The Balinese Girl

This tourism advertising image shows a young Balinese girl wearing an elaborate floral crown headdress. Such crowns are characteristic of Balinese classical dance costumes. The girl’s portrait is shown on a black circle within a purple background, and the word “bali” is written above the girl’s head in white letters.

The Background on Ballinese
The Balinese Island in eastern Indonesia is most widely known as a tourist paradise offering exquisite tropical landscapes, luxury beaches, fantastic shopping, ancient Hindu temples, wonderful arts, and beautiful smiling people. Bali also is a place of great social and historical complexity, much of which remains unseen by foreign tourists on brief holiday visits.

With a population of about 245 million, Indonesia is the fourth most populous nation in the world, after China, India, and the United States. Geographically, Indonesia is an archipelago comprised of over 17,000 islands, only about 4,000 of which are inhabited. Indonesia extends across the Pacific Ocean for about 3,500 miles along the equator between the mainland of Asia and Australia. Most of the population live on just a small number of main islands, especially the densely populated islands of Java, Madura, and Bali.

Bali is a very small island, located just east of the most populous island, Java. Only about 50 by 90 miles at its greatest diameters, Bali can be circumnavigated during a single day’s drive. Yet Bali’s unique tourist attractions and artistic products have led this small island to be a major economic powerhouse within the Indonesian economy.

Part of Bali’s fascination for Western visitors stems from the fact that, whereas most of Indonesia now is Muslim, Bali remains Hindu, with contemporary residents practicing colorful public rituals at carved stone temples. Bali also is a compact center to observe a wide range of talented local artists: musicians, dancers, painters, carvers, goldsmiths, and weavers, to name just a few of Bali’s well-developed arts idioms. Bali is particularly attractive to Europeans and Asians interested in Hinduism and Buddhist history, as well as to young Australian surfers who live only a few hours away by plane.

During the first millennium C.E. most of Southeast Asia, from the regions of Burma in the west to Vietnam in the east, came into contact with Indian religious ideas and material culture. While there were no major conquests by India in the region, and no large migrations, Southeast Asian traders and rulers adopted Hindu and Buddhist religious practices, temple structures, art styles, epic literature written in Indic scripts, and the idea of kings as reincarnations of gods.

In what is now Indonesia, Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished on the islands of Sumatra and Java from the sixth to the fifteenth centuries C.E. Beginning in the 1200s, however, the newly arriving religion of Islam attracted royal interest. Southeast Asian city states trading with Muslim India and the Middle East began to challenge the rulers of Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms. Hindu and Buddhist temples in many areas were abandoned or fell to ruin. In 1527, the Hindu-Buddhist Javanese kingdom of Majapahit was conquered by a Muslim center on Java’s north coast. Balinese tradition claims that Hindu Javanese royalty under attack fled to Hindu Bali, which then was able to remain Hindu until Dutch invaders arrived to conquer the island in the early 1900s.

Dutch military attacks resulted in the death of most members of Bali’s royal families, but the Dutch quickly became intrigued with the island’s beauty and the artistic skills of its population. Bali has attracted foreign artists from the 1930s to the present although many Balinese remain rice farmers as well as skilled craftsmen. Like Java, Bali’s soil is volcanic and very fertile, producing two crops per year from irrigated rice terraces.

Although tourist guides will describe the island as a perfect tropical paradise, Bali also has experienced troubled times, especially during the Dutch colonial period, the anti-Communist purges of the late 1960s, and the 2002 and 2005 bombings by Muslim jihadists.

Large-scale tourism, beginning with an expanded airport in the 1970s, put heavy pressure on native Balinese to cope with rapid development as well as their own self-identity in the face of millions of foreign visitors.

Tourist development uses many valuable resources, including scarce land and water, and it generates much plastic garbage. Not all Balinese benefit equally from the tourist influx, and tourism can be an unreliable source of income. The nightclub bombings of October 2002 and 2005 brought great financial hardship to many Balinese although it was outsiders who exploded bombs to target foreign tourists.

In the face of repeated social, political, and economic challenges, the Balinese historically have proved resilient in re-assessing and adapting their cultural identities. Despite intense contact with outsiders, they have preserved many facets of their ancient architecture, Balinese-style Hinduism, village social organizations, and the artistic creations and performances that they understand as offerings to their gods and community.

