Bali’s Own Version of ESG
Sustainability is, thankfully, all the rage these days, as people finally get to grips with their personal and corporate responsibilities to the planet and to the communities in which they live. Some people measure their personal carbon footprint to try to limit the damage they do to the environment through travelling by plane, train or
Spirit of Bali: The Rise of Arak
Arak. It is the drink of both celebration and ceremony here in Bali, used at social as well as religious gatherings. Needless to say it has its role and part to play in everyday life on the island — it is, quite literally, the spirit of Bali. However, its initial introduction into ‘modern life’ was
SoleFamily Bali’s Mission to Open a Pioneering Outreach Centre in North Bali
To residents of Bali and regular visitors to the island, the name Solemen Indonesia surely is one that many will recognise. Founded in 2011 by a group of dedicated and compassionate people, Solemen Indonesia has worked tirelessly to provide health and medical care to the poor and marginalised who otherwise struggle to get the help
Bali Children and Kartika Soekarno Foundations Give Balinese Children a Brighter Future
For over two decades, the Kartika Soekarno Foundation (KSF) has strived to ensure that the lives of Indonesian children in remote and impoverished villages experience an ideal first thousand days of life since the foundation’s establishment in 1998. Upholding the ethos of Gotong Royong, a mutual cooperation where communities come together and women empower each
Homogenisation, Dilution and Disorganisation
Sounds like a food processing factory, doesn’t it? But that’s not what I’m talking about; it all refers to our much loved, but not much cared for, destinations, here in Indonesia, and to a great extent, all over the world. I used to be in the insurance business and we spent a lot of time
Keeping the Craft Alive: New Canvases, New Opportunities
How do some traditions remain whilst others die out? Why can some knowledge be passed down to the next generation whilst others are lost forever in time? On an island where culture is truly alive it is easy to assume that traditions will always remain, but that is not the case. To remain they must
Empu Keris: Master Forgers of the Sacred Dagger
The keris is an ancient weapon, a sacred dagger dating back to at least the age of the Majapahit Kingdom, though some say further. To make a sacred weapon takes more than just skill, it requires an infusion of spirituality that gives each dagger its power: this is the gift of the empu keris. “We
Living and Learning in Bali: Personal Perspectives from the Bali Island School
In collaboration with Bali Island School, NOW! Bali engaged the school students in a writing competition to hear their personal opinions on what life is like on the island. The students were asked to write up to 500 words around the theme “The Lessons that Bali Teaches Me”. The writing task prompted the students to
Keeping the Craft Alive: Leaf Weaving in New Dimensions
How do some traditions remain whilst others die out? Why can some knowledge be passed down to the next generation whilst others are lost forever in time? On an island where culture is truly alive it is easy to assume that traditions will always remain, but that is not the case. To remain they must
John Hardy: Empowered by a Renewed Craft
One of Bali’s biggest success stories is John Hardy, a homegrown artisanal tradition gone international. The global appreciation of the brand’s handcrafted jewellery has not only fuelled the continuation of a craft, it has helped to shape the island’s reputation as more than just a holiday destination — that it is an island populated by
Keeping the Craft Alive: The Stories on the Tapestries
How do some traditions remain whilst others die out? Why can some knowledge be passed down to the next generation whilst others are lost forever in time? On an island where culture is truly alive it is easy to assume that traditions will always remain, but that is not the case. To remain they must
Branding the ‘Perfect Island’
Do you instinctively know if something is right or possibly more easily feel it when something is wrong? Do you stop and go “hmmm, that ain’t quite right”. Or are you a “shrugger” and just say it’s really not your business? I’m afraid I am very much one of the former. I spend a lot
The Breeding Grounds of the Begawan Foundation
Beginning with a mission to conserve the critically-endangered Bali starling, over the years the Begawan Foundation has itself grown alongside the population of Bali’s endemic bird. Their operations centred in Melinggih Kelod, Payangan, have become breeding grounds, not only for starlings, but for youth education and regenerative farming programs, all of which work in synergy