| The Banjar |
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As the
desa Government lost control over the social and economic organization
and as the village grew, simultaneously with the power of the local
prince, it became divided into smaller communities within the desa,
quarters or, wards, the bandjars: cooperative societies of people bound
, to assist each other inmarriages, home festivals, and especially during
the expensive cremations. The various bandjars of a village take part
in the desa activities, assisting in the repair and improvement of the
temples and contributing to the. Village festivals. The bandjars have
recaptured a great deal of the administrative power that the desa lost
to the princes, although they are subject to the present-day Government
(that of the Dutch through the princes), but they remain socially independent
within their territory, with their boundaries
generally established by the main road on one side, the lesser streets
on another, and the rivers and ravines on the outskirts of the village.
They have often rice fields worked communally to provide for their banquets
and to enlarge their income, which is mainly derived from fines and
entrance fees, kept in a communal bank that lends money to needy members.
Everyone enjoys absolute equality and all are compelled to help one
another with labour and materials, often assisting a member to build
his house, to prepare his son's wedding, or to cremate a relative. Membership is compulsory; after marriage a man receives a summons to join the bandjar. He is given ample time, but if after the third summons he has not joined, it is considered that he deliberately refuses to comply and he is declared. morally " dead," is denied even the right to be buried in the cemetery, and is boycotted from all communal activity. Like the desa, the bandjar. is ruled by a klian - bandjar, elected by the members, with the choice approved by the gods through consultations with mediums. The klian of the bandjar is not remunerated for his difficult work, except for the honour attached to his position and certain insignificant concessions like extra rice at banquets, a small percentage of the fines collected, and presents from members who receive special services, like part of the reward offered for lost cattle, for surveys, for assistance in marriages, and so forth. He cannot decline to -serve and can be deposed if found unsatisfactory. The bandjar has considerable property: It owns its meetinghalls, the bale bandjar, a club-house without special religious significance, with its drum-tower to call to meetings. The bale bandjar is provided with a kitchen and with all sorts of cooking implements: pots and pans, chopping-blocks, knives, etc., which are lent to members who require them. The bandjars also own the village orchestras and the dancing-properties costumes, masks, and head-dresses - which are stored in a gedong, a brick building where they are safe from theft or fire. The men
spend most of their spare time in the bale bandjar, gossiping, trying
out their fighting cocks, watching a rehearsal of a play or of the orchestra,
or just sitting. If the bandjar is prosperous, it takes great pride
in giving elaborate banquets with music and entertainment. These may
happen at the great national festivals, at the anniversary of their
little bandjar temple, or at the inauguration of a new roof, a new orchestra
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