Culture of Bali

For us, the culture of Bali is the very people themselves, they are just such endearing and gentle folk. If you have not been to Bali, you probably have not even met a Balinese person as they are not great travellers. Apart from most not being able to afford to travel, they are just so content with what they have in life, and I do not mean in terms of assets or wealth either.

Bali girls

THE VILLAGE COMMUNITY

The village community is administered by the Banjar and overseen by the government. The Banjar, (which means Neighbourhood), is a group of about 50 to 100 married men (depending on the size of the village) all from within the community.

Village Banjar in Bali, Bali

Whilst the government is responsible for public services such as schools, hospitals and the infrastructure, the Banjar manage the community, everything in everyday life including discipline and ensuring that their strong family and community values are maintained, the upkeep and appearance of the village, ceremonies and even financial matters. The head of the Banjar is chosen and then submitted to the Gods for approval by way of a spiritualist, although other decisions by the Banjar are made on a unanimous basis.

Farmer in field, Bali

Within the Banjar, are the Subak, of which the head of every family in the village who grows rice must be a member. As rice is the stable diet of Bali, the Subak (which means Water Management), are responsible for the water irrigation systems and ensure that every member receives an equal share of water for their crops.

Each village will have 3 temples, the Pura Puseh (Temple of Origin and facing Mount Agung), where all the important Gods and the founder of the village are worshipped, the Pura Desa (Village Temple in the centre of the village and for the people), used for village meetings and village celebrations and finally the Pura Dalem (Temple of the Dead and facing the sea), where the forces of death are worshipped. This is where a cremation ceremony will be held.

Balinese temple

MOTHER OF ALL TEMPLES

The Besakih Temple, is the Mother Temple of Bali and has stood on the slopes of Mount Agung for over 1000 years. It is a very special place for Balinese people to visit as it being the largest and holiest temple on the island.

Besakih Temple Bali

THE FAMILY HOME

Like rice, family life is the mainstay of the Balinese. In villages you will see the traditional family compound. Even when they are designed and built, it is a very symbolic and deeply spiritual process, from the size of the compound being determined from the body measurements of the head of the family and the direction in which it will face, to having the first brick blessed with holy water, wrapped in white cloth and buried within the grounds. Even the walls are built in order to protect the family personalities and characteristics from evil.

Each walled compound has one entrance and normally about 4 buildings. At the entrance, a plaque is displayed showing how many men and women live within the compound. When a girl marries, she will move to the husband's family compound to live and as the family is extending, so more buildings may be added.

All of the generations share the kitchen and the ceremony pavilion. The pavilion is used for wedding, tooth filing ceremonies and when there is a death in the family, the body is laid here until it is deemed the right time by the Gods for the cremation. The sleeping room is used by the head of the household and the guest house by the next married couple. At the heart of the compound is a thatch roofed open area for families to come together to eat, talk and shelter from the heat during the day.

Bali compound

In a corner of every compound there is the family temple which is dedicated to the families ancestors and will always face Mount Agung, this being the highest point in Bali for the God Ida Sanghyang Widhi, their supreme God.

As the walls are built to keep the bad spirits out of the compound, so the main doors to the compound are closed each evening to ensure that no bad spirits stray in.

Balinese Compound

TOOTH FILING CEREMONY

The tooth filing ceremony is a monumental moment in the life of a Balinese Hindu person and usually happens before they reach adulthood. The ceremony takes place to rid their sins such as anger, greed, envy, arrogance, lust and jealousy and once done, they believe that they are both more attractive and spiritually beautiful and are then allowed to pass through from adolescence to adulthood.

Only the family may attend in the ceremony pavilion of their compound and only in even numbers. The priest who conducts the ceremony, will file down 6 teeth and then fill them (2 eye and 4 incisor), followed by prayers at the family temple.

The ceremony must be done before marriage or before they die as without this, they believe that the soul will never rest.

Tooth filing ceremony in Bali

DAILY FAMILY LIFE

Traditional Balinese family life revolves around deeply held spiritual values and beliefs. Children are taught from the very start to love, respect, honour and to do their duty, sadly something that is something very much lacking in society in the west these days.

Balinese Villagers

The men of the house, will start very early while it is still cool, tending their crops and relax with the family in the heat of the day. The Banjar is a large part of their lives, not just by attending meetings, but also socially, whether it be playing in the temple Gamelan orchestra, cockfighting or gambling. Whilst some of us in the west may find some of these events a little distasteful, these activities are very much part of the Culture of Bali and are also played out in temple ceremonies to appease the Gods.

Bali Laundry

The women of the house, cook, clean and shop for food (something's never change!) Although they cannot belong to the Banjar, they still have a central role to play within the community in the further education of the children including Balinese dancing and the teaching of temple traditions.

Children attend the village school during the day, but when they return home, they will spend it with the grandparents who will devote much of their time to the spiritual upbringing of the children to ensure that the long held traditions and values of the Balinese people are upheld and passed from generation to generation.