Tumpek Landep: Revitalising The Tools

This Saturday, June 14, 2008, is a special day to honour all types of tools or machinery called Tumpek Landep. When you go out to the street you will see gegantungan (an offering made of coconut leaves and flowers) hanging on the cars or motorcycles. At a Balinese home, the family conduct a prayer in their family temple and also put offerings in the tools like knives, sickles, daggers and spades.

Tumpek Landep is another pawukon-based ceremony that takes place every 6 months (210 days). The word landep means "sharp" as in knife or machete. In the old days, the offerings were devoted to honour sharp sacred weapon, such as kris (traditional wavy double-bladed dagger) and tombak (spear). The people believed that those weapons had pasupati (a spiritual power that protects the sacred weapon) and they especially honour the Hyang Pasupati, a manifestation of God, which symbolises sharpness. They hoped that Hyang Pasupati blessed them with sharpness in mind and heart.

The Tumpek Landep concept has somehow extended to more modern day tools. Their offerings are not limited to kris and tombak but any other iron-based inanimate objects such as cars, buses, rifles, television, computer, and digital camera. The messages, however, are still the same that is to maintain the pasupati power, so these tools can continue help people to work in their daily life.