Lembu Putih Taro : Holy White Cows of Taro Village
When cows provide beef and dairy elsewhere in the world, this Balinese village worships white bovines and uses their urine as medicine. What’s so sacred about them? There is a Balinese term ‘mule keto’ that loosely translates to the familiar saying ‘it is what it is.’ If one questions a local as to why things
A Look into Bali’s ‘New Normal’
We usually follow a similar pattern in life. We then repeat this a certain number of times. Then, we call this our ‘normal life;. It is still normal, even when one country in the world has a virus that kills hundreds to thousand of people. Though embellished with a surreal feeling, knowing that it exists
Kain Poleng : Bali’s Chequered Cloth of Balance
Wrapped around trees, skirting shrines and bedecking temples, or worn by the Balinese themselves as a sarong (or saput), the kain poleng, or poleng cloth, is symbolic of one of Bali’s most important philosophies. In its most common form, the kain poleng is a black and white chequered cloth, but other versions exist which incorporate
Atma Kesasar: Dangers of a Lost Soul
Did you know, it’s possible for one to ‘lose their soul’ in Bali. From unfinished death rites to falling unconscious, souls can lose their connection and wander among us. In Bali, Hinduism takes a different form from its Indian counterpart. One of the clearest distinctions is their interpretation of reincarnation. In India, depending on one’s
Tridatu: The Colours of Bali’s Holy Trinity
Engraved onto pillars of houses and temples, donned by stone sculptures, and worn around people’s right wrists; the colours white, red, and black are omnipresent in Bali. It’s evident in many different forms, with the tri-coloured bracelets attached to the arm being the most common we see today. The simple yet significant philosophy behind this
Naur Sot and The Fulfillment of a Vow
The atmosphere was not a happy one in Pan Koncrong’s house. His daughter was lying in bed, feverish. An old medicine man (balian) had come and muttered a few magical words. But now he was gone, and neither his prayers to the gods, nor his potions were working. The child was lying helpless on the
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
