 2015) It was of ritual of Perang Ketupat which is up to
the first time, the Balinese arts and orchestra now the local community conducted it as
performed as on stage authenticity. Balinese yearly routine festival without conceiving the
culture was commoditization into touristic philosophy of it. The research show that there
culture (tourist attraction). G.P Roufaer as the are two interconnected elements, such as
director of Bali Institute gave his gaze i.e. nature environment, the belief system (culture)
Phranakhon Rajabhat Research Journal (Humanities and Social Sciences) 55
Vol.12 No.2 (July-December 2017)
own etic acquire something to learn about The ritual of Perang Ketupat actually
the local wisdom. In this case, the touristic has tangible and intangible aspects. The
space will become the medium to encounter tangible aspect pertains to the artifacts of
the local value (emic) with the global value the ritual that could be created as a tourist
which called glocalization. attraction, such as, the arts and orchestra
It is very plausible due to the changing performing, the ritual procession and the
of traveling paradigm which is more concerned connection of this ritual to the activities of
about the nature and culture, more curious farmers to cultivate their rice field, planting
and academically-minded, often engaged in and harvesting. The intangible aspect of the
a personal search and active participant in ritual corresponds to the philosophy aspect
the tour. of this ritual which has it`s function and the
Tourism can provide great support meaning. There are four functions of this
for preservation and conservation of the ritual, i.e. the historical function; expression
nature and local culture and provide more of gratitude to God of Wisnu and his wife
meaningful opportunities for local community Goddess of Shri; the expression of religious
and visitors as well. It can be witnessed emotion; and strengthen the togetherness
from the comment of international tourist among the villagers. The ritual has allegory,
who visited Kapal Village Eco-Tourism, such tropology, anagogic and aesthetic meaning.
as Malaysian tourist whose name is Mr. The philosophy of the ritual as local wisdom
Jananthani said that: will be created as tourism information so that
The Kapal Village Ecotourism tourists could take a good advantage and
experience is a wonderful example of how moral didactic (something to learn) as the
communities can be empowered and protect basis of educational-tourism (edu-tour). In
their precious resources. I was inspired by the the other hand, the philosophy of ritual will
amazing dedication to the preservation of a be institutionalized to the local community to
unique way of living in individual/community establish the reflective consciousness among
organizer like Mr. Alit, Mr. Kade, Mr. Pajar and them. This consciousness is notable to create
the Kapal village community. I have learned harmonizing between human and nature as
than I expected and developed the belief that the resources in tourism management.
community organizing is powerful and very
empowering.
Phranakhon Rajabhat Research Journal (Humanities and Social Sciences) 57
Vol.12 No.2 (July-December 2017)
Picard, M. (2006). Bali: cultural Tourism and The Department of Revenue of Badung.
touristic culture. Jakarta: Kepustakaan (2016). The profile of government
Pupuler Gramedia. tourism office of Badung Regency.
Pitana, I Gde & Adi Putra, I Gde Setiawan. Badung: Dinas Pariwisata Kabupaten
(2013) Tourism as the vehicle for Badung.
conserving Subak and Subak Culture Windia, Wayan & Wiguna, Wayan Alit Artha.
becoming the basic capital in tourism. (2013). Subak: the world heritage.
Journal of Bali Studies, 3(2), 2013. Denpasar: Udayana University Press.
Sendra, I Made, et.al., (2016). The Windia, Wayan. (2013). Strengthen Subak
conservation of rice-field land based culture through empowering the
on the reinterpretation of ritual perang farmer. Journal of Bali Studies, 3(2).
ketupat as tourism attraction at Yamashita, S. (2013). The Balinese Subak
Kapal Village Regency of Badung. as World Cultural Heritage: In the
(Research Report). Unpublished. Context of Tourism. Journal of Bali
Denpasar: Tour and Travel Industry Studies, 3(2).
Study Program, Faculty of Tourism
Udayana University.
Sendra, I Made. (2016). The paradigm
of Bali`s tourism in Era 1930: The
Genealogy study of cultural Tourism.
Journal of Bali Studies, 6(2), 97-124.