Bali Culture & Art

Balinese life is really amazing. it won’t say that it is an easy life per se, what with the countless ceremonies that Balinese have, and it would take a lifetime to tell you all about what the people do here in Bali. But to give you a glimpse into Balinese lives and the meaning behind some of our beliefs and …

In addition to the funeral ceremony (ngaben), one of the interesting religious and customary activities of Hindu-Balinese to know is pawiwahan or wedding ceremony. The same like others customary, in Balinese society pawiwahan ceremony is a form of sacred and noble commitment because in essence it is a testament to the ceremony before the Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa and the …

Shakespeare has said, what is the name? It is not happened for Balinese. In Bali, name is everything. Balinese tradition believes that name can determine the destiny. Therefore, in Bali there is a proverb “gajah mati meninggalkan gading, manusia mati meninggalkan nama” (elepant dies leaving tusk, human passed away remaining name).  A meaningful sentence that explained the name is very …

In Bali, the outlook and philosophy on life is called Tri Hita Karana, which literally translates as the Three Causes to Prosperity, bringing about harmonious relationships. This universal concept ties together the relationship of a person with God (Parahyangan), their Surroundings (Palemahan) and humanity (Pawongan). This harmonious lifestyle includes maintaining the balance of the spiritual and physical worlds. It helps …

People in traditional attire stride side-by-side during the Galungan celebration. The festive sounds of gamelan music can be heard. Women carry items above their heads. Also visible are a pair of large effigies accompanying the walking crowd. Face barong Barong Ket is not like that more resemble an animal. Barong Landung humanlike face. There are a pair of male and …

“Coconuts are indeed inseparable from the lives of those in the tropics, especially in Bali. Each of its parts, starting from the fruit, leaves, and trunk, is useful for various needs in daily activities…”  Coconuts are indeed inseparable from the lives of those in the tropics, especially in Bali. Locals largely utilise parts of the plant for various needs, starting …

In many more ways than one Bali is the exact opposite of the West; While Westerners open the New Year in revelry, the Balinese open their own New Year in silence. This is Nyepi day, the Balinese day of Silence, which begins on the day, following the dark moon of the spring equinox, and opens a new year of the …

Balinese sacrad dance rituals, performed to ward off pestilence and plague, and restore harmony to the seen and unseen. Two young girls on their verge of puberty, often 8 to 10 years old, “pure” and old enough to be intermediaries with the spirits, don their dancing attire. The pemangku priest makes offerings to the deity of the temple requesting protection for …

Cockfights, which in Balinese are known as tajen, meklecan or ngadu, are required at temple and purification (mecaru) ceremonies. No one knows when they started. The Tabuh Rah ritual to expel evil spirits always has a cockfight to spill the blood. Tabuh Rah literally means pouring blood. There are ancient texts disclosing that the ritual has existed for centuries. It …

The Kecak dance is one of the most famous of Balinese dances. It is unusual because it has no musical accompaniment like many other Indonesian dances do, the rhythm of the dance is produced by the chanting ‘monkey’ chorus. Instead, a troupe of over 150 bare-chested men serve as the chorus, making a wondrous cacophony of synchronized “chak-achak-achak” clicking sounds …