

about
Mekotek
Mekotek is a traditional ceremony certified as a cultural heritage of Indonesia in 2016. The word Mekotek is derived from the sound of "tek-tek" when the wood stick hit each other.
Initially, it was a ritual to welcome the victorious troops from the Mengwi Kingdom, which had triumphed over the Blambangan Kingdom in Java. It gradually became a tradition until 1915, when Dutch colonists banned it for fear of a local uprising. However, the ritual has been made legal again after introducing widespread disease in the area.
Mekotek is believed to banish bad luck, disease, and pests and prevent crop failure among local farmers.
The Mekotek ceremony is only held in Munggu village; you won't see it anywhere else on the island. First, around noon, all the residents gather in traditional Balinese dress at the temple to pray and make offerings for a good harvest and good health in the coming season.
Then the men, aged 12 to 60, gather in the street equipped with wooden sticks 2 to 4 meters long and walk to the meeting point (about a kilometer from the temple). Previously, metal sticks were used, but many injuries happened, so they were replaced by wooden ones. At the site, they divide into several groups of about 50 men who join the wooden poles into a pyramid. The bravest of them climbs up the sticks and orders as a warrior to attack the other group, with whom they then push over. Traditional Gamelan music is played during the ritual to encourage the participants.
The tradition is observed by hundreds to thousands of locals and is worth a visit.
Mekotek is celebrated on Kuningan day once every 210 days (1 year according to the Balinese calendar Pawukon).
Other names: Mekotekan, Ngerebek
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