Trunyan Village - The Island of Skulls

Protected by steep, jungled slopes, the remote mountain village of Trunyan rests on the eastern shores of the vast Batur crater lake, at the foot of Mount Abang. The people of Trunyan practice unique and ancient rituals of Animism found nowhere else in Bali, which predates the arrival of Hinduism or Buddhism on the Island of the Gods.

Trunyan Village is believed to be over 1000 years old and is one of Bali's oldest settlements

Often referred to as Bali Aga (or mountain Balinese), the indigenous Trunyan people do not cremate their dead. Instead, after a ritual cleansing with rain water, the body of the deceased is wrapped in white cloth and placed in a crude, open-air bamboo prism. This unique tradition is called Mepesah and dates back to the neolithic Agama Bayu sect who worshipped the stars and the wind. It is believed that Mount Batur, a fire god, considers the cremation of a body to be an usurpation of his authority.

This special open-air structure is called Sema Wayah

The bodies are then placed at the foot a towering, thousand year old Taru Menyan tree, which releases a fragrant scent to mask the smell of death. This sacred tree guards the bodies while they naturally dissolve until only the skeleton remains. Once the corpse is fully decomposed, the skull is placed on a stone altar, to take its final resting place beside hundreds of other moss green bones.

These specific funeral rites are reserved for the bodies of married couples. The island also houses two other small cemeteries. One is for people who die due accident or foul play. Their deaths are considered to be polluted and their spirits unfulfilled and potentially hostile. The other cemetery is for babies and young children, who are considered to be god-like due to their lack of worldly corruption. These bodies are returned into the Earth.

While the islanders of Trunyan have become known for the somewhat macabre funeral rites for their dearly departed, their deliberate avoidance & seclusion from outside influences has preserved centuries of unbroken ancient traditions. The cemetery ground returns the villagers to the elemental forces from which they came, but does not extinguish them. The dead are always present, their bones a symbol left behind to remind visitors of the cycle of life and death.

Location : Kuban Cemetery, Kintamani Regency, Bangli, Bali

How to get there: Trunyan cemetery is only accessible by boat from Kedisan, across Lake Batur. The price of the boat ride ranges from 300000 - 1000000 RP per person, dependant on your negotiating skills & the amount of people you're visiting with. This does not include the cost of a driver to get to Kedisan. Reaching Trunyan can be tricky and finding a trustworthy local guide is highly recommended.

Attraction Info: The entrance fee to Trunyan Cemetary is 100,000 RP per person. This fee supports cemetery maintenance and the local community. On a side note, their "magical tree" isn't 100% effective. Make sure you stand up-wind or you will cop a whiff!

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