Bali
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This article
is about the Indonesian island. For other uses, see Bali (disambiguation).
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Bali
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— Province —
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Motto: Bali Dwipa Jaya (Kawi)
(Glorious Bali Island) |
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Location of Bali in Indonesia
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Coordinates (Denpasar):
 8°39′S
115°13′E / 8.65°S 115.217°ECoordinates: 8°39′S
115°13′E / 8.65°S 115.217°E |
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Government
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- Governor
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Area
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- Total
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5,632.86 km2 (2,174.9 sq mi)
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Population (2010)
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- Total
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3,891,428
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- Density
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690.8/km2 (1,789.3/sq mi)
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Demographics
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- Religion
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Indonesian (official), Balinese
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Website
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Bali is an Indonesian
island
located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java
to the west and Lombok
to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar
towards the south of the island.
With a
population recorded as 3,891,000 in 2010,[2] the island is
home to most of Indonesia's small Hindu minority. In the 2000 census about 92.29% of Bali's
population adhered to Balinese Hinduism while most of the
remainder follow Islam. It is also the largest tourist destination in the
country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including traditional
and modern dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking,
and music.
Bali, despite being a tourist haven for decades, has seen a surge in tourist
numbers in recent years.
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Contents
[hide]
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[edit] History
Main
article: History of Bali
Bali was
inhabited by about 2000 BC by Austronesian peoples who migrated
originally from Taiwan
through Maritime Southeast Asia.[3] Culturally and
linguistically, the Balinese are thus closely related to the peoples of the
Indonesian archipelago, the Philippines, and Oceania.[4] Stone tools
dating from this time have been found near the village of Cekik in the island's
west.[5]
In ancient
Bali, nine Hindu sects existed, namely Pasupata, Bhairawa, Siwa Shidanta,
Waisnawa, Bodha, Brahma, Resi, Sora and Ganapatya. Each sect revered a specific
deity as its personal Godhead.[6]
Balinese
culture was strongly influenced by Indian and Chinese, and particularly Hindu culture, beginning
around the 1st century AD. The name Bali dwipa ("Bali island")
has been discovered from various inscriptions, including the Blanjong pillar
inscription written by Sri Kesari Warmadewa in 914 AD and
mentioning "Walidwipa". It was during this time that the complex
irrigation system subak was developed to grow rice. Some
religious and cultural traditions still in existence today can be traced back
to this period. The Hindu Majapahit
Empire (1293–1520 AD) on eastern Java
founded a Balinese colony
in 1343. When the empire declined, there was an exodus of intellectuals,
artists, priests, and musicians from Java to Bali in the 15th century.
The first European contact with Bali is thought to
have been made in 1585 when a Portuguese ship foundered off the Bukit
Peninsula and left a few Portuguese in the service of Dewa Agung.[7] In 1597 the Dutch
explorer Cornelis de Houtman arrived at Bali and, with
the establishment of the Dutch East India Company in 1602, the
stage was set for colonial control two and a half centuries later when Dutch
control expanded across the Indonesian archipelago throughout the second half
of the nineteenth century (see Dutch East
Indies). Dutch political and economic control over Bali began in the
1840s on the island's north coast, when the Dutch pitted various distrustful
Balinese realms against each other.[8]
In the late 1890s, struggles between Balinese kingdoms in the island's south
were exploited by the Dutch to increase their control.
The Dutch
mounted large naval and ground assaults at the Sanur region in 1906 and were
met by the thousands of members of the royal family and their followers who
fought against the superior Dutch force in a suicidal puputan
defensive assault rather than face the humiliation of surrender.[8]
Despite Dutch demands for surrender, an estimated 1,000 Balinese marched to
their death against the invaders.[9] In the Dutch intervention in Bali (1908),
a similar massacre occurred in the face of a Dutch assault in Klungkung.
Afterwards the Dutch governors were able to exercise administrative control
over the island, but local control over religion and culture generally remained
intact. Dutch rule over Bali came later and was never as well established as in
other parts of Indonesia such as Java and Maluku.
