A. Ottino Origin myths, hierarchical order, and the negotiation of ...

Status in the Balinese Village ofTrunyan 513
become integrated into female sibak as 'new-comers'. This suggests the
awareness of an asymmetrical relationship between the sibak muni and
sibak luh, which gives precedence to the male over the female sibak. This
is true in the sense that, in so far as the descendants of the male offspring
are considered superior to those of the female offspring, the sibak division
preserves the superiority of the first settlers in the domains of ritual and
traditional leadership. In this respect, the sibak division may be said to
reverse the asymmetry established by the inside/outside (jeroljaba)
division in the domain of political leadership, and consequently to restrict
the power of the Pasek Gelgel. This is supported by the fact that, in the
domain of traditional leadership of the desa adat, a representative of each
sibak should be appointed to every function. Since membership of the
sibak muni is reserved exclusively to the three high-ranking first-settler
dadia, these dadia provide correspondingly more leaders than the dadia
of the sibak luh. Hence, in this context at least, the sibak division ensures
that the balance of power and authority remains in favour of the first
settlers. As such, it counterbalances the hegemony of the system of
leadership established by the Pasek Gelgel, according to which access to
the functions of pasek, panyarikan and tangkas is reserved exclusively to
members of the dadia Guru Kawidana.
It is important to note, however, that the sibak division was probably
introduced before the jero/jaba division, which came about at a later date,
during the ascendancy of the Pasek Gelgel, who were the second rulers of
Trunyan. This raises the possibility that the purpose and meaning of this
institution have undergone some degree of transformation over the
centuries in response to the changing political conditions in Trunyan. It is
obvious that the sibak today fulfils a political role for which it was not
initially designed, in that it preserves a balance of authority and power
which respects local notions of equity within the confines of the village.
Sibak Muni Sibak Luh
1. dadia Nang Seripen 4. dadia Guru Kawidana (Pasek Gelgel
(highest-ranking first settlers) origin group - three sub-dadia)
2. dadia Nang Megati (Pande 5. dadia Nang Jebut (first rulers
origin group - three sub-dadia) of Trunyan - Pasek Kayu Selem)
3. dadia Nang Kremi (low- 6. dadia Mangku Madias (first
ranking first settlers associated settlers - offshoot of dadia Nang
with Bangli) Seripen)
7. other minor dadia
Figure 7. Ranking of dadia in the sibak division.