Growing Old in Bali
Old Age and Religion Growing old means getting closer to the moment of death, which, according to the Balinese, opens the possibility of moksa, i.e, blending one’s human microcosm with the ultimate cosmic spirit, or God. In order to achieve this and not reincarnate, people have to live in accordance with the principles of cosmic
Interreligious Marriage: A Case of Balinese Tolerance
The Balinese know tolerance not only as a proclamation of intention, but also as a daily social practice. For one thing, there is no Balinese who claims that his or her religion is the only keeper of truth. Truth, they use to say, is beyond the apprehension of human kind. The “ethical” endeavour in the
The Dance of the Shepherd Boys
In 1983, a living legend of Balinese dance created a theatrical performance titled Stri Asadhu. A section of this fine performance highlights the daily activities of shepherds, but the plot thickens. The story begins with the shepherds busily working, when a lady comes asking for milk. A shepherd agrees to give the milk to the
The Clandestine Cockfight
You can always tell when a cockfight is going to happen in Bali. The first sign is the beautiful woven bamboo or rattan baskets held tightly on the back of a speeding motorbike as the proud owner makes his way to today’s specially selected spot. The next sign is a huge number of motorbikes crowded
Dancing with the Bulls
In Jembrana Regency, with a history of migrating Madurese fishermen to the area over the centuries, an assimilation of tradition occurred. These fishermen introduced their unique Madurese boat designs to the area, which can be seen anchored at the bay of Perancak Village. The Madurese introduced their famous bull races to Bali too. In Bali,
The Dramatic Tale of Bali’s Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare has his Romeo & Juliet, and Bali has its similar tragic love story. Sitting on the top of the hill in Kalianget village, North Bali, is the gravesite of Jayaprana and Layon Sari, the island’s ‘Romeo’ and his beloved ‘Juliet’.
Peliatan Style
A lifetime achievement award also went to Milo for services to batik, the Baris Cina troupe of Renon for trance-wear and Janet De Neefe, for services to bulletproof white corsettes.
The Bird King
The strong connection of traditions between Java and Bali began thousands of years ago, tied with the movement of the people of the Majapahit Kingdom migrating from Java to Bali. Certain beliefs, customs and even bedtime stories on the island originated from ancient Javanese cultures, which existed long before Islamic teachings arrived. Folktales passed on
Pendet: A Beautiful Welcoming Dance
Dance has always been a part of many sacred ceremonies and traditional rituals in the island. Some dances are considered sacred as they are offered to the Gods or the deities, while others are simply performed for the audience. Pendet dance is a simple welcoming dance choreographed to welcome the audience. The dance is one
The Peeping Toms of Bali
The Jakarta Post of November 3rd brought interesting news: “Residents of the Angke Rusanawa low-cost apartment complex in West Jakarta were shocked by the discovery of a man’s body in the ceiling of an apartment early on Monday.” Residents allege the man died of an electric shock while trying to peep in on a newly
Bali’s Wild Side
I have been documenting Bali for 40 years now — writing this column for almost 25 years — and I am sick of trying to explain the irrational. People often ask me why the Balinese are always flailing about and pulling the heads off chickens and I always feel like answering ‘Because you’re a twit’. I
Jegog Bamboo
Bamboo is one commodity that plays an important role in balinese life, from being used to build a house, weaved into a roof or basket, used as the pole to make penjor – a special decoration erected in front of the house during galungan and kuningan holy celebrations – and also transformed into a set
The Big Odalan
It started off sunnily enough. A few of us were invited for the last day of a month long house Piodalan Mempedem Perdagingan Festival – a festival that encompassed the whole extended family as well as the entire village. This celebration was a big one – and the last time it happened was a very
