Otonan

This morning Katrinka and I donned our sarongs and sashes and were off to Segara beach for Detia's Otonan ceremony. The first one is at 210 days but he's about three years old. His grandfather, Ketut, is our landlord, our wonderful landlord He spends a lot of time taking care of Detia while his parents are working. We arrived at Segara beach at 8am but didn't see any ceremony preperations. So I called him. He wsa there right away and led us back to a temple. There were many many banten offerings made with coconut and banana leaves and decorated with bits of food and  flowers. We sat around and talked and took photos with our smart phones. Women did some offerings at a shrine there. A small group of us - parents, uncles and Ketut went down to the beach with a priest. We sat in the sand and there was incense ond offerings. Then we walked a little ways into the water and a little offering boat was placed in the water. We walked back leaving the offerings in the sand and water. It's all organic. Back at the temple enclosure Detia, his mother and father, sat with a priest while he chanted some stuff. Meanwhile relatives and friends were talking, taking photos, eating snacks, drinking bottled water, little boxes of milk tea and coffee. All most easygoing. At no point was everyone paying attention, solemn, or quiet. There are ceremonies with quiet periods though. Next they were going to a larger temple. We said goodbye and walked down the beach path to home an hour away.