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Thesis
FGMG
Trees
Offerings are frequently made to trees, especially in southern Bali.
Selected, representative trees are dressed up in traditional batik kamben,
scarf (saput), and headband (udeng)-exactly the dress that Balinese
men wear to temple ceremonies. The Balinese believe that large trees
are the habitat of many spirits and demons; one often sees offerings
placed on the ground before big trees. Tree trunk hollows are used as
signal logs in much the same way church bells announce calls to prayer
in the West . Stately tamarind trees line kilometer after kilometer
of roads in northern Bali east of Singaraja. In October, kasia trees,
with huge clusters of bright yellow flowers, beautify the main road
between Sanur and Tanjung Bungkak. Acacia trees and other members of
the mimosa family sentinel long stretches of the Bypass Highway.
About 22% of Bali consists of forests and efforts are being made to
reforest (reboisasi) 39,000 hectares to bring that percentage up to
an "ideal" 30%. There are small, sacred reserves of trees
all over the island, such as the Monkey Forest of Ubud and the majestic:
grove of dipterocarp trees at Sangeh. Commercial tree plantations--coconut
palms, eucalyptus, teak are found only in the 77,000-hectare Bali Barat
National Park, the only area where Bali's original flora has been left
intact and secure Buffer areas around the park have been established
by the government to protect it from exploitation by firewood cutters
Bali's most famous trees are the massive banyans (waringan), which hang
over roads and temple gates spreading their feathery branches festooned
with hundreds of vine like trailers. Left unchecked, these creepers
will take root, spreading a canopy 50 meters wide. Considered holy and
immortal, the banyan is often found inside temples or near the main
puri of a village. There's a special atmosphere under the shady pillars
of a gnarled old banyan, where often a small shrine has been placed
in the gloom
The Palms
The coconut palm (nyuh) provides tools, food, drink, and habitation;
every part of the tree is used by the Balinese. Twelve varieties of
nyuh exist on Bali. A good tree produces about 50-100 mature nuts per
year for 50 years. So essential is the coconut tree in everyday, life
that to Balinese make special offerings to it every 210 days. The farmer
knocks the tree three times to "waken" it, prayers for a lentiful
harvest are