In the
1930s, anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory
Bateson, and artists Miguel Covarrubias and Walter Spies,
and musicologist Colin McPhee created a western image of Bali as
"an enchanted land of aesthetes at peace with themselves and nature",
and western tourism first developed on the island.[10]
Balinese
dancers show for tourists, Ubud.
Imperial
Japan occupied Bali during World War II.
Bali Island was not originally a target in their Netherlands East Indies
Campaign, but as the airfields on Borneo were inoperative due to heavy rains and considering
that Bali Island didn't have that kind of rainfall, it was soon decided by the Imperial Japanese Army to occupy the island.
The island had no regular Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
(KNIL) troops. There was only a Native Auxiliary Corps Prajoda (Korps Prajoda)
consisting of about 600 native soldiers and several Dutch KNIL officers under
command of KNIL Lieutenant Colonel W.P. Roodenburg. On 19 February 1942 the
Japanese forces landed near the town of Senoer. The island was quickly
captured.[11]
During the
Japanese occupation a Balinese military officer, Gusti Ngurah Rai, formed a Balinese 'freedom
army'. The lack of institutional changes from the time of Dutch rule however,
and the harshness of war requisitions made Japanese rule little better than the
Dutch one.[12]
Following Japan's Pacific surrender in August 1945, the Dutch promptly returned
to Indonesia, including Bali, immediately to reinstate their pre-war colonial
administration. This was resisted by the Balinese rebels now using Japanese
weapons. On 20 November 1946, the Battle of Marga was fought
in Tabanan in central Bali. Colonel I Gusti Ngurah Rai, by then 29 years old,
finally rallied his forces in east Bali at Marga Rana, where they made a suicide
attack on the heavily armed Dutch. The Balinese battalion was
entirely wiped out, breaking the last thread of Balinese military resistance.
In 1946 the Dutch constituted Bali as one of the 13 administrative districts of
the newly proclaimed State of East Indonesia, a rival state to
the Republic of Indonesia which was proclaimed and headed by Sukarno
and Hatta.
Bali was included in the "Republic of the United States of Indonesia"
when the Netherlands recognised Indonesian independence on 29 December 1949.
The 1963
eruption of Mount Agung killed thousands, created economic
havoc and forced many displaced Balinese to be transmigrated to other parts of
Indonesia. Mirroring the widening of social divisions across Indonesia in the
1950s and early 1960s, Bali saw conflict between supporters of the traditional caste system,
and those rejecting these traditional values. Politically, this was represented
by opposing supporters of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and the Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI), with
tensions and ill-feeling further increased by the PKI's land reform programs.[8]
An attempted coup in Jakarta was put down
by forces led by General Suharto. The army became the dominant power as it
instigated a violent anti-communist purge,
in which the army blamed the PKI for the coup. Most estimates suggest that at
least 500,000 people were killed across Indonesia, with an estimated 80,000
killed in Bali, equivalent to 5% of the island's population.[13] With no Islamic
forces involved as in Java and Sumatra, upper-caste PNI landlords led the
extermination of PKI members.[14]
As a result
of the 1965/66 upheavals, Suharto was able to manoeuvre Sukarno out of the presidency, and his "New Order" government
reestablished relations with western countries. The pre-War Bali as
"paradise" was revived in a modern form, and the resulting large
growth in tourism has led to a dramatic increase in Balinese standards of
living and significant foreign exchange earned for the country.[8]
A bombing in 2002 by militant Islamists
in the tourist area of Kuta
killed 202 people, mostly foreigners. This attack, and another in 2005, severely affected tourism,
bringing much economic hardship to the island. Tourist numbers have now
returned to levels before the bombings.
[edit] Geography
See also: List of bodies of water in Bali and
List of mountains in Bali
Topography
of the island
The island
of Bali lies 3.2 km (2 mi) east of Java,
and is approximately 8 degrees south of the equator.
Bali and Java are separated by the Bali Strait.
East to west, the island is approximately 153 km (95 mi) wide and
spans approximately 112 km (69 mi) north to south; its land area is
5,632 km².
Bali's
central mountains include several peaks over 3,000 metres in elevation. The
highest is Mount Agung (3,142 m), known as the
"mother mountain" which is an active volcano.
