The village of Tenganan lies at the head of a narrow valley two miles from the east coast of Bali. It is referred to as Bali Aga, or original Bali, and its culture predates the 1294 to 1478 Majapahit empire from which most of Bali claims spiritual descent. The three hundred or so members of the village communally own lands that spread far beyond the surrounding hills, encompassing large tracts of rice paddy and woodlands. Governance is the responsibility of the village council. This council, the kerama desa, is formed by all couples married according to the strict adat traditions of the village.
Membership is compulsory and a couple's rank is defined only by the length of their service.
After any adat-sanctioned marriage, both sets of parents are retired and the new couple enters the kerama desa in its lowest seat. More than any other village in Bali, Tenganan Pegeringsingan functions as an ashram. On a daily basis the kerama desa performs rituals that guarantee the spiritual purity and balance of the entire Tengananese land-holding. These ceremonies often involve the use of geringsing textiles. Geringsing cloths with uncut, circular warps are used to wrap symbols of gods in rituals that honor the ancestors and deities.