A Bali Myth: Knock-Knock, Who’s There?
On the island, if a ‘knock knock’ comes to you late at night, mid-slumber, it might just be a visitor from another realm. .. You may have heard of the old superstition that says hearing three knocks in the dead of night, with seemingly no cause, means death is at your doorstep. You might have
Balinese Art: Mutations from Traditional to Contemporary
Journalist Eric Buvelot and socio-ethnologist Jean Couteau have recorded 20 hours of discussion about changes that have happened in Bali since the 70’s. The conversation was structured and segmented according to many different aspects of Balinese life, mostly from a socio-historical perspective, to trace all the overturning in Balinese mores since 50 years, when modernity
Ritual Life
With the Batuan painting style, ritual life has long been an inspiration for the artists. Here, Bruce Granquist shares how important rituals are to the subject and timing of artists and their work. Life in Batuan is saturated with ritual. The steady flow of ritual activity in people’s lives sets them firmly in a sacred
Legong Jobog – Balinese Tale of Subali & Sugriwa
Legong etymology means a beautiful series of body movements, ordance, that is accompanied by agong, Balinese traditional music instrument. There are various kinds of legong dances, one of them is the Legong Jobog. The difference between the legong dances is not only the story that the dance narrates, but also the routines involved. The gamelan
Meru Towers: The Principle Shrine of a Temple
When you travel around Bali and witness the many temples scattered on the island, you will notice some very distinct architectural features. When it comes to the larger temples, the most impressive feature you will see are the meru, the multi-tiered shrines that tower high-above the rest. The term ‘meru’ is a reference to Mt.
The Ideology of Balinese Masks
For the Balinese, masks have a higher value than just the representation of character in dance or for decoration. It serves as protection, as a sacred object in ceremonies and a medium for the worshipped gods to give their blessings. Since the development of mass tourism in Bali, market demand for cheap souvenirs has increased.
Kecak, Bali’s Fire Dance
Afternoons are always a good time to visit Uluwatu, the southern tip of the island. Not only to admire the lovely sunset from the top of the cliff but also to watch the famous Kecak Dance Performance, also known as the Bali Fire dance, which overlooks Uluwatu Temple. But what is the Kecak, and what’s
The Kekebyaran Purancak Dance of West Bali
The sea sparkles gold against a red and orange sky when the sun sets on Perancak Village, Jembrana Regency West Bali. The scene is likely to have inspired many artists, taken aback by its vibrance. Along the beach, the silhouette of dozens of sailing fishing boats dance along the horizon. As the sky darkens, the
A Balinese Ghost Story
According to this Balinese legend, if you witness a white sheet flying towards you, it’s time to run! We’re all familiar with ghost stories. The haunted tales exchanged by the fire after midnight. The one about the creak of floorboards, the mystery of displaced furniture, the distressed ululations of a woman far in the distance.
Batuan Artists: Inspired by Diversions
With the Batuan painting style, daily life has long been an inspiration for the artists. Here, Bruce Granquist shares how the everyday diversions of the Balinese inspired certain painters. These pages show three paintings by artists in some way connected to the painting studio of I Made Jata, the most active art teacher in Batuan.
Don’t Touch My Wife : A Story of Castes and Morals
What does a bearded priest have in common with a civet cat? This somewhat cheeky story teaches lessons of faithfulness and morality – because in Bali, morals are best taught through the magic of a good story. People visiting Bali are usually made to believe that there is a caste system and that everyone thus
Ni Luh Vony Dewi : A Free Spirit with a Creative Soul
Ni Luh Vony has found freedom and opportunity as an artist displaying her work online; she has found a way to breakthrough without the help of the ‘conventional art world’. The Internet is empowering people and has democratised the art world. It has created a platform that supports a new and dynamic digital art world
Nyepi Kasa : A Second Nyepi at Buahan Village
In Buahan, a village north of Ubud, a rare custom takes place whereby the community don’t only celebrate the official Nyepi, the day of silence, but celebrate a second Nyepi called Nyepi Kasa. Nyepi literally means to be silent and Kasa means the first month in Balinese calendar. It’s the second celebration of Nyepi held