Mountains range from centre to the eastern side, with Mount Agung the
easternmost peak. Bali's volcanic nature has contributed to its exceptional
fertility and its tall mountain ranges provide the high rainfall that supports
the highly productive agriculture sector. South of the mountains is a broad
steadily descending area where most of Bali's large rice crop is grown. The
northern side of the mountains slopes more steeply to the sea and is the main
coffee producing area of the island, along with rice, vegetables and cattle.
The longest river, Ayung River, flows approximately 75 km.
The island
is surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend
to have white sand while those in the north and west have black sand.
Bali has no major waterways, although the Ho River is navigable by small sampan
boats. Black sand beaches between Pasut and Klatingdukuh are being developed
for tourism, but apart from the seaside temple of Tanah Lot,
they are not yet used for significant tourism.
The largest
city is the provincial capital, Denpasar, near the southern coast. Its population is around
491,500(2002). Bali's second-largest city is the old colonial capital, Singaraja,
which is located on the north coast and is home to around 100,000 people. Other
important cities include the beach resort, Kuta, which is practically
part of Denpasar's urban area; and Ubud, which is north of Denpasar, and is known as the island's
cultural centre.
Three small
islands lie to the immediate south east and all are administratively part of
the Klungkung
regency of Bali: Nusa Penida, Nusa
Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. These
islands are separated from Bali by the Badung Strait.
To the east,
the Lombok Strait
separates Bali from Lombok
and marks the biogeographical division between the fauna of
the Indomalayan
ecozone
and the distinctly different fauna of Australasia.
The transition is known as the Wallace Line,
named after Alfred Russel Wallace, who first proposed
a transition zone between these two major biomes. When sea levels
dropped during the Pleistocene ice age, Bali was connected to
Java
and Sumatra
and to the mainland of Asia and shared the Asian fauna, but the deep water of
the Lombok Strait continued to keep Lombok and the Lesser Sunda archipelago isolated.
[edit] Ecology
The Bali Starling
is found only on Bali and is critically endangered.
Bali lies
just to the west of the Wallace Line, and thus has a fauna which is
Asian in character, with very little Australasian influence, and has more in
common with Java than with Lombok. An exception is the Yellow-crested Cockatoo, a member of a
primarily Australasian family. There are around 280 species of birds, including
the critically endangered Bali Starling, which is endemic.
Others Include Barn Swallow, Black-naped Oriole, Black Racket-tailed Treepie, Crested Serpent-eagle, Crested
Treeswift, Dollarbird, Java Sparrow, Lesser
Adjutant, Long-tailed Shrike, Milky Stork,
Pacific
Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Sacred
Kingfisher, Sea Eagle, Woodswallow,
Savanna
Nightjar, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Yellow-vented Bulbul, White Heron,
Great Egret.
Until the
early 20th century, Bali was home to several large mammals: the wild Banteng,
Leopard
and an endemic subspecies of Tiger, the Bali Tiger.
The Banteng still occurs in its domestic form, while leopards are found only in
neighboring Java, and the Bali Tiger is extinct. The last definite record of a
Tiger on Bali dates from 1937, when one was shot, though the subspecies may
have survived until the 1940s or 1950s.[15] The relatively
small size of the island, conflict with humans, poaching and habitat reduction
drove the Tiger to extinction. This was the smallest and rarest of all Tiger
subspecies and was never caught on film or displayed in zoos, while few skins
or bones remain in museums around the world. Today, the largest mammals are the
Javan Rusa
deer and the Wild Boar.
A second, smaller species of deer, the Indian
Muntjac, also occurs.
Monkey
Forest, Ubud.
Squirrels
are quite commonly encountered, less often the Asian Palm
Civet, which is also kept in coffee farms to produce Kopi Luwak.
Bats are well represented,
perhaps the most famous place to encounter them remaining the Goa Lawah (Temple
of the Bats) where they are worshipped by the locals and also constitute a
tourist attraction. They also occur in other cave temples, for instance at
Gangga Beach. Two species of monkey
occur. The Crab-eating Macaque, known locally as “kera”,
is quite common around human settlements and temples, where it becomes
accustomed to being fed by humans, particularly in any of the three “monkey
forest” temples, such as the popular one in the Ubud area. They are also
quite often kept as pets by locals. The second monkey, far rarer and more
elusive is the Silver Leaf Monkey known locally as “lutung”.
