Jean Couteau
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
Under the Keris (Part 2) : The Man’s Many Advantages
When people write on Balinese love, they like to underline the romantic side, often seen from the male’s perspective. People are said to elope out of love, to bypass the parents’ unwillingness to accept the union. This occurs of course, but there are also instances when parents force lovers to break their bond – which,
Under the Keris : The Social Constraints for Balinese Women
With tourism (and globalisation in general), women’s empowerment has certainly come to the Balinese table. We’ve seen the many Balinese women carrying heavy loads on their heads, noticed how their toplessness was exploited in Bali’s past, the expectations of family planning and ‘rearing’… yes, it’s certainly about time this member of society get some proper
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
Indonesia: Preserving Tolerance
It may be interesting to try to “explain” Indonesia, and in particular to show how this “improbable” country of 250 million inhabitants distributed over more than 17,000 islands has managed to retain its unity whereas most other multi-cultural countries are threatened by chaos when not in the midst of it. However, in order to continue
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
The Release of the Aborted Foetus’ Soul
One of the best ways to learn about different cultures is by looking at how they deal with death; i.e. how they dispose of people’s corpses and what status and attention they give, if any, to the latter’s soul. In Bali, death is dealt with in such a way so as not only to get
Indonesian Nationalism, With A Smile
On the 17th of August, Indonesia celebrates Independence Day with a day of parades and revelry. On such patriotic occasions foreigners the world over are usually relegated to being mere outsiders. Perhaps not so in this country, though, as an interesting anecdote taught me… On the 17th of October a few years ago, as I
Wali Pitu: The Seven ‘Moslem Saints’ of Bali
If you follow Western news a little too much, you’ll be aware of the fear of Islam; what you hear about is terrorism and fundamentalism, and the spectre of a conflict of civilisation. But if you read the article below, which is about the cult of the 7 Moslem saints in Bali, the Wali Pitu, you will
The Purpose of Offerings and The Balinese Story Of Sangjaya Kesunu
Unlike religions from the Middle-East, which rest on a “revelation” transmitted through the entreaties of prophets, and in the case of Christianity, of a Messiah, Balinese religion rests on the notion of cosmic balance. The Universe and Man are considered as “similar” to one another. They consist of the same five elementals (Panca Maha Bhuta)
Understanding Reincarnation, The Balinese Way
You’ve heard about reincarnation, right? Of course you have. But my guess is that you have heard about the formal, reformed-Hindu version of it, “You will reincarnate as a dog if you behave like one”, meaning, you will bear the consequences of your deeds in your future incarnation(s). While some narrow-minded Balinese will insist this
Sauh Munyi – A Promise to the Gods
The practice of oath taking is very common among the Balinese. It takes the form of barter. “If I am bestowed this favour from the gods, I will fulfil such and such a promise”. It can also apply to a promise between humans. “If I get what I wish for, I will do this
