Bodily Care in Bali: Toothbrushing, Delousing & Bathing
Balinese are nowadays basically like you and me. So when they kiss, it is on the mouth. Yet, if you pay attention, or are in the middle of a kiss, you may notice a difference. All of a sudden, and without understanding his/her logic, you may see your Balinese partner take himself/herself off your mouth,
The Baris Tumbak Dance
Tradition, culture, ancestors’ spirits and a strong belief in a supreme God are elements that are respected in various forms through the practices of the Balinese Hindu. Those elements cannot be detached from each other as they complete each other, and the Balinese consistently acknowledge the importance of those elements in their life as well
A Sense of Style: Dressing Up for Ceremonies
The Balinese have an innate sense of style and nowhere is it becoming really apparent than when attending a ceremony. Their love of dressing up and decorating themselves and everything else in sight makes every ceremony absolutely gorgeous. Makeup is de rigour for dancers, with the boys painted up as much as the girls. While
The Dances of Bali: Art Performed
The island is host to countless dance performances; some are performed as a tourist attractions while others remain sacred and can only be performed in a temple or during a holy ceremony. rejang The Rejang dance can only be performed during a particular holy ceremony, such as Betara Turun Kabeh, an annual ceremony at the
Urban Canvas: Bali Street Art Makes a Statement
Street art and mural paintings are mushrooming, and have become one of the biggest attractions on the island’s south. We sat down with a Denpasar-based, famed street artist, visited the capital’s art institution, and snapped some of the island’s most staggering mural paintings. the street artist As his stage name suggests, Slinat (short for “silly
Through the Eyes of Balinese Painters
There’s a reason why Bali has so many art shops and galleries; the island is home to countless, exceptionally skillful artists, including remarkable painters. From the complex traditional canvasses capturing the island’s unique culture to the contemporary themes and styles, plenty of the highly collectible paintings created by Balinese painters have gone to international exhibitions
Changes in Balinese Religion: Hinduism Strengthens
When we talk about Balinese religion, we tend to immobilise it into intemporality, as if the kind of religious belief and practice that existed 100 years ago when the Dutch took over Bali, was still valid today. Of course the Balinese continue referring to a belief system that combines cult of ancestors and natural forces
The Barong And Keris Dance of Batubulan
Among the many Barong Dance performances on the island, the Barong and Keris Dance of Batubulan remains unique due to its focus on the Kunti Seraya story, a play that has been performed since the 30’s. An interesting documentation of this play was once written by Walter Spies in his book Dance and Drama In
Agama Tirta: Water, Water Everywhere
The Balinese revere water. Go to any holy place and you will find water present. Rushing rivers of pure, clear water, small trickling streams, holy springs or water spouts with water issuing forth from some sacred place deep within the earth are always present. In some places, water passes through ancient channels cut deep into
Ngerebeg and the Painted Boys of Tegallalang
Are they getting ready for a major music festival? Are they Vogue models? Is it Halloween? No they are Balinese boys engaged in a traditional ceremony. In Tegallalang and several other districts around Gianyar, the boys paint themselves up a storm before parading down the streets in a ceremony known as Ngerebeg . Before they
Magical Melukat: Purifying Our Mind, Body & Soul
Lost in the hills of Bangli is one of Bali’s most magical situations. People from all over Bali go to this beautiful spot, hidden behind verdant rice fields to cleanse their souls and bodies and maybe even heal their hearts. Melukat is just one of Bali’s magical rituals which involves using water as a ritual
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
