Penglipuran

Penglipuran is one of the traditional villages or kampung located in Bangli Regency, Bali Province, Indonesia.

The architecture of buildings and land processing still follow the concept of Tri Hita Karana, the philosophy of Balinese society regarding the balance of relations between God, humans and their environment.

Penglipuran succeeded in building tourism that benefited all of its community without losing its culture and traditions.

In 1995, Penglipuran also received a Kalpataru award from the Indonesian government for its efforts to protect the bamboo forest in their local ecosystem.

But because of the distance, the Bangli kingdom finally provided a temporary area for the people of Bayung Gede to rest.

They also believe that this is the reason for the similarity of traditional rules and building structure between Penglipuran and Bayung Gede.

[2][3] Based on records from Kelihan Dinas (officials below lurah that specifically handling government administration) in 2002, up until July there were 832 people living in Penglipuran.

[5] To achieve mutual harmony in the community, residents of Penglipuran have two types of laws that they obey and follow, named Awig (written rules) and Drestha (unwritten customs).

After the person has moved, the villagers will build a house for them to live on but they will not be able to pass through public roads or enter the temple nor attend the traditional activities.

In Penglipuran the obligation is divided into: Every 210 days based on the Balinese calendar, there is a galungan celebration organized by Kahyangan-Tiga members.

Kanca roras has a function resembling an assembly of representatives or a legislative body and its formation is based on the order of leadership in the name of the ulu-apad system.

Kelihan Adat are executive officials whose appointments are made through elections at a public meeting (kajudi ring paruman desa).

The pawon is built entirely of bamboo including roof, wall, bed, and even the tableware inside it.

Trying to avoid tourism capitalism in the village, the Penglipuran community aimed for "community-based-tourism".

[2][3] In addition, before the concept was implemented, the people of Penglipuran were usually able to benefit by inviting tourists to their pekarangan while explaining their traditions and culture.

The Dutch NGO Green Destinations foundation has recognized Penglipuran among the top three cleanest villages in the world - beside Giethoorn in the Netherlands and Mawlynnong in India[6][7] - despite the soaring numbers of visitors.

[6] During the Galungan, the village is decked up with rows of penjor or decorative bamboo poles on which are suspended unique accessories and young girls in Balinese traditional dress carry towering banten (trays of offerings) on their head from each home to the village pura or Hindu temple.

The bamboo forest, a sacred place, has been transformed with the creation of pedestrian tracks and an asphalt road - all of which undermining its sacredness.

[11] To accommodate the high number of visitors, open areas such as rurung gede, of bare earth, have been laid with paving stones[11] – a material that does not provide for adequate rain water drainage.

Traditionnally, the basic form of the house is square and its various spaces are organised in a particular way to follow the Tri Mandala philosophy.

[14] Occidental mindsets may not fully grasp the impact of such changes in the buildings' organisation, on the way their inhabitants perceive themselves in relation to their environment and their society; but they can fully appreciate the damage brought by the use of asbestos as roof material "because it looks newer and is more practical" than the traditional bamboo tiles.

;[15] or the use of natural stone, brick, and concrete blocks with plaster finishing for the angkul-angkul (traditional gate) originally made from mud — because it makes their angkul-angkul "look new", because the materials are easier to source and because the building process is faster than with mud.

[14] It still means that the villagers do not have anymore the full mastering and / or independence in the sourcing of the materials for their own buildings; and that some pollution is involved in making and bringing in all the new materials — by which they also become more Westernized and lose touch a bit more with their avowed Tri Hita Karana philosophy principles.

Hendrawan and Susanti (2019) give a harsh but realistic conclusion and a brave alarm call: The culture that was inherited from Penglipuran villagers' ancestors is a local wisdom that aimed to protect and preserve the ecosystem.

"When protecting the culture is the main purpose in a tourism village, this is called human museum.