OMED-OMEDAN
( NEW YEAR KISSING RITUAL )
THE SPECIAL MOMENTS OF BALINESE VILLAGERS' LOCKING LIPS IN NEW YEAR
Omed-omedan, also known as 'The Kissing Ritual', is a ceremony held by the young people of Banjar Kaja Sesetan, Denpasar, Bali. It derived from the Balinese language means pull-pull. It originates from a fight between a male and female pig and represents the push and pull of positive and negative elements.
History
This ritual has been around for at least 100 years and originally only the people of Banjar Kaja Sesetan village could participate. It is not clear when mass kissing was incorporated into the tradition but it has become a ceremony for the youths of the village to express their joy on the first day of the new year.
Ceremony
Omed-omedan involves unmarried youths aged 17 to 30 years old. The procession begins with praying together to invoke safety. After the prayer, the participants are divided into two groups, men and women. Both groups take position facing each other on the main street of the village then, at the signal of a Hindu leader, both sides approach the center of the road. Male participants pull and kiss the female participants while other villager pour buckets of water over them.
This ceremony has also become a sort of meeting place for singles. Many couples have successfully started by joining at this tradition.
Omed-Omedan is held on the day after Nyepi or The Day of Silence, a day of reflection which prohibits lighting fires or using electricity, travelling or engaging in any form of entertainment.
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