SAKA Museum spotlights Pasihan documentary on Bali’s water traditions

Badung — — SAKA Museum at AYANA Bali premiered Pasihan, a 13-minute documentary that traces the links between Pura Ulun Danu Batur, Lake Batur and Bali’s subak irrigation traditions, according to AYANA Bali’s media materials and a report by IndoBali News.

The documentary was launched in August 2026 and was described by AYANA Bali as exploring the “sacred connections” at the heart of Bali’s ancient water civilization. IndoBali News reported that the film was discussed at SAKA Museum in Badung on 14 September 2026 as part of the museum’s cultural programme, Kala.

According to the materials published by AYANA Bali, Pasihan was produced with Niskala Studio and focuses on the people, traditions and shared responsibilities that have sustained the island’s water system for generations. The film follows the route of water from Pura Ulun Danu Batur to Subak Pulagan, linking the mountain temple, the lake and the rice fields below.

The documentary also highlights the role of community custodians connected to Pura Ulun Danu Batur and the subak network. IndoBali News identified Jero Penyarikan Duuran Batur, also known as Ketut Eriadi Ariana, and Sang Nyoman Astika, the pekaseh of Subak Pulagan in Tampaksiring, Gianyar, among those discussed in the film’s context.

AYANA Bali said the title Pasihan comes from the Balinese word sih, meaning love or devotion, and refers to the relationship of mutual care within subak communities. The museum’s materials describe the film as extending beyond Bali’s iconic rice terraces to the traditions and collective responsibilities that support the island’s ancient water civilization.

IndoBali News reported that the post-screening discussion at SAKA Museum addressed the continuing pressures on subak, including land conversion and conservation challenges. The report said the conversation centered on the cultural and environmental importance of protecting land, water and inherited customs, without providing project-specific data or measurements.

Key details

• Film: Pasihan
• Length: 13 minutes
• Venue: SAKA Museum, AYANA Bali, Badung
• Programme: Kala
• Producer: Niskala Studio
• Screening date: 2026-09-14

Context

The documentary frames Bali’s water management as a cultural system as well as an agricultural one. In the account published by AYANA Bali, the film links the flow of water from the Batur highlands to subak communities that depend on it, while IndoBali News described the event as a discussion of Bali’s water traditions, temple customs and the work of local custodians.

Sources

• AYANA Bali Media Center / Resources & Fact Sheets
• IndoBali News