Umah Melajah serves as a showcase of Ped Village, presenting how the preservation and methods of passing down arts and culture to the younger generation are conducted. Additionally, it also focuses on passing down the culture of environmental care by managing and segregating waste.
Umah Melajah, as a concept of cultural and environmental showcase in Ped Village, presents various activities such as the preservation and passing down of dance and music arts, traditional singing, and craftsmanship for ceremonial purposes. Children at Umah Melajah are taught about Balinese dance, from basic techniques to performance dances. Every weekend, they practice Balinese dance. These training activities make them aware of the importance of preserving Balinese dance.
In addition to performances, Balinese dance is also used to support traditional ceremonial activities. Children learning dance are very enthusiastic, especially when they have the opportunity to "ngayah" during ceremonial events. Ngayah means dancing without expecting any reward, done with sincere dedication. This philosophy of ngayah is held dear by Balinese artists. The movements of Balinese dance contain specific meanings and energies that empower the dancer to evoke their taksu or the grace and grandeur of the dance.
At Umah Melajah, children learn to dance in a round house and on a stage. Every end of the month, there is a dance performance held at Umah Melajah. This activity is watched by locals and visitors alike. Children in the dance class are often invited to participate in traditional ceremonies and occasionally perform at tourist spots. One of the dances they learn is the Gandrung dance, which is a typical dance from Ped Village. In other activities, these children can also train tourists who come to Ped Village, making them even more enthusiastic as they can communicate directly with tourists.
In addition to dancing, children at Umah Melajah can also learn the art of seni tabuh, known as gamelan. This art involves playing gamelan instruments, which is essential for dance artists to enhance their dance performances. Children learn various gamelan instruments, including rindik, gangsa, kendang, and suling. They start from basic techniques of playing gamelan, harmonizing tones with other instruments, and performing alongside Balinese dance directly. Apart from interacting within the artistic community, children also learn to train tourists who are interested in playing Balinese gamelan.
In preserving handicrafts related to supporting traditional ceremonies in Ped Village, Umah Melajah also conducts activities to pass down to children and younger generations. This heritage includes weaving klangsah, klakat, sampian, sanggah cukcuk, and other ceremonial equipment. Through these activities, they gain a deeper understanding and skill in creating various ceremonial items. The younger generation learns how to make ceremonial equipment and passes on this knowledge to others to ensure the preservation of traditional ceremonial items. The sampian they create is used to decorate penjors in preparation for the Galungan festival.
At Umah Melajah, in addition to learning about Balinese culture and traditions, children also learn about waste management and renewable energy. Waste management at the learning center instills character in children to sort waste before it is taken to waste collection sites. Children are introduced to and taught how to become volunteers in socializing waste sorting in households. Through these activities, they successfully encourage their parents to sort waste at home. Besides waste management, they are also introduced to renewable energy, agriculture, and animal husbandry. This equips them for the future as the nation's next generation to always preserve arts and culture and care for the environment.