Fun Research (Pensik) 2023 “Examining the Traces of Bali Aga Civilization”

Fun Research (Pensik) is one of Scientific Division programs from Udayana Cultural Anthropology Students, Cultural Anthropology Study Program, Faculty of Humanities, Udayana University, which was carried out on 06 – 09 August 2023. By taking several areas as research sites, Pensik this year was held in collaboration between Pensik and The People’s Magazine. Focusing on the North Bali area, several villages were used as research sites, namely Bayung Gede Village, Sukawana Village, Selulung Village, and Mengani Village. This Pensik activity involved several Cultural Anthropology students as researchers, several lecturers from the Cultural Anthropology Study Program as persons in charge and supervisors while the activities held, SMAN 1 Kintamani who had provided facilities in the form of a place to live, as well as several village officials from the village where the research was held.

Furthermore, the purpose of holding the Pensik is to train and hone the abilities of anthropology students in conducting field research. Apart from that, through this activity, participants are also expected to be able to apply several ethnographic research methods that have been previously obtained through lecture activities on campus. Later, the output of this Pensik activity is in the form of papers that will be published in the The People’s Magazine rubric besides being published via wordpress in the form of research articles to archive the cultural wealth of the traces of the Bali Aga civilization.

As previously explained, the first day of Pensik activities held on August 6, 2023 which starts with a departure agenda with a gathering point at the FIB Nias and then heads to the research location. The journey from the city of Denpasar to the research location takes about 1-2 hours by motor. However, the long journey was not felt because along the way we were treated with views of green leaves and cool air. Our first place to go was SMAN 1 Kintamani, which is located near Bayung Gede Village, to meet with the school representative and prepare a place to live during the activity. We used the first day to strolling around just to see how the situation around Bayung Gede Village before finally continuing our journey to Selulung Village to meet Mr. Jero Bau Karmawan as the Head of Customs of Selulung Village. Furthermore, the second day until the end of the activity we used to go directly to the field to collect necessary data. The research method that we use is interviews and direct observation in the field.

The implementation of this Pensik activity received several positive responses from both participants and other parties who participated in this activity. According to Mr. Budi as the Principal of SMAN 1 Kintamani, this activity will be very useful forward as a milestone in preserving culture and local wisdom that should be preserved by the younger generation. In addition, there is also a response from Mr. Jero Bau Karmawan regarding Pensik which is expected to be able to introduce local traditions and customs, in this case especially in Selulung Village as one of the villages with Bali Aga residents in the north Bali. From the point of view of the participants, this activity was responded to enthusiastically because apart from learning to research and honing their skills in collecting data in the field, participants were also given the opportunity to occasionally visit several places which made the area where the research was carried out popular and made it a tourist destination.

Not to forget, the author, as one of the 2023 Pensik committee, at least wants to convey some of the experiences and insights that the author has gained after participating in this activity.

- Culture and traditions in the place where the research is held are still well maintained without reducing the meaning in it.

- The majority of the villages where the research was held have large orange fields and some land is used as gardens so that it can be said that the residents have a livelihood as garden farmers in addition to being engaged in ecotourism.

- The community and resource persons welcomed us very well and were enthusiastic in providing the data we needed.

That's all about this event were made, if there any mistakes in writing please forgive. Also the author would like to thank all those who have contributed to make this activity goes well and don't forget to take the time to simply read some of the Pensik papers that will be published in The People’s Magazine which is planned to be published at the end of this August. See you next research project. (an)