The ancestral cultural heritage contains a diversity of traditions and customs which should be preserved from one generation to the next generation. Indonesia is home of diverse cultures, therefore many traditions and cultures can be learned and preserved. Bali was no exception. This refers to the ancient times that a lot of rituals performed by ancestors before doing any kind of activities. They believed that if the ritual was conducted before the celebration, all would get a blessing from the Almighty Creator.

One of the interesting rituals of Balinese ancestral heritage is Gebug Ende Seraya. It is a tradition carried out by the people from East Bali, precisely in Seraya Village, Karangasem Regency. The ritual that is conducted in the dry season can be called as rain-asking ceremony as well. According to the Bali Saka Calendar, the rainy season will occur on October or November every year. Nowadays, the tradition of Gebung Ende is still being carried out because the people of East Bali believe that this tradition must be preserved for the sake of living prosperity on the earth.

In terms of its geography, Seraya Village is located on a plateau and has a barren land contour. It is well known for its sweet corn harvest, so the farmer's concern that water needs are very important for this Village. Therefore, the local community believes that by asking the rain to fall regularly, it will affect the success of the corn harvest. For this reason, Gebug Ende Seraya tradition was held. A rattan war is carried out by two Seraya villagers by using a 1,5 - 2-meter long rattan called Gebug. Besides Gebug, each participant is also required to carry a shield to fend off an opponent's attack called Ende.

Before the war starts, Sekaa Gebug offers offerings to ask a safety and the tradition runs successfully. Then, Sekaa Gebug will open the tradition by making the first punch and continue with the actual match. Before competing, both participants should shake hands and listen to the direction from the referee or jury. In this tradition, there are 4 referees or saye in charge, but they do not determine who is the winner. The referee's duty is to stop the match if one of the participants has lost or in accordance with the rules of the tradition. The Gebug regulation is very simple, it is not permitted to hit under the navel or hug each other. In addition, they are not allowed to attack across the boundaries of their respective positions which have been separated using a piece of rattan. If rules are violated, they will be separated and will be given a warning. Meanwhile, if the rules are ignored by the participants, they will be excluded from the arena and declared to be lost. This war is held for 10 minutes on a flat yard.

The Gebug Ende Seraya participants must wear a red headband or udeng. It symbolizes the courageous soul because it takes its own courage to participated in this war. In addition, participants will be bare-chested and wear Balinese black and white sarong, namely poleng. Traditional gamelan will be sounding to encourage the participants. Each participant will usually be injured because of the gebug or shield, however, the locals believe the more wounds and the blood in the participants' bodies will signify the more heavy rain and many blessings will come. 

Anyone can watch this match, but several rules must be obeyed and do not cross the safe line. The history of Gebug Ende was begun when the soldiers of the Karangasem Kingdom have been known as brave and strong soldiers that often got a victory but their energy was not run out yet during the war so they often held a duel with their own friends using shields and weapons. This tradition is then passed on to the next generation. But the weapons and shields are replaced with Gebug and Ende.

If you have the opportunity to witness the traditional Gebug Ende Seraya war, of course this moment will be a valuable experience for you. In addition, you can also get more knowledge about ancestral traditions that have been carried out for generations.