They occur in few places apart from the Bali Barat National Park. Other, rarer
mammals include the Leopard Cat, Sunda
Pangolin and Black Giant Squirrel.
Snakes
include the King Cobra
and Reticulated Python. The Water Monitor
can grow to an impressive size and move surprisingly quickly.
The rich
coral reefs around the coast, particularly around popular diving spots such as Tulamben,
Amed, Menjangan or
neighboring Nusa Penida, host a wide range of marine life,
for instance Hawksbill Turtle, Giant Sunfish,
Giant Manta
Ray, Giant Moray Eel, Bumphead Parrotfish, Hammerhead
Shark, Reef Shark, barracuda,
and sea snakes.
Dolphins
are commonly encountered on the north coast near Singaraja
and Lovina.
Many plants
have been introduced by humans within the last centuries, particularly since
the 20th century, making it sometimes hard to distinguish what plants are
really native. Among the larger trees the most common are: Banyan trees, Jackfruit,
coconuts,
bamboo
species, acacia
trees and also endless rows of coconuts and banana species. Numerous flowers can be seen: hibiscus,
frangipani,
bougainvillea,
poinsettia,
oleander,
jasmine,
water lily,
lotus,
roses, begonias,
orchids and hydrangeas
exist. On higher grounds that receive more moisture, for instance around Kintamani,
certain species of fern
trees, mushrooms
and even pine
trees thrive well. Rice comes in many varieties. Other plants with agricultural
value include: salak,
mangosteen,
corn,
Kintamani orange, coffee and water spinach.
A team of
scientists has conducted survey from April 29, 2011 to May 11, 2011 at 33 sea
site of Bali. They have discovered 952 species of reef fish which 8 of them
were new discoveries at Pemuteran, Gilimanuk, Nusa Dua,
Tulamben
and Candidasa
and 393 coral species, including two new ones at Padangbai
and between Padangbai and Amed.[16] The average
coverage level of healthy coral was 36 percent (better than in Raja Ampat
and Halmahera
by 29 percent or in Fakfak
and Kaimana
by 25 percent) with the highest coverage was found in Gili Selang and Gili Mimpang in Candidasa,
Karangasem
regency.[17]
[edit] Environment
Some of the
worst erosion has occurred in Lebih Beach, where up to 7
meters of land is lost every year. Decades ago, this beach was used for holy
pilgrimages with more than 10,000 people, but they have now moved to Masceti Beach.[18]
[edit] Administrative
divisions
The province
is divided into 8 regencies (kabupaten) and 1 city (kota). Unless otherwise stated,
the regency's capital:
- Badung,
capital Mangupura
- Bangli,
capital Bangli
- Buleleng,
capital Singaraja
- Denpasar
(city)
- Gianyar,
capital Gianyar
- Jembrana,
capital Negara
- Karangasem,
capital Amlapura
- Klungkung,
capital Semarapura
- Tabanan,
capital Tabanan
[edit] Economy
Three
decades ago, the Balinese economy was largely agriculture-based in terms of
both output and employment. Tourism is now the largest single industry; and as
a result, Bali is one of Indonesia’s wealthiest regions. About 80% of Bali's
economy depends on tourism.[19] The economy,
however, suffered significantly as a result of the terrorist bombings 2002
and 2005. The tourism industry is slowly recovering
once again.
[edit] Agriculture
Tegalalang
rice terrace in Ubud
Although
tourism produces the GDP's largest output, agriculture is still the island’s
biggest employer;[20][citation needed] most notably rice cultivation. Crops
grown in smaller amounts include fruit, vegetables, Coffea
arabica and other cash
and subsistence crops.[citation needed] Fishing also
provides a significant number of jobs. Bali is also famous for its artisans
who produce a vast array of handicrafts, including batik and ikat cloth and clothing, wooden
carvings, stone carvings, painted art and silverware. Notably,
individual villages typically adopt a single product, such as wind chimes or
wooden furniture.
The Arabica
coffee production region is the highland region of Kintamani near Mount Batur.