History Bali culture

History of bali

(Bali - Indonesia )Although there are no artifacts or records dating back to the Stone Age, it is believed that the first settlers in Bali migrated from China around 2,500 BC, and by the Bronze era, around 300 BC; quite an evolved culture existed in Bali. The complex system of irrigation and rice production, still in use today, was established around this time.

History is vague for the first few centuries. A number of Hindu artifacts were been found dating back to the 1st century (AD), which suggests that the main religion, around 500 AD, was predominantly Buddhist.

It wasn't until the 11th century that Bali received the first strong influx of Hindu and Javanese cultures. With the death of his father around AD 1,011, Airlanggha, a Balinese prince, moved to east Java and set about creating unity. Having succeeded, he then appointed his brother, Anak Wungsu, as ruler of Bali. During the ensuing period there was a reciprocation of political and artistic ideas, and the old Javanese language, Kawi, became the language used by the aristocracy.
With the arrival of Islam in neighboring Java during the 15th century, a large number of courtiers, artists, musicians and craftsmen fled to Bali. As such, the Balinese have always been creative.

With the spread of Islam throughout Sumatra and Java during the 16th century, the Majapahit Empire began to collapse and a large exodus of the aristocracy, priest, artists, and artisans fled to Bali. For a while Bali flourished and the following centuries were considered the Golden Age of Bali's cultural history. The principality of Gelgel, near Klungkung, became a major canter for the Arts, and Bali became the major power of the region, taking control of the neighboring island of Lombok and parts of East Java.

The European Influence
The first Dutch seamen set foot on Bali in 1597, yet it wasn't until the 1800's that the Dutch showed an interest in colonizing the island. In 1864, having had large areas of Indonesia under their control since 1700's, the Dutch government sent the troops to northern Bali. In 1894, the Dutch sided with the Sasak people of Lombok to defeat their Balinese rulers. By 1911, all the Balinese principalities had been defeated in battle, leaving the whole island under Dutch control. After World War I, Indonesian Nationalist sentiment was rising and in 1928, Bahasa Indonesia was declared the official national language.

Bali Building

Bali building information af price and the building quality
If you are looking for a HOUSE in Bali, to live in, to spend your holidays around it, to secure an investment, to rent it out and get some return – Our TEAM assists you in the whole process, from planning to legal paperwork, design and construction.
We offer very reasonable prices: From 20 000 U$ to 80 000 U$ you can have your own home in Bali. Good quality building material, fine craftsmanship, and a western supervisor guaranty for a satisfying result.
We are a team of swiss-german-indonesian partnership, and experienced builders.
We have been building homes for foreigners in Bali, since 1992, in a wide range of models and budgets. From bamboo cottages, to wooden structures , to two-story brick houses, fine Villas, and concrete constructions.
We landscape the garden, according to your taste, and build you a swimming pool. A complete pool with filter system and pumps costs from 8000 to 15000 U$
We assist you in finding the right location. We have several properties to choose from: On the slopes of the mountains, at the beach, in the rainforest regions, or at a strategic location for your business in Bali.
We provide you with secure and proven contracts, that secure your property in Bali, and we connect you with efficient lawyers to process your ownership.

Practical steps to your HOUSE IN BALI
When you are in Bali, we would like to show you houses that we have built in the past, and show you models to choose from. When you are ready to get started on realizing your dream, we do the design of your house, and go over it with you.
We show you possible locations, in case you are looking for the right property. When we start building, you pay the first instalment: 50% of the total.
When the roof is on, and the water pipes are installed inside the house, you pay the second instalment: 30% of the total, and when the house is completed, you pay the final 20%.
The building process is documented to you by email or Fax, so you can see the stages of development. Then we have an appointment with one of our local attorneys: you sign the papers that entitle you to own the house, and get the keys to your home.
The building process takes, according to the size of your home, from 4 to 8 months. The payments are made in Euro or U$, and paid directly to the builder, or transferred through the Bank Internasional Indonesia, or to the account of our notary. For maintaining your property, calculate with these monthly fees:
$ 30.00 Legal fees,
$ 60.00 For gardener, cleaning service
$ 30.00 For electricity and water

