The House Spirits
The Balinese believe that every house has its own guardian spirits who live in a small shrine at the front gate called the Penunggun Karang. These are intended to repel negative auras or people that attempt to enter a home, be it the ‘seen’ or the ‘unseen’. If people with bad intentions enter a home,
Traditional Daily Life in Bali’s Batuan Paintings
This painting by a woman artist, Ni Wayan Warti, has a stable composition and does not challenge the viewer with either complex iconography, or spatial ambiguity. This is a village at peace and, according to the artist, was done for her own satisfaction. The painting is called Galungan, after a major, island wide ceremony in
Kulidan Kitchen Space: Building Community Through Art, Education, Creativity, Activism & Food
One of the most satisfying phenomenon’s of Bali’s recent modern development has been the birth of an array of art and creative, multi-purpose spaces that serve as platforms for community co-working and engagement. Kulidan Kitchen Space, a new initiative in the rice fields of the Guwung village, Sukawati, fifteen minutes from Denpasar, is one such
Is This The End of The Ancestors’ Cult In Bali
The ancestors’ cult, for some reason, is deemed irrational. Is it for this reason that established religions are doing their best to eradicate it? Indonesia is a case in point, regarding both Islam and Balinese Hinduism. In Indonesian Islam, the main point of contention between the two principal Moslem organisations, Mohammadiah and Nadhadul Ulama, is
Pawang Hujan : Bali’s Mystic Rain Stoppers
With climate change taking effect around the planet, we can now expect to have downpours as early as September here in Bali, when the days are supposed to be sunny. So, in case you’re throwing an outdoor, cliff-edge party this month, you may have to consider involving a little bit of ‘magic’ to make sure
Manik Jiwa Dance
The dancers arrived at the stage just like a troop of warriors. Their feet pacing in perfect unison. They were dressed beautifully. Their costume is a modification of that found in the Baris soldier dance, a common traditional dance performed by male dancers. The costume shouts dominance with its bright red and gold, sparkling under
Gong Kebyar: Beautiful, Fast, Evolving
Kebyar means fast, the name Gong Kebyar is given to this genre of music because of its progressive rhythm and rapid tempo. It is one of several genres in the Balinese traditional music scene. Colin McPhee, in his book Music in Bali, wrote that according to his interview with A A Gde Gusti Jelantik, the
Depicting Traditional Daily Life in Batuan Paintings
The area located within the walls of the family compounds or village temples was familiar territory, not necessarily always peaceful or benevolent, but always comprehensible and manageable. Many paintings portray the different stages of an individual’s life, from birth to death. There are scenes of commonplace activities, portrayals of incidents and accidents, depictions of crimes
Megesah : Torturing the Newly Weds
Answer these questions – and quickly!“What is your name? Where do you come from? Why do you want to marry him? When was your first kiss with him? Is he a good lover, or just average?” Imagine this is you in the hot seat, with the village youth surrounding you, barraging you with all sorts
Keris: Bali’s Mystical Dagger
The widespread tales that a Keris traditional dagger possesses magical powers that allow it to fly or move by itself, even inside a locked cupboard have fascinated many. When making one, the empu (spiritual person who makes Keris) can infuse into the dagger any spiritual qualities and powers the owner desires. Many superstitious Keris owners
Images of Bali fuse with Old Masters paintings to create landmark pictorials
“I approach every magical day here in Bali with gratitude and wonder. Gratitude for having the joyful privilege of living on the gorgeous rice fields north of Ubud,” says Canadian avant-garde filmmaker and photographer Joel Singer who first visited Bali in 1979 and has lived here for the past decade. “I usually awaken with the
The Guardians of Bali’s Culture
Bali has been named one of the world’s top destinations several times now, but along with the tourist influx comes modernisation. Yet, amidst today’s modern Bali, where asphalted roads have taken over a good portion of rice fields, the sound of the traditional Gamelan music still echoes across the island, and the traditional sarong and
The Story of the Origin of Time
Bali is an extraordinary place in which, like in ancient Greece and India, there are still stories that can be read as stories, or as philosophical teaching. One of these stories is the Kala Tatwa, the story of the Lord of Time, Batara Kala. The story below is only a slightly edited version of the
