Culture, temples and the arts (page 2)
Ceremonies, temples, dance, galleries, language and history.
Bahasa Indonesia: Transport
Here are some words in Indonesian relating to transport Vehicle - kendaraan Carriage - kereta Bicycle - sepeda Bike - sepeda Motorcycle - sepeda motor Taxi - taksi Station wagon - mobil penjemput…
Bahasa Indonesia: Weather
Here are some words in Indonesian to do with weather. Climate - iklim Air - udara Weather - cuaca Sky - langit Mist / fog - kabut Dew - embun Rain - hujan Snow - salju Ice - es Shower - hujan anjin…
Bahasa Indonesia: The warung
Here's a little tune up on some words in Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian) relating to a warung .
Balinese names
Balinese names run according to the caste system and position within a family relating to lineage.
Mau ikan apa? What kind of meat do you want?
The Indonesian word for fish is ikan , the word for meat, daging . Sometimes this gets a bit confused, especially in local warungs.
Bali Taksu Film Festival
Bali is to get its own film festival later this year. The Bali Taksu Film Festival will take place in October and aims to attract not only Hollywood celebrities, but production companies seeking…
Banjar Bali: Village level government
Every area in Bali is run by a local banjar with the male heads of each family representing each family.
Balinese temple layout
Balinese temple design is a fascinating subject in its own right. Everything from the layout, to the structures to the decoration has a specific function.
Recorded music from Bali
Bali as well as the rest of Indonesia has a long musical tradition. Visitors to Bali may want to take a memory of the trip home with them, in the form of a music CD.
Balinese wedding: Pantomime meets tradition
Bali is all about tradition, religion and ceremony, governed under a system known as adat .
Puputan: Balinese ritual mass suicide
Balinese history has been largely influenced by outsiders. One group of outsiders, who have a history of violence and destruction, wherever they went were the Europeans.
Oleg Tambulilingan: The Balinese Bubblebee dance
Balinese culture has many creative and weird dances that are performed at temple ceremonies and for tourists on occasion.
The Balinese kris
The kris or wiggly knife associated with parts of SE Asia has a long history. There is actually more than one theory about the origin of the kris .
The Sacred Kris: Indonesian traditional knife
The kris or keris is a distinctive, asymmetrical dagger indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and the southern Philippines.
Pura Ulun Danau Bratan
Pura Ulun Danau Bratan on the shores of Lake Bratan is one of Bali's kayangan jagat (directional temples) and protects Bali from evil spirits from the NW.
Important people in Bali: Rudolf Bonnet
Rudolf Bonnet was one of Bali's most influential foreign artists. During his time in Bali, Bonnet was well connected with other leading foreign artists such as Walter Spies , Balinese royalty…
The Wallace Line: Division between Asia and Australasia
The Wallace Line (or Wallace's Line) is a boundary that separates the zoogeographical regions of Asia and Australasia .
Important people in Bali: Suharto
Suharto was President of Indonesia for over 30 years. While his focus was not Bali, there is no doubt he had a huge impact on Bali and the rest of Indonesia.
Black Magic in Indonesia
Bali has many traditional ceremonies and rituals that a visitor can observe and participate in. Attending a Balinese ceremony inside a temple with local friends can be a magical experience.
Important People in Bali: Donald Friend
Former long term Bali expat, Donald Friend was one of the most important foreign artists to live in Bali.
Swiss Films in Bali
Bali has a Swiss film festival currently showing. Opening night was Sunday March 25th at the Sofitel on Jl. Dhyana Pura in Seminyak.
The Neka Art Museum: Ubud Bali
When visitors to Bali ask where they can see see the finest examples of Balinese art, they are often directed to the Neka Art Museum in Campuhan, close to Ubud.
How some tourists celebrated Nyepi in Bali
Nyepi takes some people by surprise, especially tourists. Who can blame them, one minute its monsters being wheeled down the street in a party atmosphere, the next everything is pitch black and no…
Sasak: The Language of Lombok
In Lombok people speak Bahasa Indonesia like the Balinese and also have their own Sasak language. The Sasak language is spoken by the Sasak ethnic group, which make up the majority of the population.
Night before Nyepi in Seminyak Bali
Seminyak is the center of expat activities in Bali. Sunday was another beautiful sunny day with one exception, Nyepi , the Day of Silence was looming and for people used to creature comforts within…
Preparations for Nyepi in Bali
The 2 biggest Balinese ceremonies of the year are Galungan and Nyepi. One of the best aspects of these celebrations is that every village in Bali takes part.
