Preparing for the Opening Ceremony

So, in Bali, ceremonies are held for just about everything, and for the Balinese, they would never move into a new home or start a new business without a ceremony. And not just any ceremony....for every different purpose, there is a specific ceremony, with intricate offerings dedicated to the Gods who watch over that particular area. And the ceremony cannot just be held on a day that suits you. No, it must fit in with the Balinese calendar and an auspicious day must be found that will allow for the highest blessings and greatest success. Iluh's father is an amazing man and happens to be an expert in such things. He is in possession of an old book that is falling apart from overuse, which has dates for a 300 year range and gives all the good days for specific purposes. So, we consulted him, to find a suitable day to hold our opening ceremony and he said Nov 21st is a good day to move into a new house and also to start a new business (both of which I plan to do).
As this date approaches, the workers are putting extra effort into finishing the building, so that we can sleep there on the night of the 21st. Nengah told me he has been awake many hours each night, worrying about the project and whether it will get finished. I said not to worry; we can just sleep there, even if it's not finished. But for Nengah, it's important to have it looking complete and ready for the big day. I guess it would be equivalent to having a house warming party, inviting all the guests, planning the menu, drinks, and decorations, and not having the windows and doors in place.
The effort that goes into Balinese ceremonies has always amazed me. The offerings are intricate and are created by tender hands and loving hearts. As I am staying at Blue Star, I have been privileged to be involved with the process of preparing for the "house-warming" ceremony.

Iluh and her mother-in-law making offerings from coconut fronds.

 Similar to origami.....very complex folding and cutting....then, voila: a beautiful creation!

 Eka preparing young coconuts to place in the offering baskets.

Small offerings with many items of significance placed in each one, eventually to be put in a larger offering basket.

I get a surprise when I see Iluh has used purple to colour the decorative rice cakes!

 Everyone helps! It is such a beautiful communal effort. The women sit around and create while they chat about life.