Bali’s ‘Wayang Week’ and Stories of Time the Devourer
If there is an Indonesian form of art that is of international repute and calls to mind the notion of a “magic show”, this is undoubtedly the shadow play or puppet show theatre: the “wayang”. The trembling shadows of ancestral figures dancing on a white screen as they are shaped and unshaped by a flickering
The Culture of Balinese Cuisine
Balinese food is often over-simplified. In fact, most foods are. Reduced to the singular dish that is brought to our table. As we smell, bite and chew, our taste buds absorb the flavours and yes, “Delicious!” registers our brain, “Have another bite.” What each scrumptious bite doesn’t tell us, however, is that every herb and
What is Nyepi? Understanding Bali’s Day of Silence
How do Westerners open the New Year? With revelry. How do the Balinese open their own New Year? With a full day of silence, called Nyepi. But exactly what is Nyepi? It is the first day of the Saka calendar year and is also Bali’s day of silence. Understanding the Balinese Calendars Bali’s measure of
Offerings: Food for the Gods
Many of Bali’s top reputed restaurants might sell food of international standards; their diners might be local and international celebrities, ministers, singers and sports stars, but by Balinese standards, believe me, these restaurants don’t quite cut it. Even the ones listed in this magazine. Why is that you ask? Well, they only serve food to
The Healing Traditions of the Balian Usada
In Bali there is the traditional doctor known as the balian usada, whose knowledge is gained through the lontar manuscripts and the inherited teachings of predecessors. Still frequented by many Balinese, the practice of the balian deals with both the sekala and niskala worlds, the seen and unseen, and are the continuation of Bali’s ancient
The Cosmic Complexities of Balinese Love
In Bali, love and indeed sex are more than just about the relationship between two people. It is about the gods, the cosmos, the cycle of life. For most Westerners love oscillates between two poles: on one side there is the romantic meeting of two individuals, and on the other side, the sexual encounter of
Tumpek Kandang: The Holy Day for Animals
Tumpek Kandang is a day dedicated to Sang Hyang Rare Angon, the god of all cattle and livestock. On this day, domesticated animals on the island will receive great attention; the cows are washed in the river and dressed up like human beings, with special cone-shaped spirals made of coconut leaf placed on their horns.
Magedong-Gedongan: Ceremonies for the Incarnating Soul
One is not born in Bali the way one is born in most parts of the world: one reincarnates, and one does so in a very particular way. Let us give it a look, such as it is still known in popular lore. First the soul (atma), still hanging about in the world, has to
Omed-Omedan: A Kissing Festival in Denpasar
The day after Nyepi, the residents of Sesetan will flood the main road of their village in Denpasar to celebrate the caka new year with a unique ritual called Omed-omedan , also known as the kissing ritual! The single Sesetan boys are probably the happiest on this day, for they get to kiss the single
Lontar: Bali’s Palm-Leaf Manuscripts
Lontar is a literary artefact that has shaped the Balinese culture we know today. Not just any literature,it’s viewed as the island’s intellectual property to which the Balinese turn to for life lessons, philosophies, medicine and more. Since the olden days, the Balinese would turn to this literature when in search of a spiritual progression
Ngaben: The Balinese Cremation Ceremony
For the Balinese, and from their spiritual perspective, death is no less essential to life, for it’s part of a continuous cycle: Birth-life-death. And just like celebrating birth and life, a ceremony will also be performed to send the dead through the transition to the next life (reincarnation). The Balinese cremation ceremony, called Ngaben or
Ngendag : The Awakening of the Dead
Historian and art critic Jean Couteau brings us stories depicting life on Bali, sometimes real, sometimes myth, always meaningful. Here he shares the story of ngendag , a Balinese ritual in which buried corpses are exhumed to be cremated. This and other stories can be found in Jean Couteau’s book, Myth, Magic and Mystery in Bali . Ngendag:
In Memoriam: Celebrating International Contemporary Art Icon, Ashley Bickerton
For more than three decades, Ashley Bickerton’s presence shone brightly on the international art stage. A courageous, rebellious artist, his genius imagination existed on the periphery of what was conceivably possible. Bickerton rose to incredible heights in contemporary art, positioning his voice as singular to the global audience. The most internationally renowned contemporary artist in