Subak (irrigation)

Lore & Background

The subak system was started during the 9th century, when Bali was a patchwork of kingdoms. The first known written record dates from around the 11th century, citing it under the name kasuwakara, which later became suwak and then subak. Other documents from the same period link the system to the Besakih Temple, suggesting subak predates the 11th century. The system consists of forests that protect water supply, terraced paddies, canals, tunnels, weirs, and temples of varying size that mark water sources or passage through the temple on its way downhill.

Reader's Guide

The subak system exemplifies the Tri Hita Karana philosophy, a relationship between humans, the earth, and the gods, drawing from Shaiva Siddhanta and Samkhyā Hinduism, Vajrayana Buddhism, and Austronesian cosmology. Water temple rituals promote harmony between people and their environment. The system optimizes tradeoffs between water sharing and pest control through synchronized cropping and fallow periods. The failure of the Green Revolution in the 1970s, which replaced traditional practices with high-yield seeds and pesticides, led to chaos in water scheduling and pest explosions, causing up to 50% crop losses. The subak system remains a vital part of Balinese temple culture and cooperative agrarian society.

Did You Know?

• The subak system was developed in the 9th century, when Bali was a patchwork of kingdoms.
• The first known written record of subak dates from around the 11th century, under the name kasuwakara.
• The supreme water temple is Pura Ulun Danu Batur on the shore of Lake Batur.
• The Green Revolution in the 1970s disrupted traditional subak practices, leading to increased pest problems when continuous rice planting was adopted.