The Balinese calendar system: From its epistemological perspective to axiological practices

Abstract

Calendars are the order of days and dates used as guidelines for human life activities periodically. Balinese calendar system of the Saka and Pawukon is very important in the socio-cultural life of the Balinese people who firmly hold a concept of harmonious life. They believe that this universe will be harmonious when humans can maintain good relations with God, fellow human beings, and the universe in a balanced way. This study aims at investigating the Balinese calendar system from its underlying-philosophical perspective as well as utilized-daily practices among the Hindu Balinese life. The theory used to undertake this study is semiotics by providing a sustained and rigorous relation between the signifier (sign) and signified (meaning). By applying a descriptive qualitative research, the data was collected through literature study of the Balinese calendar library and in-depth interviews with some stakeholders of the Balinese customary community, such as priests, and Balinese calendar practitioners and observers including the writer’s direct practices. The data that has been classified is analyzed by a qualitative descriptive method with an inductive-methodological paradigm which is setting up the discussion from particular principles to the general in order to obtain a conclusion. The result of data analysis is presented by the formal and informal method. The study reveals that Balinese calendar system has an important role in the social life of the Balinese Hindu community as a reference in the social and cultural life, such as determining ala ayuning dewasa or the bad and good time in carrying out a business or a work, tracing one’s birthday, and predicting personal traits