Bali Museums

Bali Museums Guide
This is Everything you need to know about Bali's Museums
Most of Bali's museums and galleries are centred in Ubud, but culture and history rich Bali is peppered with museums and galleries - all individually interesting! These museums and galleries offer paintings, wood carvings, textiles and all kinds of souvenirs for viewing and also purchase.
The Museum Puri Lukisan in centre of Ubud, the Neka Museum in Campuhan, Seniwati Gallery and Agung Rai Museum in Pengosekan are a must, to see the difference between creative art and more commercial products.
Central Bali
Museum Puri Lukisan, Ubud
Founded by Rudolf Bonnet and Cokorda Gde Agung Sukawati, Ubud's Museum Puri Lukisan houses a permanent collection of Balinese painting from the turn of the century; displaying fine examples off all schools of Balinese art. This museum has a collection of 150 painting and 62 pieces of sculptures. The first fine arts museum in Bali, it has a valuable aim of culturing Bali's very aesthetic art and culture for its next generation.
Museum Neka, Ubud
The superb Neka Museum, in Campuan, is another excellent museum, with marvelous collections of traditional Balinese paintings by local artists and foreign artists who lived in Bali; and items of modern Balinese art. The museum stores art from the Kamasan style of the 16th century to modern 20th century paintings. The whole collection is displayed chronologically, to provide an overview of Bali's history of fine arts.

The Neka Gallery on Jalan Raya , and the Agung Rai Gallery in Peliatan are some of Bali's largest and most important.
Museum Nyoman, Ubud
This three storey museum in Mas village follows the conception of Tri Angga, that is, the three parts of human body; head, body, and legs. The museum's art collection is a mix of works of painters from the olden days of the ancient Klungkung Kingdom to this very day.
Museum Agung Rai, Ubud

Sprawling all over six hectares, the Museum Agung Rai was built based on the concept of a "living museum". It displays paintings and holds stage presentations for various art forms; and is a place for karawitan. It comes complete with an arts library and book gallery, hotel, restaurant, cafe, and coffee shop. One of the museums main specialty is its terrific views of Ubud, with rice fields and trenches integrated into part of the museum.
Seniwati Gallery of Art by Women

This gallery was established in 1991 by Mary Northmore, the very personable wife of famous painter Abdul Azis; with the aim of helping Balinese women to be accepted as artists; and also to expose the long hidden and unrecognised brilliance of women artists in Bali. The gallery also serves to motivate, train and encourage young talented Balinese girls achieve their full potential in the world of arts.
Southern Bali
Museum Negeri Propinsi Bali, Denpasar
This museum in Denpasar was founded by the Yayasan Bali Museum in December 8, 1932. It has interesting exhibits of traditional tools, crafts, masks and costumes from all over Bali; and displays archaeological items and a collection of ethnographical exhibits.
Museum Le Mayeur, Sanur
This memorial museum immortalizes the memory and enduring love of a pair of lovers - Le Mayeur and Ni Polok. All displays and exhibits are from the collection of Le Mayeur's paintings.
Museum Manusa Yadnya, Taman Ayun
Just as its name implies, the Museum Manusa Yadnya details items regarding the process of a human's life from the womb to the tomb.
Northern Bali
Museum Gedong Kirtya, Singaraja
This wonderful museum in Singaraja is a display of thousands of ancient Balinese letters in chronological order; the kakawin, or old Balinese poetry; and the geguritan which written on the palm leaf. All these and more are stored in the original building that was built in 1928 and still standing tall today.
Western Bali
Museum Subak, Tabanan
Tabanan is a region popularly known as Bali's 'rice warehouse'. Hence, it is no surprise to learn that Tabanan is home to the Subak Museum, which houses a vast collection of, what else, but agricultural items. An interesting display to take note of is Bali's typical watering system, called Subak, the museum's namesake.
Museum Gedong Area, Gianyar
Located in the Bedulu Village, this museum's collection is dedicated to archaeological items reflecting the history of Bali's cultural development.
Eastern Bali
Museum Seni Lukis Klasik, Klungkung
This museum is owned by the talented Nyoman Gunarsa, and is used as an outlet by the man himself to exhibit his masterpieces, completing the museum's collection, which documents the classical paintings of Bali. The Museum Seni Lukis Klasik is located in the village of Banda village.
Museum Manusia Purba, Gilimanuk
The Museum Manusia Purba, at the western end of Bali, was established in 1990s. It all began with an archaeological expedition of Dukuh Cekik in 1962, by R.P. Soejoeno from the Bali Archaeological Service. The expedition estimated that approximately 2,000 years ago, the stone age man dwelled on the site of the museum.

