Med-medan is more popularly known as the ‘kissing tradition’. This unique Banjar Kaja ( Kaja village community ) centuries-old tradition is held annually, on the day after Nyepi, the Balinese Hindu Day of Silence. This tradition cannot be found in any other part of Bali.

med-medan Originally, was a communal activity found throughout Sesetan village, but today, only exists in Banjar Kaja. It was originally held on Nyepi Day, a supposedly quiet day. In the past, each community celebrated Nyepi by coming onto the streets. Since there was not any traffic during Nyepi, people could play on the street with ease. It was easy to find people around Denpasar City, for example at Padangsambian village, where boys and girls poured onto the streets and happily played games such as a local-type of base ball (using a ball made of arranged-coconut leaves) and megoak-goak (snakes and ladders) from morning up to the late afternoon. However, around Sesetan village, the game of mèd-mèdan was the most popular.

Originally, med-medan was a communal activity found throughout Sesetan village, but today, only exists in Banjar Kaja. It was originally held on Nyepi Day, a supposedly quiet day. In the past, each community celebrated Nyepi by coming onto the streets. Since there was not any traffic during Nyepi, people could play on the street with ease. It was easy to find people around Denpasar City, for example at Padangsambian village, where boys and girls poured onto the streets and happily played games such as a local-type of base ball (using a ball made of arranged-coconut leaves) and megoak-goak (snakes and ladders) from morning up to the late afternoon. However, around Sesetan village, the game of mèd-mèdan was the most popular.

Around the 1970’s, the celebration of Nyepi was regulated according to the Hindu teachings. People were urged to stay at home and practice meditation or any form of self-introspection during Nyepi. They were not allowed to travel, let alone to play games as before. The effectiveness of this regulation varied from one place to another. Many people in Sesetan village stopped playing games on the street at Nyepi. People of Banjar Kaja, however, did not skip the mèd-mèdan activity. However, instead of doing it on the actual day of Nyepi, they decided to celebrate it on the following day.

Kissing Folklore
The reason why no one dares to stop the mèd-mèdan tradition in Banjar Kaja Sesetan is probably because of the folklore around it that many believe to be true. These myths have been circulated in the form of good old story telling. The first being the story of a senior figure from an upper caste of the village feeling sick and needing a good rest. At Nyepi, people of his neighborhood organized games and created various noises that only ended in making him feel dizzy. He stepped out in order to disperse the crowd, but suddenly the ill figure felt cured from his sickness. Instead of stopping the people from having fun, he encouraged them to keep going. Since then, people uphold the tradition of playing med-medan at Nyepi. During Dutch rule, the community was even willing to pay a fine in order to continue playing the game.

Secondly, there is a story about a number of villagers who fell sick without good reason, after the village failed to perform the tradition during the 1960’s. This seemed especially significant given the year of the alleged communist coup on September 30th, 1965. The tradition was skipped because of social and political reasons, but then resumed after a suggestion given by a spiritual elder. The tradition is believed to keep the villagers from harm and misfortune.

Another tale is related to a weird incident that took place one afternoon in the 1980’s. Two pigs suddenly turned up out of nowhere in the village of Sesetan, to then fight fiercley until their blood flowed. This took place when the people of Sesetan skipped the mèd-mèdan tradition following the ban on people going out during Nyepi. Because of the sign relating to the pigs, mèd-mèdan was once again resumed, but was instead held the day after Nyepi. Since then, the mèd-mèdan tradition is considered a sacred ritual, something that must be annually upheld.

Kissing Sponsorship
What is clear, is that this kissing ceremony has been transformed from a fun game or communal activity into a sacred ritual. Its format has also evolved, as it has become more and more organized, involving the youngsters of the village community. In the past, many youths were bashful of participating. Nowadays, they feel it is the responsibility that comes with being young village community members, and with this also comes the guarantee of the longevity of mèd-mèdan. Each year, the kissing ritual becomes more and more lively. The organizers now accept sponsorship to fund the tradition, ranging from motorbike dealerships to drinking companies who, in turn, provide t-shirts for the youngsters to wear during the ritual.

While Indonesian lawmakers are currently discussing anti-pornography laws, which include banning kissing in public, the kissing ritual in Banjar Kaja Sesetan is of course far from indecent. Apart from its sacred meaning, the tradition is understood by the people of Banjar Kaja Sesetan as a form of innocently solidifying relationships amongst the village community, as they become the future of their society. In addition, for both tourists and locals alike, the tradition becomes another unique Balinese attraction during the Nyepi holiday.

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