Source: www.theharmonybali.com, www.balitourismboard.org
More than five thousand square kilometers, Bali is a tropical island with land so fertile and rich. Ninety-five percent of its population is Hindus, and the religious element is reflected in the society’s daily life, making Bali as an exotic land with variety of rituals and religious ceremonies.
More than five thousand square kilometers, Bali is a tropical island with land so fertile and rich. Ninety-five percent of its population is Hindus, and the religious element is reflected in the society’s daily life, making Bali as an exotic land with variety of rituals and religious ceremonies.
The Balinese has a very close relationship with God and nature. This is based on the Tri Harta Karana concept, a tripartite concept that includes the relationship between man, God and nature. This concept makes the Balinese have a strong identity in terms of religion, language, community life, land cultivation, the expression of art, and caste.
Speaking of caste, Bali has four castes. They are Brahmana, Satria, Wesia and Sudra. Among those four castes, the Sudra, which is the caste for farmers and craftsmen, is the majority community. Indeed, with a warm climate in summer, the island has the perfect soil for agriculture. Wide green rice fields are spreading out its freshness to the visitors who want to release fatigue. Most farmers grow rice in Bali, while other crops of this island are coconut, vanilla, cloves, corn and other exotic tropical fruits.
Bali is not only rich in the unique culture, beautiful nature and friendly people, but also rich in a variety of beautiful destinations. Not only that, Bali also offers a variety of interesting experiences for domestic and international visitors. For example, on the island, visitors can also learn the traditional culture such as traditional architecture, art, painting, music, dance, and ceremony that are strong with the spiritual of the community.
Although Indonesian became the official language of the island, Bali still rules the local language for daily conversation. And, although the development of tourism in the island is growing rapidly, the strong Balinese culture still remains. With all of these uniqueness, no wonder if the island that is also known as the Island of the Gods has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and finally achieved the world best island by The International Travel Magazine.
Bali Culture
BalasHapusThe Balinese are an extremely devote and spiritual mix. In Bali there are over 10,000 temples. The Balinese believe that good spirits dwell in the mountains and that the seas are home to demons. Therefore, most villages have at least three main temples: one of which is the Pura Puseh or ‘temple of origin’, is dedicated to the village founders and which faces to Mt Agung - home to Pura Besakih the mother temple on Bali. Also, each home, rice field or market can have several temples and as well as rice fields. Daily offerings are made at these temples in he form of food, cigarettes, sweets and sometimes even money in order to honor the good spirits and satiate the evil spirits.
Balinese society is founded on the Hindu caste system, though there are several differences. For example, the Balinese do not have untouchables. Instead in Bali, there are four castes; Sundras , the peasants who comprise over 90% of the population, Wesias , the warrior caste, which also includes traders and some nobility, Satrias , the caste of kings, and Pedanas , the holy men and priests (brahman). Amazingly, each caste has its own language; a separate dialect exists to enable someone to address one of unknown caste to avoid disrespect. Luckily, to prevent confusion, the national language of Indonesia (Bahasia Indonesia), is taught in schools and enables everyone generally to communicate with one another.
There are two sub-classes in Bali called the Subak and the Banjar. The Subak controls who will plant rice and when (plantings are staggered so that pestilence is minimized). All farmers or rice paddy owners must join the Subak in their village. As well and more importantly the Subak ensures that all farmers receive just amounts of irrigation water. Meanwhile, the Banjar are in charge of all other aspects of Balinese life such as marriages, cremations, community service and festivals.
In Bali, the birth of a child is attended by the entire family, and a holy man who invokes spiritual powers and aids the delivery. Balinese are named according to its order in the family; Wayan for the first born, Made for the second, Nyoman for the third and Ketut for the fourth. The names are repeated for more than four children.Bali Tours
Bali Travel Guide