Bali Culture

More about bali
bali culture is a combination of spirituality, religion, tradition and art. Religion is considered to be art and it seems that almost every on it is a devoted artist, spending 'free time' applying skills and images which have been passed down from generation to generation and grasped from a very young age. Expressed through beautiful and intricate paintings, extraordinary carvings, superb weaving, and even in rice decorations that cover the myriad shrines found in public areas, in paddy fields or in homes, the island is alive with art and religious homage.
Sekala and Niskala

Bali culture is a complex event characterised by diversity and adaptability. A central dictum in Balinese thinking is the concept of Desa - Kala - Patra, (time, place and situation), a dynamic notion holding that traditional thinking will blend in harmony with the new. The Balinese distinguish between Sekala, the material, and Niskala the eternal. Reality is a coincidence of the material and the eternal realms. One does not exist without the other. The world, therefore, is the product of the interaction of Sekala and Niskala.
Temple Festivals

Temple festivals are commonplace. Each village will hold some sort of colourful ceremony for each one of its own temples a couple of times a year. Add to this the rituals and celebrations for each persons' passage from birth, puberty, marriage, childbirth to death and the after-world, and include the major island-wide celebrations like Galungan, Kuningan and Nyepi; the day of silence when the whole island closes down in fear of evil spirits flying in from the sea, and you can begin to understand how important religion in Bali is.
Hindu Dharma

Art, culture and day to day activities for most Balinese are strongly bonded to a unique form of Hinduism called Hindu Dharma, which is widely thought to be the closest example to the religion and social framework that existed in Java during the zenith of its power and is now found nowhere else. Classical dance dramas based on the old Hindu epics of the Ramayana and the Mahabarata which arrived from Java, are like everywhere else in Indonesia, mixed with pre-Hindu animist belief and peculiar local folklore. Not all Balinese adopted the new Hindu religion though. The Bali Aga who now live in isolated groups in the mountains at Trunyan and Tenganan, for example, preferred their ancient animist beliefs, which are still practiced and remain largely intact today.
Balinese belief systems

The very soul of Bali and Balinese belief systems is rooted in religion and is expressed in art forms and skills that have been passionately preserved over the centuries. During the mid sixteenth century Bali reached a cultural climax, which encouraged and developed elaborate arts and customs, which are the foundations of what is practiced today. In a sense they have changed very little since that time, but as has been the case throughout much of the Indonesian archipelago, adaptation of new environments is absolutely essential for survival. It was at this time that the Javanese Hindu and the Balinese calendars were combined and a complex schedule of rituals and ceremonies was defined. Nine great temples, the Pura Agung, were also built, linking the structure of the new calendar with that of the gods. The most sacred being the Mother Temple, Pura Besakih, built high on the slopes of Bali 's most sacred mountain, Gunung Agung and batur mountain.

Alas Kedaton ( Bali Monkey Forest )

The monkey place in Alas Kedaton is a small forest with the width about 6-7ha located in the middle of the rice field in Tabanan regency, west part of Bali. The total size of this forest, temple and its supporter facility is about 12 ha. In this forest, there is a temple called Alas Kedaton Temple and owns the natural environments that is looked green with its fresh air and create the calm, quite and holy atmosphere. The monkeys in Alas Kedaton are very tame and free gallivanting in temple yard, so that the calm atmosphere is sometime solved by noise voice of the monkey, which are playing around and scrambling of food. The monkeys who dwell in this forest, there are jump up and down in temple wall, take a bath in moat or there is also hang out in few leaves representing impression view. The monkey like as custodian of temple, which are always ready to greet all visitor who are paying a visit to this place. Beside monkeys, in Kedaton forest also can be met the bats and some other animals. At least 24 types of grove plant have been identified in Alas Kedaton.

The temple ceremony in alas Kedaton temple is carried out every 210 days a year. It is on Anggarakasih Medangsia (Balinese Hindu Calendar) or on every Tuesday where on that time the society do the worship or pray to request the safety and prosperity. The unique in this ceremony is do not use the fire and do not hence Penjor and also finished before the sunset or before the night is come.

In growth of handling of this tourist destination, Alas Kedaton has several become a training location about tourism nature, environmental handling and agro tourism. Alas Kedaton is many visited by the tourist from local and foreign countries which are generally a lot of paying a visit on August, December until January, while the local tourist generally pay a visit on holiday season and feast day of Ramadan (Moslem holiday) and this place is good to be visited in the day time. In front of Alas Kedaton temple there are quite a lot small shops selling the handicraft as souvenir, for example clothes, pants and other handicrafts. Others, there are some shops booth selling food and beverage, toilet and park area which is wide enough.

