Spirits and Gods of the Mountain
One of the main problems when talking about Balinese “religion” is related to the very fact of “defining” it, and beyond, to the fact that by defining it, we frame it in a conceptual framework, we associate to its boundaries that do not exist in the mind of the people involved. The misunderstandings that ensue
Nawanatya Cultural Carnival Begins
On the 3rd of March 2018, situated at the heart of Denpasar, right in front of the governor’s official residence, a cultural art carnival was held as part of a series of activities to mark the opening of Bali MandaraNawanatya 2018, an annual event held in Bali Art Centre in Denpasar on the weekend starting
Coming Clean: The Melukat Cleanse
It’s six thirty am and we are meeting at the carpark of Tirtha Empul, Bali’s most well known holy spring. This Hindu Balinese water temple in the cool highlands founded in 942 AD sees hundreds of visitors a day, coming to do a melukat or ritual cleanse. Surrounded by bathing pools and old growth trees
In Need of Refuge: The Other Side of the Volcano
While visitors in the south brave Bali’s holiest mountain, the volcanic, Gunung Agung continues to engage, fascinate and terrify visitors and Balinese alike. But in fact for visitors, their lives are little affected by the volcano’s activity as there is not much effect except a possible rare delayed flight and even that is not
Cult of the Mountain and Ancestors
Text Jean Couteau with Wayan Westa, Photos by Georges Breguet It all started very simply, the shrills of insect, followed by the frightened shriek of crows and other birds. Then all over the slopes, it was the rumbling down of screaming monkeys. By then, the trembling of the ground had become first a tremor,
Dipping in the Kool Aid: Bali Prison Inmates Show Artistic Talents
What is the value of human life? How does our society appraise personal endeavour, imagination and creativity when the priority of doctors and medical staff in hospitals is the preservation of life? Governments and penal systems assess prisoners as having little to contribute to community, some electing to terminate the lives of ‘serious offenders’ through
The Unfortunate Charm of the Legong Dancer
Like everything, wise Balinese men will tell you, even their island too is subjected to the law of the Rwabhinneda, the complementary opposites. Light and Darkness; male and female; good and bad; serious and funny, and so forth. I spend much of my writing time talking about the positive, or funny sides of Balinese culture,
Windee Winata: Focusing on the Mysterious
Bali is an extraordinary visual experience, equalled by few other locations on earth. From the spectacular, shimmering landscapes, to the architectural and sculpturally magnificent structures and monuments, the grandeur of festivals and ceremonies, and the grace of the Balinese. It is vibrant and rich in photogenic subjects that incite wonder and euphoria that continually seduces
Tragic Love in the Stories of Balinese Dance
Love is an absurdly warm feeling full of complexity. Love stories can end up being happily ever after or, alternatively, manifest into agony and hatred. Romance is a sedative that triggers the creative mind to express oneself, a great inspiration for artists. In the hands of talented artists, a bloody war caused by love can
Bali’s Citra Sasmita: In The Spotlight of Indonesian Contemporary Art
The most significant display of contemporary art on the island during 2015 featured many of Bali’s finest artists exhibiting side-by-side with emerging talent. Violent Bali – Bali Art Intervention #1, opened at the Tony Raka Art Gallery, Ubud in November presenting eighty-five works raising issues such as identity, gender and cultural conflicts, and the New
The Balinese Gigolo
When he pulled up next to me, riding his big BMW bike, I immediately knew he was a beach boy, a “Kuta cowboy”, as we say here. His long hair was red from too much sun and salt. He was broad-shouldered, darkly handsome and looked straight into your eyes in an almost provocative way, very
Witnessing The Lingsar: A Journey Across the Sea
Every Balinese dance has a story, including The Lingsar, which shares the history between Lombok and Bali. The King of Karangasem sent Anak Agung Ketut Karangasem to the land of the Sasak, Lombok Island, with a troop of followers. Ida Pedandan Ketut Sebali, a holy man also accompanied Ketut Karangasem on this journey. After days
Balinese Living Arts: Ubud’s Newest Cultural Performances
Immerse yourself in a brand new cultural exposé in Ubud with Balinese Living Arts; two daily performances that blend drama, dance and music to present some of the island’s most treasured stories. Not a day goes by in Bali when a traditional dance is not being performed, whether it is the youthful apprentices practicing in the village
