ASIATODAY.ID, DENPASAR – Poleng cloth, which is a cloth with a black and white square motif, is very easy to find in Bali. The cloth is often wrapped around trees, large rocks, or Hindu places of worship in Bali. Poleng cloth is a traditional cloth that is an important part of Balinese culture. It has a black-and-white pattern that symbolizes the existence of life and death, as well as the concept of duality in Balinese Hinduism. The existence of this cloth is often identified with mystical nuances, especially if it is wrapped around a tree trunk or large wood. From a conservation point of view, it is certainly closely related to efforts to preserve life, one of which is in maintaining the availability of oxygen.
Poleng cloth is often wrapped around large trees in Bali, especially trees that are considered to have spiritual or cultural value. These trees are usually located near temples, shrines, or other important places. Poleng cloth also contains a message about the importance of maintaining balance and harmony between living and non-living things. This symbolism is reflected in the use of this fabric on trees in Bali, where trees symbolize life and oxygen needed by living things. Poleng cloth symbolizes the balance between two opposing forces, namely positive and negative forces, or male and female forces. This symbolizes that the tree is a sacred place and should be respected.
Trees covered with Poleng cloth are considered sacred and are believed to provide blessings to those in the vicinity. In addition, the use of Poleng cloth on trees can also have symbolic meanings. For example, in some cultures, Poleng is used to mark trees that are considered sacred or historically important. This can be a way to commemorate important events or honor ancestors who are considered to have a special relationship with the tree. The development of Poleng is also used as a means of decoration that has no religious or sacred elements at all.
Nyoman Triyana Usadhi in an article entitled “The Function of Poleng Ketekok Jago Line Dance in Darmasaba Village, Badung Regency” published in the Joged Journal in 2019 states that in Hindu life in Bali, there are three types of poleng cloth, namely: Poleng Rwabhineda cloth, Poleng Sudamala cloth, and Poleng Tridatu cloth. Poleng Rwabineda cloth is a piece of cloth with a checkered decorative pattern with black and white colors. Poleng Sudhamala cloth is decorated with three colors, namely black, and white, and black and white color transition, namely gray. While Kain Poleng Tridatu is black, white, and red.
The use of Poleng cloth on trees can have a positive effect on the local community. The practice can strengthen social ties and togetherness within the community, as well as raise awareness of the importance of protecting the natural environment. Poleng cloth serves as a marker that the tree is protected by the local community. It aims to prevent people from cutting down or damaging the tree. Kain poleng is a symbol of Balinese local wisdom that can help preserve the environment.
Trees are one of the main sources of oxygen on Earth. While oxygen production is often cited as a significant benefit of trees, it has been relatively overlooked due to the high oxygen content in the atmosphere. Through the process of photosynthesis, trees convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. In this process, trees use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. The oxygen produced by trees is released into the air and used by other living things to breathe.
Stephan A. Loer, Thomas W. L. Scheeren, and Jorg Tarnow in an article entitled “How Much Oxygen Does the Human Lung Consume?” published in the Journal of Anesthesiology in 1997 stated that the human lungs consume about 5-6 ml of oxygen per minute at an esophageal temperature of 28 0C. The lungs consume about 5% of the whole body’s oxygen uptake. Dianovita and Siwi in an article entitled “The analysis of the need and availability of green open based on the oxygen demand in Depok City, West Java, Indonesia” published in 2019 stated that the oxygen demand for each person is 600 liters/day. This need can be met if the oxygen supply from oxygen producers, namely trees, in the sense that the number of trees in a unit area is maintained.
Some articles mention that one mature tree can produce about 118 kilograms of oxygen/year. This number may sound small when compared to human oxygen needs, but if we multiply it by the number of trees in a certain unit area, the amount of oxygen produced is very large. Besides producing oxygen, trees also have an important role in maintaining air quality. Trees can absorb pollutants and harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. Trees also absorb pollutants, thus helping to clean the air and maintain human health.
The placement of Poleng cloth on trees is a form of local wisdom that contains deep meaning related to efforts to preserve plants. When viewed from a scientific perspective, the Poleng cloth wrapped around the tree is a form of implementation of the Tri Hita Karana concept. Tri Hita Karana is a concept of leading a harmonious life through efforts to maintain human relationships with God, humans with humans, and humans with nature. This universal concept is a simple way for Balinese Hindus to live in balance and a simple step in preserving the environment.
