The Origin of Uluwatu and Why Fishermen Cannot Become Rich
Historian and art critic Jean Couteau brings us stories depicting the life on Bali, sometimes real, sometimes myth, always meaningful.
Ngulapin: The Art of Settling Souls
You may have seen, while driving, a white-dressed priest busy uttering some mantra on the side of the road, impervious to traffic. “Crazy,” you might have thought. And you were wrong, because the priest was there with a precise function: to bring meaning and balance to the “order of things”. What you saw was a
Arja: Beauty in Complexity
There may be many destinations with nature and sights more exquisite than Bali has to offer, but this little island of the ‘Lesser Sundas’ has things that cannot be found elsewhere, one of them being its distinctive and rich culture. In Bali, dances, music and other performances and artworks are part of the culture, tradition
Oleg Tambulilingan: The Buzz of Bees
Every thing, tiny or big, on Earth or even in outer space, can be a great inspiration for human beings to create something beautiful, meaningful and useful. Mrs. Arini Alit, a Balinese dance maestro, once told me that every pose and routine of a Balinese dance is inspired by nature. Agem, the stationary pose, should
Pagerwesi Day : Fortifying Against Evil
This is a special day on the Balinese Calendar; on Pagerwesi, the Balinese protect themselves from evil forces. Learn More: Pagerwesi Day has a close association with Saraswati Day. It falls four days after Saraswati, the day of knowledge and wisdom, tying in the two special holy days on the Balinese calendar. Pagerwesi commemorates the day upon which
The Panyembrama: Flowers, Smiles and Gentle Gestures
Despite there being thousands of beautiful destinations in the world, Bali remains unique, thanks to its culture. The growth of the tourism industry in Bali goes hand in hand with the preservation and even elaboration of culture and art on the island. The word ‘art’, funnily enough, doesn’t actually exist in the local dialect. However
Diksa
Diksa or divya jnyana is a ceremony, aimed at enabling one to receive divine revelation from the gods in order to diminish dark mind and achieve perfectness — this is one of the Sapta Angga character purification goals. In Bali, the initiation ceremony is done with a rebirthing ritual called ‘seda raga’, to search the
Melukat : Purification the Balinese Way
There is an abundance of magical places here on the island, including special holy water temples. Knowing that the Balinese see water as a symbol of life and purification, I thought that it would be the best Balinese method to heal and cleanse my way to wellness. So, I visited Tirta Empul and Tirta Sudamala
The Pendet: A Holy Welcome
In Bali, dance has been the opening to holy ceremonies for as long as we know. The Pendet was considered a sacred dance that was only performed at the temple during a holy ceremony. Following the development of tourism in Bali in 1967, I Wayan Rindi created a new choreography of the Pendet for public
Growing Old in Bali
Old Age and Religion Growing old means getting closer to the moment of death, which, according to the Balinese, opens the possibility of moksa, i.e, blending one’s human microcosm with the ultimate cosmic spirit, or God. In order to achieve this and not reincarnate, people have to live in accordance with the principles of cosmic
Interreligious Marriage: A Case of Balinese Tolerance
The Balinese know tolerance not only as a proclamation of intention, but also as a daily social practice. For one thing, there is no Balinese who claims that his or her religion is the only keeper of truth. Truth, they use to say, is beyond the apprehension of human kind. The “ethical” endeavour in the
The Dance of the Shepherd Boys
In 1983, a living legend of Balinese dance created a theatrical performance titled Stri Asadhu. A section of this fine performance highlights the daily activities of shepherds, but the plot thickens. The story begins with the shepherds busily working, when a lady comes asking for milk. A shepherd agrees to give the milk to the
The Clandestine Cockfight
You can always tell when a cockfight is going to happen in Bali. The first sign is the beautiful woven bamboo or rattan baskets held tightly on the back of a speeding motorbike as the proud owner makes his way to today’s specially selected spot. The next sign is a huge number of motorbikes crowded
