The name Negara is often applied to the
West Bali region as a whole, which is more correctly known as
Jembrana. This is the least visited area of Bali, and is sparsely populated. The flatter southern region is very fertile and is rice growing country.
Villages have a clean air, partly due to the mass of flowering shrubs
which almost obscure the neat little houses. Income is derived primarily
from fishing, rice paddies and planations of coconut, coffee, cloves
and vanilla.
Makepung, literally means ‘chasing around’ in Bahasa. It’s a tradition
of bull racing which has been passed through generations in Bali’s
society, specifically in Jembrana. It started of as race between farmers
during their spare time when they were plowing the field in the harvest
season. At that time, they compete to race for goals using a cart tied
up to the bull which controlled by a jockey. It then begun to evolved
and draws more attention to the people.