Alas Kedaton is Place to Visit in Bali
Alas Kedaton is located in Kukuh countryside, Marga Sub district, Tabanan Regency . The journey go to this place can be done easily by using motor vehicle follow the major roadway from Denpasar to Tabanan. On the way go to this tourist place, we will see the beautiful nature view where in front of us will meet the carpet of rice field and irrigation voice at the side of road to bear the impression/peaceful atmosphere. Alas Kedaton Temple have three yard that are external yard, middle and center yard. In the center and middle yard are encircled by wall and the outside yard is representing a open yard. The interesting point of this temple is the inside yard representing holy yard, its situation lower than the middle yard. This thing is different compare with the general temples in Bali that are more goes to inside the temple, the more higher the place will be. Beside of that another interesting point of this temple owns four entrances.

About balinese

The balinese with smaller islands such as Nusa Penida, Lembongan, Ceningan, and Menjangan covers an area of 5.808,6 square kilometers, with number of population around 4 millions. Almost 95% of the population are Hindu devotees with markedly local traditional rituals. The island is classified one of the densely populated areas of Indonesia. Balinese physically is not different from other people of west Indonesia where Mongoloid character is predominant over Malay characters, only a few people bring the characters of true Malay with small body size and brown skin. In general skin color are ranging from bright to brown, but dark brown is very rare, and very few with curling hairs, mostly straight hairs, with the average height of the body in the past 160 cm, and now around 170 cm. Especially younger generation tend to grow higher by slim body.
Balinese speak Balinese, a dialect of Malay. Due to cast system Balinese dialect itself underwent further variation, as each cast claimed to have their own idiolect which is higher in conjunction with their own cast status. Balinese and Yogyakarta have much in common words only they used the words in different meaning or sometimes in contradictory meaning. Beside Javanese Balinese is one society which has introduced writing since 998 AD. This writing scripts which are supposed to undergone evolution and have now become variations of writing such as in Myanmar, Thailand, Java and Bali. So the art of writing has developed very early both in Java and Bali. Currently Balinese writing is learnt in school and there is an effort to preserve the heritage, since Bali is rich with writing heritages in the form of ethics, stories, myths, songs, chronicles and historical documents written in various style of Bali nese scripts. Historic monuments are also various in Bali, some are originated from 10th century, and these sites are still preserved by local people, and associated to their religious rituals.
With the economic advancement reached by Bali for the last 2 decades it has invited many people from other parts of Indonesia and from the 5 continents to try their luck in Bali. This is now the biggest social problem that can arise in the future due to the limited land. With this situation, Bali has become part of Global world and put Balinese in a dilemmatic position between developing lifestyle as an impact of outside world and their original customary life style has become an object of unending exploitation, as it's very nature giving chance to such a behavior.

Balinese introduce social organization based on area and obligations to preserve and maintain temples and it's rituals. This fact has been able to keep the integrity and security in Bali, but on other space has dragged this organization into unnecessary ritualistic nature. This organization is called " Banjar " This Banjar is the center of power currently when kingdoms and hegemony of traditional ruling class has been changed by the role of economic and expertise groups.

In a wider group, Balinese is tied again by genealogical lineage to maintain clen's temples and as Bali wide they also feel obliged to maintain and preserve temples built by the king in the past such as Besakih, Uluwatu, Tanah Lot, Ulun Danu, Sila Yukti, Gelgel, and many others.
Basic economic activities in Bali is growing rice, coffee, cacao, juices, corn, cassava, and various cereals and vegetables. Home industry is developed very fast such as garment, irons, furniture, ceramics, terracotta, and carving, beside ethnic handicrafts. Balinese art-skill got a place when Bali developed tourism. Tourism development has given multi-flier effect on industries and farming in Bali.
Specially in agriculture Balinese has developed a systematic organization to regulate the irrigation system. This organization has been successful in maintaining the continuity and equality of water supplier for every member, beside maintain the water flowing facilities.
Cattle breeding and poultry growing are already developed for local consumption as well as export to other countries such as pigs and cows. Also fishery development especially shrimps and fish has just been able to fulfill the local demand. Still a great space to develop this products specially fisheries.

Bali has the most varied places of interest for tourists, from western tip to the eastern tip of the island, both in the form of cultural and natural attractions.