Nyepi: The Balinese Day of Silence
Nyepi is the day of the year where Balinese tradition comes into direct conflict with the 21st Century. During Nyepi Day, all usual island functions stop, no one allowed outside including tourists.
Melasti ceremony in Bali
There was something in the air in Bali today. Every Balinese person in warungs, shops and hotels was in traditional attire. The special occassion was Melasti, a part of Nyepi.
Important people in Bali history: Antonio Blanco
Bali is an island of artists, or so it might seem at times. One of the famous foreign artists to live in Bali was Antonio Blanco, or 'the Maestro' as he liked to be called.
Important People in Bali: Schapelle Corby
Schapelle Corby is a name that conjures up all the bad things that can happen to a person in Bali. Here is a breakdown of the Schapelle Corby story, by Wikipedia.
Important people in Bali: Arie Smit
Arie Smit is one of Bali's most well known foreign born artists. Born is Holland in 1916, he became an Indonesian citizen in 1950 and still lives in Bali.
Kaya Natural Whole Sale: Incense in Legian Bali
Incense are a part of Balinese people's daily life. Used in offerings at temples, in the family and on the street, a lit incense stick brings holiness to the offering.
Warung Segara: Tanah Lot Bali
Tanah Lot is overloaded with commercial stuff, but today I did buy something. As Devin and I checked out the fresh water spring at the base of the temple, it began to rain.
Visiting Tanah Lot Bali
A sunny afternoon turned into a cloudy afternoon. That didn't stop Devin and I from making a trip to the coastal temple of Tanah Lot.
Pura Luhur Uluwatu Bali
Pura Luhur Uluwatu on the western tip of the Bukit Peninsula offers a spectacular location to see a Balinese dance.
Bali gearing up for Chinese New Year
With Valentine's Day out of the way, Bali can now focus on getting ready for the upcoming Chinese New Year.
Pura Dalem Bualu Bali
Riding up the hill from Bualu close to Nusa Dua, one comes across a local market type scene.
Cockfighting spurs in Bali
Cockfighting is part of Balinese life, at least for the men. Traditionally, blood has to be spilt for certain ceremonies, so a cockfight is taken seriously , both for entertainment and culture.
Lola: Dance instructor in Seminyak Bali
Exploring one of the back roads in Seminyak yesterday, I wandered into thE sunseT (not a typo). This bar, restaurant is set back from the quiet lane, at Jl.
Barong Landung: Scary monsters in Bali
Balinese Agama Hindu is full of wild creations, monsters, demons and manifestations of Gods. One of the exhibits at the Bali Museum is the Barong Landung, which means, 'tall Barong'.
Bhuta Yadnya: Balinese purification ritual
The Bhuta Yadnya is a ritual which is intended to neutralize the evil power of bhutakala (evil spirits) that often bring misfortune, chaos, sickness and even death.
Manusa Yadnya: A Balinese ritual for babies
The Manusa Yadnya is a rite towards human beings, which is intended to purify one's self from leteh (unholiness and misfortune), as well as to avoid temptations, causing disaster and death.
An evening with Dr. Lawrence Blair
Dr. Lawrence Blair is one of Bali's most famous faces. Together with his late brother Lorne, he travelled the eastern islands of Indonesia, exploring and documenting the culture of distant islands.
Museum Blanco: Campuhan Bali
Last night Ika was telling me her mother wanted to visit Ubud, because there was a place on Indonesian TV, that a celebrity couple had been married.
Indonesian mother-in-law in Seminyak Bali
My mother-in-law is visiting right now, staying in Kuta with Ika's bother and sister. She's around everyday, which is okay with me, as she enjoys playing with Jevon.
Balinese fighting dance in East Bali
Balinese fighting dance, I know what you're thinking, slam dancing, head banging. Its not quite like that, but blood can be spilt.
Ubud dance performance at the Royal Palace
A couple of weeks ago I attended a dance permance at the Royal Palace in Ubud , along with my friends from Oregon. Located on the main street, Jl.
Idul Adha in Bali Indonesia
Today is a very important day for Muslims around the world, including those here in Bali.
Balinese fishermen in East Bali
Some of my best memories in East Bali, are of hanging out with local guys getting into the tuak (palm beer).
Odalan ceremony in Ubud Bali
Ubud is a part of Bali that takes its ceremonies seriously. Here things are done in a slightly more fancy way, as if they feel they have to live up to something.
Balinese culture strong in Ubud
One could argue that Balinese culture is strong all over Bali. I don’t dispute that, but here in Ubud it seems the ceremonies are performed with more grandeur and people don’t do things by half…
Rice: A central part of life in Bali
Rice is the Balinese staple. Ask anyone 'Sudah Makan?' (already eat?) And they will say, 'Yes, makan nasi', which means, yes, rice.