Generally, Balinese coffee is processed using the wet method. This results in a
sweet, soft coffee with good consistency. Typical flavors include lemon and
other citrus notes.[21]
Many coffee farmers in Kintamani are members of a traditional farming system
called Subak Abian, which is based on the Hindu philosophy of
"Tri Hita Karana”. According to this philosophy, the three causes of
happiness are good relations with God, other people and the environment. The
Subak Abian system is ideally suited to the production of fair trade and
organic coffee production. Arabica coffee from Kintamani is the first product
in Indonesia to request a Geographical Indication.[22]
[edit] Tourism
The Tirtha Empul Temple draws a fair share of
tourists who seek its holy waters
Pura Taman
Ayun, another temple which is a popular tourist destination
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The tourism
industry is primarily focused in the south, while significant in the other
parts of the island as well. The main tourist locations are the town of Kuta (with its beach), and
its outer suburbs of Legian and Seminyak (which were once independent townships), the east
coast town of Sanur (once the only tourist hub), in the
center of the island Ubud,
to the south of the Ngurah Rai International Airport,
Jimbaran,
and the newer development of Nusa Dua and Pecatu.
The American
government lifted its travel warnings in 2008. As of 2009, the Australian
government still rates it at a 4 danger level (the same as several countries in
central
Africa) on a scale of 5.
An offshoot
of tourism is the growing real estate industry. Bali real estate has been
rapidly developing in the main tourist areas of Kuta, Legian, Seminyak and
Oberoi. Most recently, high-end 5 star projects are under development on the
Bukit peninsula, on the south side of the island. Million dollar villas are
being developed along the cliff sides of south Bali, commanding panoramic ocean
views. Foreign and domestic (many Jakarta individuals and companies are fairly
active) investment into other areas of the island also continues to grow. Land
prices, despite the worldwide economic crisis, have remained stable.
In the last
half of 2008, Indonesia's currency had dropped approximately 30% against the US
dollar, providing many overseas visitors value for their currencies. Visitor
arrivals for 2009 were forecast to drop 8% (which would be higher than 2007
levels), due to the worldwide economic crisis which has also affected the
global tourist industry, but not due to any travel warnings.
Bali's
tourism economy survived the terrorist bombings of 2002 and 2005, and the
tourism industry has in fact slowly recovered and surpassed its pre-terrorist
bombing levels; the longterm trend has been a steady increase of visitor
arrivals. At 2010, Bali received 2.57 million foreign tourists. It is surpassed
the target of 2.0-2.3 million tourists. The average occupancy of starred hotels
achieved 65 percent (last year 60.8 percent), so still capable for accommodates
tourists for next some years without any addition of new rooms/hotels,[23] although at the
peak season some of them are fully booked.
Bali
received the Best Island award from Travel and Leisure in 2010. The award was
presented in the show "World's Best Awards 2010" in New York, on 21
July. Hotel Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran
also received an award in the category of "World Best Hotel Spas in Asia
2010". The award was based on a survey of travel magazine Travel +
Leisure readers between 15 December 2009 through 31 March 2010, and
was judged on several criteria. Thermes Marins Bali, Ayana Resort and Spa,
(formerly The Ritz-Carlton) got score 95.6 scored out of a maximum 100 of
satisfaction index with spa facilities and services as #1 Spa in the world by
Conde Naste's Traveller Magazine for 2010 by their readers poll.[24] The island of
Bali won because of its attractive surroundings (both mountain and coastal
areas), diverse tourist attractions, excellent international and local
restaurants, and the friendliness of the local people.
[edit] Transportation
A major form
of transport in Bali is the Moped
The Ngurah Rai International Airport is located
near Jimbaran, on the isthmus at the southernmost part of the island. Lt.Col. Wisnu Airfield is found in
north-west Bali.
A coastal
road surrounds the island, and three major two-lane arteries cross the central
mountains at passes reaching to 1,750m in height (at Penelokan). The Ngurah Rai
Bypass is a four-lane expressway that partly encircles Denpasar and enables
cars to travel quickly in the heavily populated south. Bali has no railway
lines.
