it
is generally recognized that the Brahmanas are higher than the
Satrias, but a great undercurrent of disagreement and animosity
has always existed between them on this account. The Satrias resented
having to pay homage to the Brahmanas, and the legends and historical
records are full of instances of the feud created by their struggle
for caste supremacy. Kings were deposed by adventurers supported
by Brahmanas; high priests cursed rulers and drove them to commit
suicide, and often they had to flee and hide to protect their
daughters from arrogant princes who wishe to take them as wives,
thus affronting their superior caste pride. Once.in'a diauk performance
I saw a typical story enacted: The Radja of Bali, the Dewa Agung
of Klungkung, wanted to prove that Brahmanas were fakers when
they claimed supernatural powers. He placed a duck in a well and
sent for the highest priest in the country so that he could prove
his magic power by guessing what was in the well. The priest said
that it was a great serpent, a naga. The king laughed in his face
and uncovered the well; a huge naga, fire streaming from its nostrils,
shot out and coiled around the king's.body and would have crushed
him to death if the priest had not killed the naga with a miraculous
arrow. From then on, the princes did not dare to question the
supremacy of the Brahmanas. This legend is still commemorated
at the cremation of Satrias, when the Brahmanic priest shoots
arrows at the naga banda, the serpent that conveys the soul to
heaven.
But
the dispute still goes unsettled, with the priest's sphere of
influence restricted now to purely religious duties. Brahmanas
are devoid of administrative powers, but serve as judges in the
courts; they could not be sentenced to death and did not pay taxes
to the princes, but instead bad to pray for the well being of
the land. Their own regulations forbid them from attending cockfights
or making money in commerce. They are exalted and aloof, but ordinary
people secretly laugh at them; there is a popular story, Pan Bunkling,
in which the hero is constantly poking fun at Brahmanas and their
philosophy. The Brahmanas can be identified by the titles of Ida
Bagus for men and Ida Ayu for women, both meaning " Eminent
and Beautiful."
Satrias
are supposed to be the descendants of the former rulers, and many
claim to be of the family of Sri Krisna Kapakisan ' the great
overlord that ruled Bali at the time of Cadja Mada. He was supposedly
born of a heavenly nymph and a stone Brahmana (Korn). The Satria
caste is divided into two main groups; the Satria Dalem, the descendants
of the ruling princes, and the lesser Satria Djawa, those of the
prime ministers' families. Today Satria blood is very mixed, owing
to intermarriage with the lower castes, some of which are considered
even lower than the higher Wesias. The Satrias are called by the
titles of Ratu, Anak Agung, Tjokorde, and so forth. Among the
lesser groups are the Predewa and the Pangakan (who bear the titles
of Prebagus and Presanghyang).
The
members of the third caste, the Wesias, are better known in Bali
by their title of Custi, also subdivided into many groups. Tbe-bigbest,
the Pregusti, are the descendants of Arya Damar, the predecessor
of Gajah Mada. The lower Wesias are the descendants of the lesser
Javanese princes and Pungawas. The Custis are the majority of
the Balinese nobility and are often Politically influential.
Certain
professions are unclean, and if practised within,the village pollute
the desa, such as the indigo-dyers, pottery, palm sugar, and arak-makers.
Although Korn claims there are no real outcastes in Bali, I was
told by everybody that indigo-dyers belong to a special caste,
the pamesan, who are forbidden by traditional law to use wood
or cotton in their cremation bier, which should be open, without
a roof, and devoid of ornaments. They said that the pamesan are
often rich and careful to conceal their origin. When it is mentioned
that someone is a p2mesan, it is done in a pitying whisper. There
was a scandal in Denpasar about someone who had maliciously accused
another of being a pamesan. This may perhaps point to a trace
of the idea of the outcaste.
The
aristocracy divides the population of Bali into "I insiders"
(dalem), which are themselves, those who live within the place;
and the " outsiders" (Jaba) , the common people. From
the point of view of the great majority of the Balinese, this
is a fallacy, since it is the nobility who are the real outsiders.
The feudalism of the hindu ristocracy was curiously only superimposed
on theBalinese patriarchal communism, and centuries of feudal
rule have failed to do away with the closed independence of the
village communities. Thus the nobility is left devoid of voice
where it concerns the inner affairs of the community, despite
the Pungawas and Perbekels they appoint to keep an eye on the
villagers.