The Sacred Topeng Sidakarya Dance
It looks far from beautiful; a mask displaying an old mans face with bucked teeh. Not every mask dancer is worthy of wearing this mask to dance though. It’s not down to the dancing skills, but more about the sacredness and the soul of the mask dance itself. That particular mask dance is called Topeng
Caste in Modern Balinese Hinduism
Since the puputans (fight to the end) of 1906 and 1908, which destroyed the political system of Bali and integrated the island into the Dutch-run archipelago, the Balinese quadripartite caste system (Brahmana, Satria, Wesia and Sudra) has undergone many changes, some inherent to the economic transformation of Balinese society itself, other origination in the exposure
Sebel: A Taste of Blood in Bali
Balinese society, like all societies, show numerous features of gender inequality in rights, status or simply behaviour. One of the most persistent imbalances pertains to the perception of female sexuality as being basically “impure” (sebel). Blood is associated in Balinese religion with negative forces, the butakalas. It is the main ingredient of the offerings addressed
Ngurek : A Suicidal Performance
Those who have watched the Barong and Rangda Dance, Bali’s dance performances, should have seen a group of men attempting to stab their chests with a sharp dagger. This segment ends with a priest who comes on stage, takes the dagger away before sprinkling the man with holy water that was offered to the Gods
Megibung: Bali’s Traditional Family Meal
In the life of the Balinese the spirit of togetherness i can be seen nearly everywhere. A wedding ceremony involves the entire Banjar Adat members, the administrator makes the arrangement and schedules so each member knows when he or she should come to the house of the family who holds the ceremony and helps with
Wayang Lemah
Leather puppet shows, locally called Wayang Kulit, are one of the ancient art performances of Bali. The puppet show is not merely a performance but also a media to spread religious teachings, positive moral value and important information about social and even environmental problems. During Bali’s early years, puppet shows used to be performed only
What About Love in Bali
Have you ever thought about what love making entails when you cross a border and change cultural background. You may say the basic working of the thing is similar, and, as a frequent traveler, I will tend to agree of course…But, as you know, in some countries, people eat bread, in others, rice. So while
A Balinese Wedding
Getting married, for a Balinese, means a huge life-changing event that begins with a big celebration that can take days. A wedding in Balinese tradition doesn’t only involve love between the couple, but it means making a relationship to the whole extended family as well as the institution that is built based on tradition and
Chinese-Indonesian Identity in the 21st Century
Identity, especially in a country as large and diverse as Indonesia, can be a confusing and somewhat muddled topic. For centuries, the Indonesian archipelago has been subject to the mixing of cultures, religions races, ethnicities and so on, resulting in the ‘Indonesian people’ of today. However, it is perhaps Chinese Indonesian identity that stands out the
Topeng Werda Lumaku: The Grandsire’s Dance
Watching a Topeng Dance (mask dance performance) we might think that the dance is far less complicated than other dances of Bali. But, actually to perform a mask dance, a dancer should go through a long and tough learning process. Not only to master a numbers of dance skills, but also to immerse themselves into
The March of the Barongs
Those friendly, loveable Balinese Barongs get up to all kinds of tricks. This lion like creature holds a most important place in the pantheon of Balinese gods, sacred spirits and mythology and is held in great reverence by every Balinese. For a banjar to own a beautiful barong is a sign of status and much
Lunacy in Bali
Children always follow him wherever he goes, shouting and throwing stones at him. He is about 40, dressed in rags, carrying a worn-out leather bag. On his head is a cardboard box containing various kinds of rags and a worn-out mat. He wears a shoe on one foot and a slipper on the other. His
Odalan: When The God’s Descend
On this wonderful island of the gods, occupied by thousands of temples, one of the most gorgeous celebrations is Odalan. Each temple celebrates its birthday every 210 days with extra large bookings during the full moons of April and October. Each temple is dressed to the hilt. Gold and white are the preferential colours and
