Origins and roots of the tradition ) of
Royal Palaces in
Bali. Photograph from the collection of
Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam (19001925). The ogoh-ogoh tradition, as it is known today, is considered a relatively new cultural practice and does not originate from
ancient Balinese times, though it has roots and inspiration from older traditions. The practice of creating giant statues for public processions existed before the modern ogoh-ogoh tradition. However, before the 1980s, these statues were not known by the term ogoh-ogoh, nor were they paraded for the
Pangrupukan procession (the day before
Nyepi). Instead, they were used in grand
cremation ceremonies (
pelebon) that featured Bade Awin or Pengabenan Mawangun. These ceremonies were organized by noble families of the puri (
royal courts). Such statues could also be made for the cremation of
Hindu priests. A historic video recorded by
Canadian composer Colin McPhee captures several statues being paraded during a pelebon in
Gianyar in 1933. According to cultural expert Anom Ranuara, the statues accompanying these cremations served as inspiration for modern ogoh-ogoh. Before the ogoh-ogoh tradition emerged,
Balinese Hindus welcomed Nyepi with a series of Pangrupukan rituals performed within their villages and homes. These activities included conducting
caru (ritual offerings), lighting torches or fires using dried coconut leaves, scattering aromatic spice cuttings (such as
jeringau,
mesoyi, and
shallots), and making loud noises with instruments like
kentungan (
bamboo slit drums) and
cengceng (
cymbals). As the ogoh-ogoh tradition developed, the parade of ogoh-ogoh was added at the end of these rituals and eventually became synonymous with Pangrupukan. Several journalists and academics estimate that this tradition began to develop in the 1980s, although simpler forms of it existed earlier and were not widely recognized.
Early development , 1912. The origins of ogoh-ogoh stem from traditions practiced by several
Balinese community groups (banjar, a type of neighborhood association) in preparation for
Nyepi. In
Denpasar, this tradition began in the
Puri Kesiman area.
Wayan Candra, the owner of
Sanggar Gases Sesetan, estimates that ogoh-ogoh first appeared around the 1950s but only became widely recognized in the 1960s. Bali Governor
Ida Bagus Mantra encouraged the public to celebrate Nyepi by creating and parading ogoh-ogoh during the Pangrupukan ritual. In the 1980s, the ogoh-ogoh procession grew in popularity across various parts of
Bali. This attracted government attention, leading to ogoh-ogoh competitions at the
sub-district level. In more traditional competitions, ogoh-ogoh makers were indirectly required to explore
Hindu and
Balinese mythology as sources of inspiration. However, the creativity of the
Balinese people remained under government and customary institution supervision. Authorities monitored the ogoh-ogoh created by the community and banned those deemed to contain elements of
ethnicity, religion,
race, and politics
(SARA). During political years in the 1990s and 2000s, the ogoh-ogoh parades were sometimes prohibited by local governments. Despite this, some communities continued to create them, though in smaller numbers, believing that ogoh-ogoh was both a tradition and an outlet for artistic expression.
The 2010s in
Ubud, 2018. In the early 2010s, ogoh-ogoh, which were traditionally made from woven
bamboo or
rattan, began to be increasingly constructed from
styrofoam due to its ease of use. However, for health and environmental reasons, in 2015, the Bali regional government issued a
"ban" on using styrofoam in ogoh-ogoh production, and many ogoh-ogoh competitions prohibited its use. Additionally, the use of
loudspeaker-
based music or
sound systems to accompany ogoh-ogoh parades was also banned, as it was considered inconsistent with
Balinese cultural traditions. Instead, the government and customary institutions encouraged parades to continue using
gamelan baleganjur, which is also commonly used to accompany traditional processions in
Bali. In addition, gamelan is considered to better represent Balinese culture and enhance the
taksu or charisma of the ogoh-ogoh being paraded. In the following years, several banjar communities in Denpasar continued to innovate by creating machine-operated ogoh-ogoh while prioritizing eco-friendly materials. North Denpasar developed ogoh-ogoh capable of reclining and standing upright using a
hydraulic system. The production process for these advanced ogoh-ogoh often required significant funding, sometimes reaching tens of millions of
rupiah, and involved engineering students to implement cutting-edge technology.
The 2020s Entering the 2020s, the
COVID-19 pandemic spread worldwide, including in
Bali. The central and regional governments issued bans on gatherings and public events, enforcing
community activity restrictions in February 2020. This also impacted the ogoh-ogoh parade tradition. Ogoh-ogoh that had already been created in early 2020 (before the restrictions) were ultimately not paraded, although the rituals welcoming Nyepi were still carried out under strict limitations. In 2021, as the
pandemic continued, the
Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia, the Majelis Desa Adat, and the Bali provincial government issued a circular officially canceling ogoh-ogoh parades that year. In 2022, the Bali provincial government maintained the same ban. However, in 2023, ogoh-ogoh parades resumed, marked by the announcement of an ogoh-ogoh competition organized by the Bali Provincial Department of Culture. There is also the Ogoh-ogoh Museum in
Mengwi, Bali, which houses several ogoh-ogoh and is managed privately. == Creation ==