Land Donations and the Gift of Water. On Temple Landlordism and Irrigation Agriculture in Pre-Colonial Bali

Abstract

The Batur Temple (Pura Ulun Danu Batur) in Kintamani is located at the geographic apex of a so-called ritual water hierarchy and has conventionally been described as a purely religious institution responsible for the coordination and distribution of the irrigation water. However, an analysis of historical palm leaf manuscripts reveals that the temple had a firm economic base with corresponding interests and that it was one of the most important land-owners in late pre-colonial Bali. The article therefore explores from a socio-political and economic perspective the implications of this form of temple landlordism and its combination with ritual water control, particularly for the peasants and the portion of their annual surplus that they were obliged to deliver to this temple.

Tourism and Water Inequity in Bali: A Social-Ecological Systems Analysis

“…These are self-governing, adaptive, democratic associations of farmers who have managed the apparently just and efficient system of sharing Bali's water Lansing (2007). While neither homogenous nor harmonious, with internal workings which are complex and contested (MacRae and Arthawiguna 2011); the subak is a religious as well as administrative community, which carries out the necessary rituals and ceremonies related to the capture and use of water, itself a sacred substance (McTaggart 1988, Hauser-Schäublin 2011. The water temples of Bali are still actively used and maintained by local populations, but the subak system is endangered (Lorenzen and Lorenzen, 2011).…”

Reconstruct the Paradigm Shift of Inheritance Rights for Balinese Hindu Women

“…17 Based on a human rights perspective, equal rights between sons and daughters through gender issues are acceptable to most indigenous peoples. 18 This reason protects women's rights based on legal reform revival after reformasi era 19 , especially the protection of human rights and gender equality 20 21 The Main Council of Pakraman Village (MUDP) Bali through Decree Number 01/Kep/Psm-3/MDP Bali/X/2010 concerning Women's Inheritance Rights determines Balinese women also has inheritance rights. When we examine the MUDP Decree, we discover that it contains new provisions that depart from the customary law that typically governs Balinese adat communities.…”