‘Bale Kulkul’ Architecture as the Representation of Balinese Autonomy Tradition

Abstract

This study aims to interpret traditional aspects of the tradition of the autonomy in Balinese society through observation of the architecture of bale kulkul adat. The study is conducted by examining the architectural elements of the bale kulkul adat located in puri (a traditional palace), pura (a traditional village temple), and bale banjar (a traditional hamlet hall). This research emphasizes the importance of the architecture of bale kulkul adat to shape Balinese people’s way of thinking. It is seen as a manifestation of an object and cultural artefact as well as an autonomous entity in a village society. The ability to perceive bale kulkul adat as an architectural object establishes Balinese people’s knowledge of bale kulkul adat as a representation of the tradition, (1) verified by its purpose and use, and the mechanism of the sound it produces; (2) articulated visually in the decorative elements; (3) posited on the site according to a certain ordering principle related to other buildings to suit the surrounding environmental scale. The findings include the types of architectural bale kulkul adat which represent the tradition of the autonomy, namely: (a) the tradition of physical autonomy and (b) the tradition of non-physical autonomy. The tradition of physical autonomy is portrayed in the position on the site and in aspects of the terms of building aesthetics, while the tradition of non-physical autonomy is depicted through the building function.