PART II: INTRODUCTION
Introduction
A second major period of Intaran’s history begins in the first half of the eighteenth
century and ends in the later nineteenth century. It starts with the fall of the first
ruling dynasty, the Arya Sentong, and the rise of a second one, Abian Timbul, a
lineage of Arya Kenceng. All the histories in this part reveal increasing social and
political dynamism, fissions of clans, emigrations, the establishment of new settle-
ments, and the immigration of new clans or lineages.
The demographic and social shifts affecting Mimba at that time were obviously
part of much larger regional restructuring. It was a time when Bali underwent
"internal reorganization of power relationship" (Schulte Nordholt 1986:13), after the
royal center of Gelgel collapsed (1650) and the court shifted to Klungkung in 1687.
Several small coastal centers had emerged in the meantime: Schulte Nordholt names
them as Buleleng in the north, Karangasem in the east, and Mengwi dominating
West Bali and Blambangan in Java (1986:51, n.13). He also mentions Badung, but it
is not clear what dynasty and location he means (whether he includes Kesiman). In
fact, as has been outlined above, at about the same time a new ruling dynasty estab-
lished itself in Kesiman, after Pinatih had dispersed. As will be shown, these socio-
political changes taking place not only 1n South Bali but also apparently across the
whole island, affected Intaran in many ways and led to the founding of the desa adat
Sanur. Sanur became the village under whose influence Intaran subsequently fell.
If one tries to write the history of Mimba/Intaran on the basis of its temples and
its histories (as in the case of this study), it evolves more or less continuously up to a
certain point. Suddenly, however, breaks appear in the ongoing chain of temporal
and spatial development. One such break affected practically all levels of village life
in Intaran; its traces are evident at the present time. It occurred when the ruling dy-
nasty of Gusti Kepandean, Arya Sentong, was overthrown or replaced by another
satrya kin group which had not settled in Mimba before. Thereupon, Mimba became
Intaran: a new palace was built, the function of the existing temples was changed,
and new temples were erected. Social shifts of a major extent took place; several
groups emigrated, and new groups moved in.
The histories handed down differ remarkably in the way they describe the change
of ruling dynasties and the reasons for it. They are testimonies of the discourse
about the past and different attempts to restructure it which still takes place in to-
day's Intaran. They give evidence of how the past is negotiated as part of politics
and prestige.
I shall outline how the different histories vary, in what respect they correspond,
and how I would interpret them.
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