BALI CULTURE

BALI IS A PRIME TOURIST DESTINATION  IN INDONESIA.  THEY HAVE A UNIQUE HINDU ANIIST RELIGION.  THIS ISLAND IS 2000 SQUARE SQUARE MILE AN AREA SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN DELAWARE.  IT HAS A CHAIN OF VOLCANOES AND VALLEYS.  THEY SPEAK AUSTRONESIAN WITH A RELATIVE OF SASAK,  THEY HAVE A TRADITION OF JAVENESE  ALPHABET,

THE BRAHMANA PRIESTS SPEAK ONLY A HIGH LANGUAGE.  THE CULTURE HAS A SYSTEM OF POLITENESS.  ONE COMMON WAY OF REFERING TO ADULTS IS IN RELATION TO A CHILD.  THEY HAVE A CUSTOM OF ASSIGNING NAMES TO BIRTH ORDER .

LEYAK ARE WITCHES WHO ARE ORDINARY PEOPLE BY DAY BUT WHO CAN CAUSE DISEASE OR CROP FAILURE OR FOOD POISON.

BALANESE  ARE NOT MUSLIM BUT HINDU.  THEIR HINDUISM COMBINES INDIAN MODEL  WITH NATIVE RELIGION.  THEY MAINTAIN A BAL;ANCE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL.  THEY MAKE OFFERINGS TO A LOT OF GOODS AND DEMONS.  THEY HAVE MANY SUPERNATURAL BEINGS,  THEY HAVE MANY RITES OF PASSAGE RITUALS.  SOME ARE FOR PURIFICATION.  THEY HAVE MANY MARRIAGE CEREMONIES.  THEIR SOCIETY IS DIVIDED UP INTO 4 CASTES.  ONE TAKES ADVICE OR CRITICISM BY SAYING NGGIH OR SILENCE.

ONLY TEENS ARE ALLOWED TO CHAT AT FOOD STALLS IN PUBLIC.  THE BALI FAMILY LIVES IN A WALLED COMPOUND BY A GROUP OF BROTHERS AND THEIR FAMILY HEIRLOOMS.

MANY MARRY BETWEEN CASTES .  MENSTRUATING WOMEN DO NOT ENTER TEMPLES .  AT LEAST ONE SON MUST STAY BEHIND TO TAKE CARE OFOLDER PARENTS.  

WOMEN BUY AND SELL IN THE MARKETS.  MEN WORK IN THE COMMUNITY TO CATCH MEAT, WATCH COCKFIGHTS. DRINK TOGETHER AND PLAY IN THE ORCHESTRA.    WOMEN JOIN THE CASTE SYSTEM OF THEIR HUSBANDS.  

BALINESE WEAR WESTERN STLYE CLOTHING, SHORTS AND TANK TOPS.  THEIR TRADITIONAL CLOTHING INCLUDES A SARUNG WOMEN WEAR A TANBAREN SARONG OF BATIK.  WOMEN WEAR THEIR HAIR SHORT FOR TRADITIONAL HAIRSTLES.  THEY WEAR WIGS TO GO WITH THEIR DRESSES.  

THEY EAT THEIR MEALS QUICKLY AND AT NO FIXED TIMES AND THEY SNACK AT NO FIXED TIMES VERY FREQUENTLY..  THEY EAT RICE, SIDE DISHES OF VEGETABLES  WITH PIECES OF CHICKEN.  THEY ALSO EAT TOFU, BEAN CURD OR TEMPEH AND SEASONED CHILI SAUCE MADE FRESH DAILY.

MANY DISHES REQUIRE A BASE OF NELP AND A SPICE MIXTURE OF SEA SALT, PEPPER, CHILI, GARLIC, SHRIMP, PASTE, GINGER AND OTHER INGREDIENTS.

FOR CEREMONIES, MEN EAT EBAT CHOPPED PIG, OR TURTLE MEAT WITH SPICES SUCH AS COCONUT AND UNRIPE MANGO.  THEY HAVE SPECIALTIES. OF BABI GULDING OR STUFFED PIG OVER A FIRE.   THEY HAVE STUFFED DUCK WRAPPED IN A BANANA LEAF AND COOKED IN ASHES.

THE FORMAL ARTS OF BALINESE ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES.  THEY HAVE A MUSICAL ENSEMBLE OF GAMELAN ORCHESTRA FOR WHICH INDONESIA IS FAMOUS .  DRUMS, FLUTES, BRONZE INSTRUMENTS.  AN ARRAY OF DANCES ARE PERFORMED.  THEY HAVE A MYTHICAL LION IN ONE.  SEVERAL TYPES OF DRAMA .  BALINESE LITERATRE IS PRESERVED IN BOOKS.  THEY HAVE EPICS OF GODS AND HEROS AND TALES OF THE OLD BALINESE KINGDOMS.

SOME OF 90% EARN A LIVING FROM AGRICULTURE.  THEY HAVE WET RICE CULTIVATION . MANY HAVE SMALL COTTAGE BUSINESSES.  SINCE 1970'S THE GARMENT INDUSTRY HAS GROWN DRAMATICALLY.  TOURISM PROVIDES WORK IN HOTELS, TRAVEL AND BUSINESS GUIDES, A TAXI SERVICE AND CRAFT SHOPS.

WIKIP[EDIA.COM