Preparations for a cremation ceremony in Seminyak Bali
Seminyak has its fair share of temples, being a dencely packed area. Across from Bintang supermarket, at the end of a gang (alley) is Pura Dalem Kahyangan .
The Le Mayeur Museum: Sanur Bali
One of Bali's famous expats was Adrien Jean Le Mayeur de Merpes , a Belgian painter , who came to Bali in 1932 .
Prasasti Blanjong : Sanur Bali
Prasasti Blanjong is the site of one of the oldest man-made objects in Bali. Today I callled my friend mike who lives in Sanur , to see if he was interested in checking out Prasasti Blanjong.
Smaller museums in Ubud Bali
Ubud has some great museums such as the ARMA, Neka and Museum Blanco (for those with a sense of humor). Ubud also has some great smaller museums and here are a few.
Hari Raya Kuningan in Bali
Selamat Hari Raya Kuningan. Saturday December 9th is Kuningan, the end of the Galungan celebration, in which ancestors descend to Earth. On this day the Gods and spirits return to heaven.
Communicating in Indonesia: Slang terms
Indonesia is rich with languages. The national language itself, Bahasa Indonesia, is a conglomeration of over a dozen languages. As in every language, new words and slang terms are rife.
Buffalo Races in Lovina Bali
Negara isn't the only place in Bali where you can see a buffalo race. The sport is popular in Lovina, to be exact, in the village of Kaliasem. The tradition originated in Madura, is NE Java.
Balinese symbolism explained
Balinese Agama Hindu is the backbone upon which this island's culture rests. It has mixed elements of native animist beliefs with newer ideas coming from India, starting 2,000-3,000 years ago.
Opium trading in Bali
Did you know there was opium trading in Bali. No I'm not talking about Seminyak on a saturday night, I mean back in colonial times, where the 'damn locals' were merely a tool, for pompous Europeans…
Lesser known Balinese Ceremonies
Exploring the cultural calendar in Bali, means getting to know some of the important Balinese ceremonies. Barrie wrote a good article, on some of the lesser known ceremonies in Bali.
Galungan in Kuta Bali
Galungan is the most important ceremony on the Balinese calendar. Most Balinese people get to go home to their village, to participate in family ceremonies.
The Bali Aga: The original inhabitants of Bali
Bali is rich in history and tradition. With various waves of migration from Java, the cultural complexity was amplified.
Sanggeh Monkey Forest Bali
Bali has a wealth of 'monkey forests' and a while back, I took a trip to probably the most famous, the Sanggeh Monkey Forest (Bukit Sari).
Visiting the Lempad House in Ubud Bali
Bali has a list of famous artists from the 20th century. One of the most famous was I Gusti Nyoman Lempad , painter and sculptor, who is best know for his ink drawings of mythical Balinese Hindu…
Galungan coming next week in Bali
Galungan is the most important ceremony of the year (210 day lunar cycle), for Balinese people.
The Blanco Renaissance Museum in Ubud Bali
Ubud is truly an arts center, and one unique museum of an original foreign artist, is the Blanco Renaissance Museum (or Museum Blanco).
Pura Luhur Uluwatu Bali
Pura Luhur Uluwatu is one of Bali's kayangan jagat (directional temples) and guards Bali from evil spirits from the SW.
Threads Of Life in Ubud Bali
Ubud is a cultural center of Bali, a place many visitors head straight for, with the intention of enjoying the art, paintings, carvings, sculptures etc.
Simon's Art Zoo: Ubud Bali
Bali is rich with art museums. One of the weirdest is Simon's Art Zoo, in Ubud. If you need a break from the traditional Baliense art scene, why not drop into Simon's?
The Le Mayeur Museum in Sanur Bali
The history of Bali is dotted with foreigners who spent time here and somehow made a difference. One of those people was Belgian artist Adrien Jean Le Mayeur de Merpres (1880-1958).
Wetu Telu Muslims celebrate Idul Fitri in Lombok
One of the most interesting religious groups in Indonesia are the Wetu Telu . Basically Muslim, they have their own version of Islam as well as sharing a temple with local Hindu's.
Islam & Mysticism in Indonesia
Indonesia is predomintantly Muslim but underlying that fact are a strong set of locally held beliefs, pre-dating Islam. The Balinese have made some of therse beliefs a part of their Hindu religion.
Basa Bali: Is learning Balinese a good idea?
