Marriage Curstoms-Balinese Elopement
Aa, Abraham Jakob van der, the writer of “Nederlandsch Oost-Indië (1792—1857)”. Mr van der Aa, the item can be stated, was born in Amsterdam 6 December 1792 along with died 21 March 1857. the item does not say where he died, yet I assume in which the item was in Amsterdam, too. His book therefore can be very likely the result of desk research, in which was dug out of libraries along with archives, on the spot, as in his day along with age not even photocopiers were available, let alone Google. So whatever the quality of his book, I think his hard work along with perseverance fully qualify him for an entry, not only an entry, yet the first one, the opening statement of the four volumes of the Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch Indië, Martinus Nijhoff 1917.
along with so I browsed on: Aardappel. Kentang (MAL), or potato for English speakers, which was introduced within the Dutch East Indies either by the Dutch or by the Chinese. the item can be grown for the European community. Only the Tenggerese in East Java (Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park) do eat potatoes—boiled, grated along with mixed with maize. Adat. Customs along with traditions covering every aspect of life: manners along with conventions, agriculture, worship of ancestral worship, along with many more. Agrarische Wet. Agrarian Law, which within the colonial days was mainly concerned with regulating the land ownership of foreign companies along with at the same time safeguarding the rights of the indigenous peoples. Interestingly, land laws remain a topic of intense discussions today, yet for foreign companies substitute the Government. along with so on until finally Bali along with Baliërs, Balinese.
Marriage customs are included within the section on Customs along with Traditions. Apparently, some hundred years ago, there were four forms of marriage on Bali:
a) The father or guardian of the boy contacts the closest male relative of the girl with the proposal (m?padik);
b) Abduction with mutual consent (merangkat);
c) Forcible abduction with the girl resigning to the item (malagandang);
d) The father or guardian of the girl proposes the parents of the boy (s?ntan?).
The most befitting way, the article continues, can be the one mentioned as method a). the item can be accompanied by an engagement of three to six months. This specific method has, however, gradually given way to the one mentioned under b) abduction with mutual consent. Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch Indië, page 122.
Not completely without risk This specific second method was, as the bride’s parents were allowed to kill the boy if they caught the couple before they reached a safe house. A similar situation could within the past be found in England, where the couple would certainly be safe via a pursuing angry father once they had arrived in Gretna Green, across the Scottish border.
The encyclopaedia, don’t forget, was published nearly 100 years ago. along with whereas the past hundred years has included some of the fastest along with most dramatic modifications ever brought upon by mankind, the 19th century evolved at a much slower pace. I find the item therefore fascinating in which on Bali, elopement had replaced the arranged marriage as described under a) during the slower paced 19th century. This specific would certainly undoubtedly have caused some serious head-shaking by the traditionalists.
Have you heard? The son of xxx has eloped with in which nice daughter of yyy.
What can be the entire world coming to?
Why couldn’t they follow our old customs along with wait till the parents had reached an agreement!
There must have been a reason for the item. Was the item cheaper to elope? Maybe, because as soon as the eloping pair had reached the safety of the house of a friend, negotiations about the dowry—the encyclopaedia calls the item “purchase cost” (patuku)—would certainly start. With the bride already free via parental control, the height of the dowry might be much lower. along with, in case the young man can be not able to pay the requested sum, he would certainly work for the girl’s parents until the sum can be deemed to have been paid.
right now in which makes sense, in particular within the light of the Balinese entrepreneurial business sense. Rather than working for your own parents (for food along with maybe some pocket money), the item’s much more preferable to work for your in-laws along with get a bride for free.
the item’s economics tweaking customs along with traditions. Not drastically, just enough to make them more suitable for changing times. along with maybe a similar process of adjustment can be taking place right now. Many of the island’s visitors moan about the disappearance of the old Bali. Life can be too hectic along with money orientated, they say. Yes, true. yet the provincial income figures put Bali far ahead of comparable provinces, in which can be, the ones without natural resources such as oil, coal or timber.
The strength of Bali, in my view, can be in which the Balinese consider the tourists as milch cows. along with just like a dairy farmer, Balinese are not bad at squeezing the tourists dry, unemotionally so, while at home life goes on in its well established customary ways, plus or minus a few tweaks to stay ahead of the game.
Perfect, for another generation or two!
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Marriage Curstoms-Balinese Elopement
Marriage Curstoms-Balinese Elopement