Balinese dances eloquently charm audiences with their signature basic movements, eye movements and curvy nature of the female dancers. Almost all of the dances on the island boast bright colours and glittery costumes. All of this is not presented in Rejang Renteng. Rejang Renteng is a variation of the Rejang Dance – the sacred dance […]

Watching a dance performance makes my heart content. And if we trace it back, it is the sweet ripe fruit of days of hard work. For the artist, their s...

In Bali, we also have musical dramas, a combination of dance and theatrical performance that also contains dialog in the Balinese language. The perfor...

Turning to the Sea Another strategy to survive this arid environment is to turn away from the hills and look to the sea. Generally speaking the Baline...

There is a dramatic transition as you head north through the valley between Mt. Agung and Mt. Seraya. You travel from thick forests and fertile rice f...

Sitting in the warung outside the temple watching the parade and carnival. Some people in full temple dress sparkling with gold thread, others in t-sh...

The children of Bali are like a special breed. Smart, cheeky and often devout, they enliven every day with their cheeky attitudes. When Robert Koke, ...

While the Balinese seem to go about their daily lives in a fairly normal way, in reality it is just a cover. What they really like to do is attend cer...

Jill Gocher, otherwise known as Ayu Sekar, takes us into the homes of a Bali sea salt farmer . Once a common industry on the island, now reduced to th...

Have you ever seen a Balinese dog? I am sure you must have. These small, ugly animals are everywhere. They lurk in every corner in groups of four or f...

When Westerners think of Balinese priesthood, they are usually awed and, accordingly, embarrassed by “excessive respect”. It must be said that the...

“For the Balinese, the village ones I mean, those little touched by modernity and Brahmins’ influence, sex is an obsession. It can at times take a...

During a recent presentation ceremony at the National Museum of Singapore on the 29th of June, the winners of the Asia-Pacific Breweries Signature Art...

Rising at a height of 121 meters on top of a pedestal, the statue of Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) has finally been completed after 25 years of construct...

Are you interested in Balinese art? Ever thought of buying at an auction? Whether driven by your love of art, curiosity, or an eye for investment – ...

It was with great sadness that I heard of the sudden and unexpected passing of Made Wijaya, my long time friend and columnist of both NOW! Jakarta and...

Last month, at a Bongkasa high priest’s cremation, I saw a contemporary-cum-ceremonial dance performance staged around the funeral pyre. It resemble...

Many of the late pedanda’s disciples are wearing commemoratives t-shirts emblazed with the message ‘Death is life’s friend’. Balinese history ...