Basa Bali, the language of the Balinese has some similarities with Bahasa Indonesia. It is though, a separate language in its own right.
Cockfighting in Bali explained
Cockfighting is part of the Balinese landscape. Anyone who drives around the island, especially on Sundays, will see large whicker baskets contains the fighting cocks at the roadside.
Attending a ceremony as a bule in Bali
Today in Tabanan, for a good while at least, I was the only ' bule ' in a crowd of Balinese locals.
Balinese wedding in Tabanan Bali-part IV
It occured to me today, that a Balinese local, is really directed through life, like a river reaching the ocean.
Balinese wedding in Tabanan Bali-part III
Wayan's sister Kadek drove me over to the other family's house, were the ceremony was being held . There I met her husband, a great guy named Made.
Balinese wedding in Tabanan Bali-part II
As is traditional in Balinese weddings, there was a guest book and a donation box at the entrance. I put in 100,000rp, hope it gets to Wayan.
Balinese wedding in Tabanan Bali-part I
Wayan from Cafe Seminyak , invited me to her wedding in Tabanan . This morning I got the pembantu from next door, Ketut, to come over and properly tie my sarong.
Getting invited to a Balinese wedding
This morning at Cafe Seminyak, one of the waitresses invited me to her wedding. The way they do things over here sometimes makes me laugh.
Start of Idul Fitri in Indonesia - for some Muslims
The month of Ramadan had ended and the Idul Fitri week of celebrations, has begun in Indonesia...for some Muslims.
Lontar engraving in Tenganan Bali
Balinese artist, Kadek Ardita, showed me his family's collection of Geringsings . He also sells single ikats, batiks and cloths made from kashmir-like material. His art is actually engraving.
Tenganan Dauh Tukad
Tenganan Dauh Tukad is the watered down version of Tenganan proper. People were friendly , but I was escorted to the ' donation booth ' after arriving. I gave 10,000rp, take it or shake it.
Candi Dasa: History
As far as tourism is concerned, Candi Dasa was a sleepy fishing village until it was discovered by the hippie in the 60's.
History of the Spice Islands: Banda-part II
After the Dutch got a foothold in the Banda's, they went all out to gain a monopoly on the spice trade. Here's how it happened.
History of the Spice Islands: Banda-part I
Reading through an account of the history of the Spice Islands , the name Banda come up.
History of Klungkung Bali
The town of Klungkung is the capital of Klungkung regency, which includes the islands surrounding Nusa Lembongan. Most tourists don't visit Klungkung, but it has an important history.
Gunarsa Museum of Classical & Modern Art: Klungkung Bali
Also known as Museum Seni Lukis Klasik Bali , the Gunarsa Museum of Classical & Modern Art, is located in the town of Klungkung . The museum was founded by Dr.
Interactions and perceptions in Bali
Living in Bali offers a westerner, an almost fantasy lifestyle. I say offers, because not everyone attains that level of fantasy.
Balinese history: Pan & Men Brayut
Balinese Hindu mythology and local Balinese history , are colorful affairs, with many cute stories of how Balinese people have faced probelems and dealt with them.
How problems get solved in Indonesia
Dealing with problems is an interesting subject here in Indonesia. Its easy to say that the 2 ways people deal with problems are 1) to pay for a solution, and 2) to get a mob.
Slash & burn: Why do Indonesians still do it?
The news right now is full of articles about the SE Asian 'haze', which blankets part of the region, in wood smoke, created for the most part in Kalimantan and Sumatra.
Bali Bombing anniversary ceremony in Kuta Bali
The Bali Bombing anniversary ceremony in Kuta Bali will take place at 3pm today at 'ground zero'.
Bali police on high alert for Bombing anniversary
Police in Bali are going all out to protect visitors from any new terrorist actions. According to the Jakarta Post, 11,500 cops will be on hand, securing the roads surrounding 'Ground Zero', in Kuta.
Visiting Besakih temple Bali
Besakih is known as the 'Mother Temple' in Bali. The largest and most important temple on the island, it sits on the western slopes of Gunung Agung .
Islam wasn't sharp enough to convert the Balinese
Bali is a Hindu island in the middle of a predominately Muslim country. At one stage much of Indonesia was Hindu and the Majapahit empire, was eventually taken over , in 1515, by the Muslim Mataram…
Art in Klungkung Bali: Kamesan village and Art Center
Balinese painting has gone through a number of stages in its development, one of which is the wayang style.
Bali bombing interviews
When I arrived in Bali in January 2003, I set about interviewing Balinese locals , who were present during the bombings and the Sari Club and Paddy's.