December
2010: Government of Indonesia has invited investors to build Tanah Ampo Cruise
Terminal at Karangasem,
Bali amounted $30 million.[25]
A Memorandum
of Understanding has been signed by 2 ministers, Bali's Governor and Indonesian
Train Company to build 565 kilometers railway along the coast around
the island. It will be operated from 2015 onwards.[26]
A 11.4
kilometers Serangan-Tanjung Benoa toll road
will be built since mid-2011 by Jasamarga.[27] On March 16,
2011 (Tanjung) Benoa port has received a "Best Port Welcome 2010"
award from London's "Dream World Cruise Destination" magazine.[28]
On May 2011,
an integrated Areal Traffic Control System (ATCS) has implemented to reduce
traffic jams in 4 crossing points, i.e.: Ngurah Rai statue, Dewa Ruci Kuta
crossing, Jimbaran crossing and Sanur crossing. ATCS is an integrated system
connecting all traffic lights, CCTVs and other traffic signals with a
monitoring office at the police headquarters and has successfully implemented
at other ASEAN countries and will be implemented at other crossing in Bali.[29][30]
[edit] Demographics
The
population of Bali is 3,151,000 (as of 2005). There are an estimated 30,000
expatriates living in Bali.[31]
[edit] Religion
The Mother Temple of Besakih, one of Bali's
most significant Hindu
temples.
A religious
procession
Unlike most
of Muslim-majority
Indonesia, about 93.18% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese
Hinduism, formed as a combination of existing local beliefs and Hindu influences from
mainland Southeast Asia and South Asia.
Minority religions include Islam (4.79%), Christianity
(1.38%), and Buddhism
(0.64%). These figures do not include immigrants from other parts of Indonesia.
When Islam
surpassed Hinduism in Java
(16th century), Bali became a refuge for many Hindus. Balinese Hinduism is an
amalgam in which gods and demigods are worshipped together with Buddhist
heroes, the spirits of ancestors, indigenous agricultural deities and sacred
places. Religion as it is practiced in Bali is a composite belief system that
embraces not only theology, philosophy, and mythology, but ancestor worship,
animism and magic. It pervades nearly every aspect of traditional life. Caste is observed, though
less strictly than in India. With an estimated 20,000 puras (temples) and shrines, Bali is known
as the "Island of a Thousand Puras", or "Island of the
Gods".[32]
Balinese
Hinduism has roots in Indian Hinduism and in Buddhism, and adopted the
animistic traditions of the indigenous people. This influence strengthened the
belief that the gods and goddesses are present in all things. Every element of
nature, therefore, possesses its own power, which reflects the power of the
gods. A rock, tree, dagger, or woven cloth is a potential home for spirits
whose energy can be directed for good or evil. Balinese Hinduism is deeply
interwoven with art and ritual. Ritualizing states of self-control are a
notable feature of religious expression among the people, who for this reason
have become famous for their graceful and decorous behavior.[33]
Apart from
the majority of Balinese Hindus, there also exist Chinese immigrants whose traditions have melded
with that of the locals. As a result, these Sino-Balinese not only embrace
their original religion, which is a mixture of Buddhism, Taoism and
Confucianism, but also find a way to harmonize it with the local traditions.
Hence, it is not uncommon to find local Sino-Balinese during the local temple's
odalan. Moreover, Balinese Hindu priests are invited to perform rites
alongside a Chinese priest in the event of the death of a Sino-Balinese.[34] Nevertheless,
the Sino-Balinese claim to embrace Buddhism for administrative purposes, such
as their Identity Cards.[35]
[edit] Language
Balinese
and Indonesian are the most widely spoken languages
in Bali, and the vast majority of Balinese people are bilingual
or trilingual.
There are several indigenous Balinese languages, but most Balinese can also use
the most widely spoken option: modern common Balinese. The usage of different
Balinese languages was traditionally determined by the Balinese caste system and by clan
membership, but this tradition is diminishing.
English
is a common third language (and the primary foreign language) of many Balinese,
owing to the requirements of the tourism
industry.
[edit] Culture
Main
articles: Music of Bali and Balinese art
The famous
dancer i Mario, picture taken 1940.
