Suckling Pig Holiday

It is G-day minus one here in Bali. ‘G’ as in Galungan, the day ‘when Dharma is winning’ or the day where the Gods visit the Earth. G-day minus one is a busy day day for all of us here. Preparing the offerings for tomorrow, cooking all kind of food and erecting the gracefully decorated pole, penjor. However I rather enjoy today than tomorrow because the food fiesta is today! Hip hip hooray.

All the heavenly delicious lawar and satay are made from the body of ill-fated pigs, butchered by the men since they are responsible for the food. Blood, kidney, meat, fat, nose, ear and even intestines of Wilbur. God rest it soul. To defend ourselves from sounding like a blood-ridden Incas, all the animals sacrificed for the purpose of prayers are going to get a higher priority in reincarnation queue up above. They don’t have to face any bouncer and can go straight into the club of VIPs. Very Important Pigs. Who knows perhaps in this divine cycle of life, the person sitting next to you in the wi-fi café, was used to be a delicious suckling pig.

The joie de vivre of living in Bali is the abundance of holy-days available here, minus the national one. Galungan holy-day means two weeks holiday and it occurs twice a year. Silent Day (Nyepi) means three days holy-day. I haven’t included the single holy-day like Sarasvati (the day when you pray on your Goddess Sarasvati and books as the source of knowledge). Imagine how happy I was while I was in school. “All class to be dismissed for tomorrow’s praying to Sarasvati”. WooHoo!

The abundance of holy-days also create a problem at workplaces. Expat wives having a headache and complain continously about their pembantu ( house helper) who keep asking for a short leave once a month, to go back to her or his village for ceremony. Oh well. Religion and belief comes first in the personal life of a Balinese. Second, is the family. Third, a crunchy skin suckling pig and perfectly made tuak. Cheers!