Bali Governor I Wayan Koster gave permission for the yowana or the younger generation to carry out the Ogoh-Ogoh parade on the eve of the Nyepi Holy Day of the Saka New Year 1944.
The decision was made after the Governor coordinated and communicated with the great village chief and the great secretary or treasurer of the village of the Traditional Village Council (MDA) of Bali Province.
“I, as the Governor of Bali, together with the Bali Province Traditional Village Council, have agreed to the wishes conveyed through the aspirations of the Yowana MDA provinces, regencies and cities throughout Bali. To the yowana who have made Ogoh-ogoh, I ask that they continue to be made until it is finished, don’t stop before 2nd March 2022,” said Koster in a written statement on Thursday 17th February 2022.
He also said that yowana all over Bali need not hesitate any longer and the Ogoh-Ogoh parade can be held in a neighbourhood or with a maximum of 25 yowana, it must be an environmentally friendly Ogoh-Ogoh without plastic and styrofoam materials, and the event must use disciplined health protocols.
“Wear masks, have full doses of vaccination, provide hand sanitizer, and take antigen tests which are offered free of charge by the Bali Provincial Health Office,” he added.
Koster also said that he really appreciates the artistic, innovative, creative works of the younger generation of Bali and the character-building and spirit of art and culture in the Ogoh-Ogoh products that were created.
With that, there will be an assessment of the work of Ogoh-Ogoh and the results of this assessment will be used as the basis for giving prizes, namely the best work for the three Ogoh-Ogoh in each district, then given prizes for rank I, II, and III in all regencies and cities in Bali.
Meanwhile, at the sub-district level, the three best Ogoh-Ogoh works will be awarded a prize of Rp5 million each. In the regencies and cities, the first rank will be given a prize of Rp50 million the second rank will get a prize of Rp35 million and the third rank will receive a prize of Rp25 million in all regencies and cities in Bali. The total prize pool is almost Rp1.9 billion.
“This will be processed by a team of judges who will go down to each banjar (neighborhood) to assess the work of the Ogoh-Ogoh. What is judged is not the competition, but the work of the Ogoh-Ogoh, based on creativity and innovation,” he said.