Bali is
renowned for its diverse and sophisticated art forms, such as painting,
sculpture, woodcarving, handcrafts, and performing arts. Balinese percussion
orchestra music, known as gamelan, is highly developed and varied. Balinese
performing arts often portray stories from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana
but with heavy Balinese influence. Famous Balinese dances include pendet, legong, baris,
topeng,
barong, gong keybar, and kecak (the monkey
dance). Bali boasts one of the most diverse and innovative performing arts
cultures in the world, with paid performances at thousands of temple festivals,
private ceremonies, or public shows.[36]
The Hindu
New Year, Nyepi,
is celebrated in the spring by a day of silence. On this day everyone stays at
home and tourists are encouraged to remain in their hotels. But the day before
that large, colourful sculptures of ogoh-ogoh monsters are paraded and
finally burned in the evening to drive away evil spirits. Other festivals
throughout the year are specified by the Balinese pawukon
calendrical
system.
Balinese
dancers wearing elaborate headgear, photographed in 1929. Digitally restored.
Celebrations
are held for many occasions such as a tooth-filing (coming-of-age ritual),
cremation or odalan (temple festival). One of the most important
concepts that Balinese ceremonies have in common is that of désa kala patra,
which refers to how ritual performances must be appropriate in both the
specific and general social context.[37] Many of the
ceremonial art forms such as wayang kulit and topeng are
highly improvisatory, providing flexibility for the performer to adapt the
performance to the current situation.[38] Many
celebrations call for a loud, boisterous atmosphere with lots of activity and
the resulting aesthetic, ramé, is distinctively Balinese. Oftentimes two
or more gamelan ensembles will be performing well
within earshot, and sometimes compete with each other in order to be heard. Likewise,
the audience members talk amongst themselves, get up and walk around, or even
cheer on the performance, which adds to the many layers of activity and the
liveliness typical of ramé.[39]
Stone
carvings in Ubud.
Kaja and kelod are the Balinese
equivalents of North and South, which refer to ones orientation between the
island’s largest mountain Gunung Agung (kaja), and the sea (kelod).
In addition to spatial orientation, kaja and kelod have the
connotation of good and evil; gods and ancestors are believed to live on the
mountain whereas demons live in the sea. Buildings such as temples and
residential homes are spatially oriented by having the most sacred spaces
closest to the mountain and the unclean places nearest to the sea.[40]
Most temples
have an inner courtyard and an outer courtyard which are arranged with the
inner courtyard furthest kaja. These spaces serve as performance venues
since most Balinese rituals are accompanied by any combination of music, dance
and drama. The performances that take place in the inner courtyard are
classified as wali, the most sacred rituals which are offerings
exclusively for the gods, while the outer courtyard is where bebali
ceremonies are held, which are intended for gods and people. Lastly,
performances meant solely for the entertainment of humans take place outside
the walls of the temple and are called bali-balihan. This three-tiered
system of classification was standardized in 1971 by a committee of Balinese
officials and artists in order to better protect the sanctity of the oldest and
most sacred Balinese rituals from being performed for a paying audience.[41]
Tourism,
Bali’s chief industry, has provided the island with a foreign audience that is
eager to pay for entertainment, thus creating new performance opportunities and
more demand for performers. The impact of tourism is controversial since before it
became integrated into the economy, the Balinese performing arts did not exist
as a capitalist venture, and were not performed for entertainment outside of
their respective ritual context. Since the 1930s sacred rituals such as the barong dance have been performed both in
their original contexts, as well as exclusively for paying tourists. This has
led to new versions of many of these performances which have developed
according to the preferences of foreign audiences; some villages have a barong
mask specifically for non-ritual performances as well as an older mask which is
only used for sacred performances.[42]
Balinese
society continues to revolve around each family's ancestral village, to which
the cycle of life and religion is closely tied.[43]
Coercive aspects of traditional society, such as customary law
sanctions imposed by traditional authorities such as village councils
(including "kasepekang", or shunning)
have risen in importance as a consequence of the democratization and
decentralization of Indonesia since 1998.[43]
[edit] Heritage sites
Taman Ayun Temple, the Pakerisan watershed and Batukaru will be proposed
to UNESCO
as World Heritage sites by Bali administration
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