PRESS RELEASE

COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA TEAM OF THE 10^TH WORLD WATER FORUM

NO.23/SP/TKM-WORLDWATERFORUM2024/04/2024

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Introducing 10^th World Water Forum to Subak, Bali's Philosophy-Enriched Irrigation System

Bali is a leading tourist destination in Indonesia and globally recognized. Its natural beauty, friendly locals, and cultural diversity are the advantages of the island known as the Island of the Gods. Moreover, the island of 4,344,554 population based on 2023 data of Statistics Indonesia is also synonymous with several iconic local wisdoms, one of which is Subak.

Junior Agricultural trainer at the Bali Provincial Agriculture and Food Security Office I Gede Vibhuti Kumarananda, as quoted from the official website of the office, explained that Subak is a communal irrigation system in Bali characterized by its unique social, agricultural, and religious aspects. It is the management of irrigation water by local communities based on a spirit of mutual cooperation to fulfill water needs.

This action is driven by religious rituals in accordance with the stages of rice cultivation, starting from land preparation to the harvest, reflecting the teaching of Tri Hita Kirana, which emphasizes the relationship between humans, nature, and the Creator.

The concept of Tri Hita Kirana is highly relevant to the concept of sustainable development. It consists of Parhyangan, which involves the worship of temples in Subak areas; Pawongan, indicating the presence of an organization regulating the Subak irrigation system; and Palemahan, indicating ownership of land or territory in each Subak. These three elements are interrelated. To maintain the balance between these three elements, regulations called awig-awig or paswaran/pararem are established.

The Subak irrigation system has existed for thousands of years and has endured until today through generational preservation. Although, factual stories about Subak can be found in various inscriptions such as the Trunyan Inscription (881 AD), Sukawana Inscription (882 AD), and Bebetin Inscription (896 AD). Additionally, Subak is also mentioned in the Klungkung Inscription of 1072 AD as an irrigation system.

According to Regulation of Government of Bali No. 02/PD/DPRD/1972, Subak is defined as a customary law community in the Island of the Gods that has a socio-agrarian nature, historically long-standing, and has developed as a land management organization in the field of irrigation for rice fields in Bali. Subak is based on the principle of "paras-paros sarpa naya selulung subyan taka," which means mutual giving and receiving.

Water sources for Subak can come from rain, rivers, groundwater, and lakes. Water is channeled through small canals to a waterfall and collected in a dam at the end of which is a tunnel. The tunnel then carries groundwater to the rice fields.

To maintain its sustainability and provide an educational facility for future generations regarding Subak, Ida Bagus Mantra, Governor of Bali for the period of 1978 to 1988 initiated the establishment of the Subak Museum located in Sanggulan Village, Tabanan Regency. This regency, located approximately 35 kilometers west of the capital city Denpasar, was chosen as the location for the Subak Museum for it is home to the most Subak irrigation systems, vast agricultural areas, and its role as the rice granary of Bali Province.

The Subak Museum was inaugurated by Ida Bagus Mantra on 13 October 1981, and houses 250 collections of traditional agricultural tools, from tools used for land cultivation to the preparation of rice. There is also a statue of Dewi Sri, the goddess of rice and fertility.

In addition to the Dewi Sri statue, there is also a Rare Angon statue, which is a manifestation of Dewi Siwa descending to Earth to teach farmers proper cultivation techniques. There is also a replica of the water distribution in Subak using a measuring tool called tembuku or sekat, presented in a simplified form.

According to Sari, a tour guide at the Subak Museum as quoted from Antara, each active member of the Subak organization is entitled to an equal portion known by different terms such as tektek, kecoran, and tanding. The basic unit of water distribution in Subak is called tektek, which means a measurement of the width of a wooden water division tool.

The Subak Museum also houses a collection of miniature traditional Balinese farmer's houses for one family. These buildings are based on Asta Kosala-Kosali, which is traditional Balinese architecture knowledge that encompasses the arrangement of land for residential and sacred buildings in Bali, in accordance with philosophical, ethical, and ritual principles, taking into account the conception of manifestation, land selection, auspicious construction days, and implementation.

To see the various collections in the exhibition space of the Subak Museum, visitors can come from Monday to Thursday, from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM local time, and on Fridays from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM local time. Since its opening, the Subak Museum has been visited by both domestic and international tourists, as well as students and the general public.

Si Putu Putra Eka Santi, the Head of the Subak Museum, revealed that visitors come from various backgrounds, ranging from young people to the elderly. For young people, the Subak Museum serves as a place to explore the historical values of the past through the displayed collections. For older generations, the Subak Museum provides an opportunity for nostalgia.

The Subak Museum is particularly busy with domestic tourists during school holidays, mid-year, and the end of the year. For foreign tourists, the timing depends on the climate, situation, and conditions in their home country. The ticket prices for admission to the Subak Museum are as follows: for foreign adults, Rp15,000, and for children, Rp10,000. For domestic visitors, the prices are Rp10,000 for adults and Rp5,000 for children.

The Subak Museum serves as a medium for future generations to understand the Subak system and to become familiar with the various agricultural tools used by Balinese farmers from the past to the present. Its mission is to ensure that local wisdom is passed down and preserved so that what has been initiated in the past does not fade away.

Subak will be introduced at the 10^th World Water Forum, which will be held in Nusa Dua, Bali, from May 18 to 25, 2024. Subak is one of the best practices showcased by Indonesia on how to preserve and care for natural resources as part of culture and sources of life. (Anton Setiawan/Elvira Inda Sari/TR/SW/PR)

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For further information, please contact:

Director General of Public Information and Communications of the Ministry of Communications and Informatics – Usman Kansong (0816785320)

PCO of the 10^th World Water Forum - Dede Ariwibowo (08111830020)

Get more information at https://infopublik.id/kategori/world-water-forum and https://s.id/worldwaterforumpedia