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This dance is normally performed to entertain the gods and the goddesses to appease
them or to ask for their blessings. A bad harvest or an outburst of an illness may warrant
such a dance. The preparation for this dance may take months, as prepubescent girls who
have never danced are trained to relax their mind to be able to get into a...
For the average rural Balinese, the working day is not long. Their expertise at coaxing bountiful harvests from the fertile volcanic soil leaves them lots of quality time to chat or to prepare elaborate cultural events. In the towns, the working day is longer, but although routine observances may be less elaborate, they are undertaken with...
Bali is commonly described as a heaven for its cheery, offering-proffering residents but it is a romanticism worthy of a tourist brochure at best. Life is often hard and the average Balinese person has a hardscrabble existence that would be familiar to people worldwide. However, the Balinese do excel in one key area - they have an undeniable...
The last ceremony, Pitra yadnya,Ngaben (cremation), is often the biggest, most spectacular, noisy and exciting event. Because of the burdensome cost of even a modest cremation ceremony, the deceased are buried, sometimes for years, and disinterred for a mass cremation with the cost shared among families. Brahmanas (high priests), however,...
The first ceremony of Balinese life takes place when women reach the third month of pregnancy, with offerings to ensure the wellbeing of the baby. Twelve days later women are 'purified' through another ceremony. After 42 days, offerings are made for the baby's future.
The much-repeated Balinese names - which are gender neutral - carry a symbolic...
Every Balinese is expected to marry at a relatively young age. In rural areas this can be the late teens, and in the urban south it's after formal schooling is completed or a solid job secured. In general, marriages are not arranged, although there are strict rules that apply between the castes.
The respectable way to marry, known as mepadik,...
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