Fishermen and residents of the Nusa
Penida islets will conduct the important Nyepi Segara ritual on Ngusaba, during
which they refrain from sea-related activities for 24 hours.
The ferry port and traditional ports
will also be closed during the ritual, which the locals believe gives the sea a
much-needed day off from human exploitation.
“The ritual is our way of expressing
our respect toward the God of the Sea, who has been very generous in providing
our people with a bountiful supply of fish and other sea products. It is also
to give the sea time to rest.
The Nusa Penida islets comprise Nusa
Penida, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Lembongan. These three small islands to the
southeast of Bali are populated mostly by fishermen and seaweed farmers.
In the last decade, the islets have
enjoyed a burgeoning tourism industry that has gradually become a significant
source of income for many locals.
“For 24 hours, the fishermen will dock
their jukung [traditional outriggers] and present sacred offerings to the Lord
of the Sea instead of going out to sea to go fishing,” he said.
On Tuesday, thousands of locals
participated in the sacrificial ritual of Makelem, during which various animals
were drowned in the sea as an offering to Baruna, the Lord of the Sea.
“We believe that Nyepi Segara is the
day when Baruna meditates. We stop all sea-related activities so as not to
disturb his meditation.
The ritual committee notified the tour
operators and tourism service providers to stop their activities during the
Nyepi Segara.
“We have asked them not to organize
diving or fishing trips on that day, adding that traditional guardsmen would
patrol the shoreline.
Nyepi Segara is part of the locals’
major annual religious festival of Ngusaba Desa.
“We have carried out this ritual for
centuries and the foreign visitors have always shown a deep respect toward our
tradition.
Kusamba, a fishing village on mainland
Bali, also celebrates Nyepi Segara.
The tradition bears many similarities
to the annual Balinese celebration of Nyepi, during which Hindus refrain from
going outside their respective family compounds, among other things.
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