A SPECIAL DECORATION FOR KUNINGAN DAY

Last Saturday Balinese have completed the sequence of Galungan festival by celebrating Kuningan Day as the closing. Every ceremony in Bali has its uniqueness, for example Galungan’s landmark is the Penjor (decorated bamboo). Kuningan day also has its uniqueness, Balinese have a special decoration for it called Tamiang. On Kuningan day, all the temples and houses  are decorated with the tamiang shown on the picture. It is made of young coconut or palm leaves and colorfully decorated. The word tamiang is a reminiscence of a shield, a form of shield commonly used in war.  Tamiang is often interpreted as a symbol of self-protection. Tamiang, when seen from its round shape, is also often understood as a symbol of the Dewata Nawa Sanga who became God of the nine cardinal directions.