In terms of human relationships with God, the use of Poleng cloth on trees is a form of expression of gratitude from Balinese Hindus to God for the trees that were created. The form of expression of gratitude is by treating trees like humans, namely by giving clothes in the form of Poleng cloth. Another form is by placing Canang or offerings containing colorful flowers and incense with a fragrant smell, although some parties often consider this a form of mysticism. But for Balinese Hindus, this effort is an expression of sincere gratitude because, through trees, humans can enjoy fruit, cool air, and oxygen for life. Preserving the source of oxygen also means preserving the environment and the living creatures around it.
Preserving trees on the other hand also means preserving food availability for humans and other living things. When trees are preserved, the air humidity and soil moisture around the trees are also preserved. Trees provide oxygen for free every day and in unlimited quantities. Sahid, Rohmat, and Malik from the Department of Geography Education, Faculty of Social Science Education, University of Education Indonesia, in a scientific article entitled “Study of Green Open Space and Fulfillment of Oxygen Needs on the Campus of the University of Education Indonesia Bandung” published in the scientific journal Anthology of Geography, Volume 4, Number 1 in 2016 mentioned that one tree with a trunk diameter of 21 cm can produce oxygen production of 957.36 gr/day. While the oxygen consumption of one adult in normal activities reaches 864 gr/day.
Viewed from the perspective of human relations with humans, the Poleng cloth on the tree has meaning as a sign to remind each other not to cut down or disturb trees covered with Poleng cloth. A sign that has an invitation to jointly maintain and preserve trees. It is not uncommon for trees covered with Poleng cloth to be associated with haunted or mystical. When associated with the term mystical, it means prohibition. The prohibition not to damage and including the prohibition not to build in haunted locations If then there is destructive action it will disturb the balance of nature in that place, including the impact on humans. The deep message contained in the concept of this Poleng cloth in terms of human relations with humans is the obligation to remind each other not to cut down trees carelessly.
Poleng cloth in terms of the relationship between humans and nature means a form of commitment to maintain and preserve the tree. When trees can be maintained, it will have an indirect impact on the lives of other animals. Considering that it is not uncommon for trees covered with Poleng cloth to become a place for birds or other animals to find food to make nests. Furthermore, it can also be interpreted that the use of Poleng cloth on trees is a local wisdom of the Balinese people in preserving the environment. The wisdom of the Balinese people in maintaining natural ecosystems in very simple and meaningful ways.
The placement of Poleng cloth on trees by Balinese Hindus is not done on all trees arbitrarily. Trees that are given Poleng cloth are generally closely related to the functions and benefits of the tree for the community, either to support ceremonial activities or for medicinal needs. One of the trees that we often find covered with cloth Poleng is the banyan tree (Ficus benjamina Linn.). Banyan trees for Balinese people include prohibited wood, which not only has a vital role in the Ngaben ceremony for Balinese people but also as a medicine. Banyan has long been used as a medicine, to treat various diseases from watery sperm to gonorrhea. The benefits of the banyan tree have been outlined in a scientific article entitled “Function and Symbolic Meaning of Banyan Tree in Balinese Life” written by Ni Luh Sutjiati Beratha, I Made Rajeg, and Ni Wayan Sukarini, and published in the Journal of Balinese Studies Volume 08, Number 02 in 2018..
The existence of the banyan tree is often associated with heavenly plants. Its small seeds can grow into large plants that provide coolness as well as shade for those who take shelter under it. Its strong roots symbolize unwavering sturdiness. Banyan leaves are philosophically for Hindus as a symbol of purity, a symbol of Agni (fire), and as a base for purity, both in the Dewa Yajnya, Pitra Yadnya, and other Yajnya ceremonies.
The poleng cloth wrapped around the tree is not just a decoration, but a symbol and a form of local wisdom that is full of meaning. It is time for this kind of local wisdom to be revitalized and revived as part of maintaining the balance of nature. In this era of development that emphasizes economic growth, it is time to reconsider the balance of nature for sustainable development. Of course, it is useless if high economic growth is not accompanied by natural sustainability and it is useless to spend trillions of rupiah if there are no trees that produce oxygen. Although oxygen can be bought and is available in the form of tubes, unfortunately, the amount is very limited. So it would be better to maintain and preserve trees that provide oxygen for free and continuously.
Preserving trees not only maintains the availability of oxygen but also helps reduce the amount of CO2. Trees have the natural ability to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) through the ongoing process of photosynthesis. The absorption of CO2 by trees will reduce greenhouse gas emissions that trigger global warming and lead to climate change. So the placement of Poleng cloth on trees, which is a form of Balinese local wisdom, is an effort to mitigate climate change. (***)
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