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Bali
is a remarkable place: it is the only island
in the whole Indonesian archipelago which is
predominantly Hindu, and it wears its religion
and traditions with pride and great beauty.
Bali’s Hinduism has many aspects of Buddhism,
with great respect for the earth and the elements
as the fount of life. |
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Away
from the westernised tourist areas in the south
of the island, it is impossible to ignore the
place these traditions play in everyday life
as ceremonies and offerings are daily occurrences.
You cannot fail to notice the offerings placed
in streets, houses, shops and markets - even
in cars. And during your stay you will almost
certainly come across ceremonies at temples
or, if you are lucky, in the streets. For example,
weddings and cremations are major spectacles,
and there are other special days on which there
are processions for which the streets are decorated.
To visit a temple, whether for a ceremony or
just to look, both men and women must have their
legs covered (by trousers, a long skirt or a
sarong) and wear a sash around the waist. Many
temples have a guardian outside who will lend
(or rent!) you the necessary items. |
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Not
only does Bali have beautiful people and traditions,
but it also has some spectacular scenery: there
are volcanoes (some quietly active!), exquisite
rice terraces, and wonderful beaches, and the
flowers and trees are exuberantly tropical. |
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Culturally,
too, Bali is remarkable: it seems as though
almost everyone can paint, carve, sculpt or
weave, and the standard of design and workmanship
is high. Music and dance, too, are deeply ingrained;
every village has its gamelan orchestra and
young people learn the traditional dances the
way Western children go to ballet classes.
Performances of gamelan and dance are frequent,
especially in the Ubud area, and although open
to – or especially for – tourists,
there is no sense of exploitation; they are
just part of life and should not be missed. |
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Bali
operates on three different calendars (one based
on the moon, one on a unique 210 day year, and
a Western one) so it is hard to specify dates
for the major ceremonies, but ones to be aware
of are Nyepi, the Balinese New Year, which is
a day of silence preceded by noisy processions,
and Galungan. There are also music, literary
and arts festivals; for details of these refer
to the Bali Tourist Office. |
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However,
everyday there is some special delight, whether
a ceremony, a beautiful tree, a line of ducks
in the paddy fields, a child dressed for the
temple, or a beautiful reflection in a newly
flooded rice field.…… |
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Socially,
Bali is unusual, too, in its caste system. There
are only four castes: Brahmin or priestly, Satria,
the kings or warriors, Wesia, the merchants,
and Sudra, the worker class. However, the traditions
apply only to social relationships, the economic
divisions having been almost totally eroded.
There are specific titles for each so you will
come across many Gustis or Agungs, for example.
Caste names apply to both men and women, with
the sex being added by Ni or Ayu, for example.
Another social curiosity is the limited number
of given names within a caste: the first child
in a Sudra family is called Wayan, the second
Made, the third Nyoman, and the fourth Ketut.
If there is a fifth child, the names start again!
Usually the children are given other identifying
names as well, but you will certainly be introduced
to a new acquaintance, taxi driver or guide
as Wayan or…or…. |
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And,
specifically for Ubud, it is
interesting to know that it was a mecca for
a group of European artists who came to Ubud
in the 1930s and both learned from and contributed
to the rich artistic traditions of Bali. There
are several galleries, including Neka and ARMA,
which show their work and that of other respected
local artists. |
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For
more background, some reading suggestions:
Although Bali presents such a peaceful face, its history
is not all happy, and it is well worth reading about.
A recently published book, A Short History of Bali, by Robert Pringle gives a good, easy to read,
overview right up to 2002 (and which does not avoid
the downsides!). The novel A Tale from Bali by
Vicki Baum is a description of the dramatic events surrounding
the Dutch assumption of control in the south of the
island in the early 1900s, including the notorious puputan or mass suicide.
For a different, more recent perspective, A House
in Bali by Colin McPhee is also worth reading,
especially for those with interest in the music of the
island. And Miguel Covarrubias, the Mexican artist who
also worked in Bali, wrote Life in Bali, considered
a classic, in 1939 |
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