Bali Culture is renowned for its diverse and sophisticated art forms, such as painting, sculpture, woodcarving, handcrafts, and performing arts. Balinese percussion orchestra music, known as gamelan, is highly developed and varied. Balinese performing arts often portray stories from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana but with heavy Balinese influence. Famous Balinese dances include pendet, legong, baris, topeng, barong, gong keybar, and kecak (the monkey dance). Bali boasts one of the most diverse and innovative performing arts cultures in the world, with paid performances at thousands of temple festivals, private ceremonies, or public shows.
Another remarkable mark of the Bali culture hat all tourists has been astonished and keeps coming back is the series of ceremonies and rituals known as the Manusa Yadnya. This symbols the diverse stages of Balinese life. Cremation is very popular on this island and nothing like in the West death is a joyous and colorful event for the Balinese.
Bali culture is based on a form of this religion, which is called Hindu Darma. It is very rich and there is so much to learn.
Balinese Hinduism includes ideals from Indian Hinduism, Buddhism and animism. Balinese Hindus believe in the Indian deities Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, but they believe these deities all manifested from one supreme being, Ida Sanghyang Widi Wasa. The tenets of Buddhism and animism are reflected in the importance of respecting the spirits and the powers of nature through rituals and ceremonies. Many Balinese visit temples daily and hold ceremonies for important events like births, weddings and even housewarmings.
The island of Bali is literally a very beautiful island situated under the equator in Indonesian Archipelago, is one of the most interesting and ultimate tourist destination in Asia. Since the first decade of the 20th century visitors have given to it several nicknames "Island of Gods" - "Island of thousand Temples" "The Last Paradise" and also often called "Island of Artist".
Social life in Bali is relatively free and easy. In Balinese leisure activities the roles are also sex differentiated. