Students Crafting Traditional Taledan with Coconut Leaves

By: I Nengah Suata, Hinduism teacher.

In order to provide a deeper understanding of Hindu rituals and practices, as a Hindu religion teacher at EBPP, I assign a project to students to create Taledan. In Hinduism, a "taledan" is a traditional tray commonly used in Balinese society as a base for offerings (banten). It is also used as a base for serving lawar, a traditional Balinese dish. The taledan is made using old green coconut leaves (selepan). It is sewn together with small bamboo sticks (semat) split into tiny pieces. The taledan is square or more precisely rectangular in shape, with a frame (sebeh) on all four sides.

In this project, students only need coconut leaves arranged neatly. Apart from expressing creativity in the process of arranging and decorating Taledan, it is also requiring a high level or precision, which can help students improve their ability to pay attention to detail and work meticulously.

The project will take approximately three weeks (1 hour/meetings) for all junior high students to be able to produce neatly shaped Taledan. Each student can make more than one, which they can use in ceremonies at home. Additionally, this knowledge serves as a valuable skill for their future