Sanghyang Deling: The Possession of Puppets
The audience were sitting silently when the congregation, who sat on the stage of Kalangan Angsoka amphitheatre started singing a hymn, verses of a sacred song known as Gending Sanghyang. Gending Pangembak filled the atmosphere as the ritual began. The song is believed to have the power to summons deities and noble spirits, key to
The Sacred Gandrung Trance Dance
Bali is an island with numerous traditional dances, these are categorised into the sacred, classic and contemporary. Classic and contemporary style dances can be found throughout the island, performed on the commercial stage they are truly beautiful spectacles to enjoy. However, sacred dances are rarely for the general public and are reserved for religious ceremonies,
The Living Legend Of Bali’s Classic Dances
Bali’s dance scene wouldn’t be alive without constant regeneration as well as those who are superbly creative in creating new choreography based on classic Balinese Dances or reconstructing classic dances that are almost forgotten. The flourishing dance scene in Bali also has strong relations to the efforts made in introducing dances of the island to
Balinese Men and Western Females
Love and sex have always been one of the most interesting fields of encounter between cultures, if not always between people. In this matter there is little which is not already known about the Balinese women and Western men relationship, the Balinese women being subjected to the luscious desire of the latter – originally as
Magoak-goakan: Chasing the Tail
In this modern world, traditional games seem to be forgotten. But this is not the case in the Buleleng Regency of north Bali, once the gateway of the island. Magoak-goakan is a traditional game that originated in the regency’s Panji Village. The game has deep connections to the historical moment when the Kingdom of Buleleng
The Origin of Uluwatu and Why Fishermen Cannot Become Rich
Historian and art critic Jean Couteau brings us stories depicting the life on Bali, sometimes real, sometimes myth, always meaningful.
Ngulapin: The Art of Settling Souls
You may have seen, while driving, a white-dressed priest busy uttering some mantra on the side of the road, impervious to traffic. “Crazy,” you might have thought. And you were wrong, because the priest was there with a precise function: to bring meaning and balance to the “order of things”. What you saw was a
Arja: Beauty in Complexity
There may be many destinations with nature and sights more exquisite than Bali has to offer, but this little island of the ‘Lesser Sundas’ has things that cannot be found elsewhere, one of them being its distinctive and rich culture. In Bali, dances, music and other performances and artworks are part of the culture, tradition
Oleg Tambulilingan: The Buzz of Bees
Every thing, tiny or big, on Earth or even in outer space, can be a great inspiration for human beings to create something beautiful, meaningful and useful. Mrs. Arini Alit, a Balinese dance maestro, once told me that every pose and routine of a Balinese dance is inspired by nature. Agem, the stationary pose, should
Pagerwesi Day : Fortifying Against Evil
This is a special day on the Balinese Calendar; on Pagerwesi, the Balinese protect themselves from evil forces. Learn More: Pagerwesi Day has a close association with Saraswati Day. It falls four days after Saraswati, the day of knowledge and wisdom, tying in the two special holy days on the Balinese calendar. Pagerwesi commemorates the day upon which
The Panyembrama: Flowers, Smiles and Gentle Gestures
Despite there being thousands of beautiful destinations in the world, Bali remains unique, thanks to its culture. The growth of the tourism industry in Bali goes hand in hand with the preservation and even elaboration of culture and art on the island. The word ‘art’, funnily enough, doesn’t actually exist in the local dialect. However
Diksa
Diksa or divya jnyana is a ceremony, aimed at enabling one to receive divine revelation from the gods in order to diminish dark mind and achieve perfectness — this is one of the Sapta Angga character purification goals. In Bali, the initiation ceremony is done with a rebirthing ritual called ‘seda raga’, to search the
Melukat : Purification the Balinese Way
There is an abundance of magical places here on the island, including special holy water temples. Knowing that the Balinese see water as a symbol of life and purification, I thought that it would be the best Balinese method to heal and cleanse my way to wellness. So, I visited Tirta Empul and Tirta Sudamala
