Bringing Back The Siat Yeh, an Almost Forgotten Custom from Jimbaran

TIMESINDONESIA, BALI – The Banjar Teba Jimbaran citizens held Siat Yeh, an old tradition that has been left for almost 35 years. This year was the second year they held this custom.

"Unity is the main theme of Siat Yeh this year. We emphasize on the 'Life, Love, and Peace' to reunite the Banjar citizens all together," Anak Agung Bagus Cahya Dwi Janatha one of the Siat Yeh committee said.

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Siat yeh is an old custom means water war, this custom intended to reunite all the citizens, especially Banjar Teba.

In conducting this custom, the Banjar Teba citizen will be divided in to two groups, one group will head to the Jimbaran beach and the other one heading the opposite to the nearest fount. Both group was assigned to bring back the water from two different founts.

Next, the water on the jar they took will be run one to another by four different girls from both side by breaking the jars all together to reunite the two water from two different founts. There then, the real water war begin.

All the boys and girls from both side will be gathered and splashed the water one to another. They all cheer up under this artificial rain.

"Water is the right thing to symbolize this reunion. Water is a gift from the earth, it symbolizes the life, and without water (unity) we wont live peacefully," Wayan Eka Santa Purwita, local youth said.

Still according to Purwita, Unity is all that matters in this custom. By conducting back the Siat Yeh in Banjar Teba Jimbaran it will also conserve the old custom and bring more unity into their life. (*)

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