Bali 1928: Repatriating Bali’s Musical Memories
You can listen to a full interview with Bali 1928 in Episodes 23 and 24 of The NOW! Bali Podcast: “I haven’t heard this since I was a kid,” said Wayan Beratha upon hearing the scratchy recordings of a Balinese gamelan composition from 1928. The melodic tones of Curik Ngaras (Starlings Kissing) sparked a 70-year
Explaining the Role and Importance of Water in Bali | Episode 22
Listen to this article through the NOW! Bali Podcast: Available On:iTunes • Spotify • Google Podcasts • Pocket Casts • Radio Public From the gurgling mountain spring to the churning sea, water has many parts to play in Bali. It is a revered element incumbent in everyday life, at least for the Balinese Hindu, who are said to even take its form as they
Barong Landung: Beyond a Simple Love Story
Listen to this article through the NOW! Bali Podcast: Available On:iTunes • Spotify • Google Podcasts • Pocket Casts • Radio Public Found in most banjars across Bali, the distinct appearance of the Barong Landung characters are unmistakeable in the assortment of Balinese religious effigies. This conspicuous couple, always found together, are at face-value just symbols of an old Balinese love story. However, digging
Coming to Terms with Change in Bali (and of Bali)
Listen to this article through the NOW! Bali Podcast: Change is inevitable, and Bali is no stranger to change. It’s no stranger to development and improvement, as well being no stranger to deterioration and damage. What governs whether this inevitable change is positive or negative is those who are part of it, who contribute to
Music, Environment and Activism in Bali feat. Ewa Wojkowska & Robi Navicula | Episode 19
In this episode, host Eddy Speirs is joined by two special guests, Ewa Wojkowska & Robi Navicula. Together they discuss a range of topics, including plastic pollution, Bali’s environmental crisis, beliefs surrounding nature, the future of Bali’s agricultural communities and also the island’s vibrant music scene. The video interview version of this episode is also
Explaining Bali’s Subak System (and Why Rice Fields are Cultural Landscapes)
In this episode of the NOW! Bali Podcast we help to unpack the complex subak irrigation system found in Bali. This system is far more than just an agricultural feature, it is a socio-cultural organisation that not only helps to ensure fertility of Bali’s rice fields but creates a connection between God, people and nature.
Agama Tirta : Bali’s Religion of Water | Episode 17
Agama Tirta , the Religion of Water. This is what Balinese religion was often referred to before it’s official title of Hindu Dharma, as water was – and continues to be – an essential element in the rituals and even belief of the Balinese. Today’s episode is taken from one of Jean Couteau’s articles in
Understanding Bali : An Introduction to the Island of the Gods | Episode 16
Why is Bali the way it is? How is there a solitary Hindu island in the largest muslim country in the world (by population)? Why is its brand of Hinduism different than what is found in India? Why is it called the Island of the Gods? To understand everything we see in Bali today, it’s
Puppet Masters and the Power of Myth | Episode 15
Myths, folklore and stories in general are powerful forces. They are vessels in which morals and life lessons can be shared to societies, thus guiding them in the ‘right’ way of being. Myths are an important part of Balinese culture, mainly through the medium of the shadow puppet performance or ‘wayang kulit’. It is the
The Story of Galungan, Bali’s Most Important Ceremony | Episode 14
Galungan is one of the most important ceremonies on the Balinese calendar. The exact dates of this auspicious day are calculated through the 210-day Pawukon calendar, where the Galungan period will last 10 days. What makes this ceremony so special? What is its history and origins? Host Eddy Speirs shares the legend behind Galungan and why
How the Old Balinese ‘Experience’ Time | Episode 13
The way in which the older Balinese perceive time, and remember previous events, is not done in a measured and quantitative way – like we do in today’s world. In this story by Jean Couteau, ‘A Question of Time’, he illustrates the interesting way in which time is experienced by Bali’s older generations. Does it
Exploring Art in Bali, feat. Richard Horstman
Art has a long history on the island, and really was one of the early lures for tourism to the island back in the 1920s, since then the art industry has grown and grown and Balinese artists today find themselves on the global art stage. To help us navigate the interesting art landscape in Bali,
A New Vision for Indonesian Tourism
This week, our Publisher Alistair Speirs takes over the airwaves and shares his thoughts and analysis of tourism, and the new vision that Bali, and in fact all of Indonesia, should embrace in order to re-open the industry in the most effective and efficient way possible going forward. Listen to Episode 11: Available on your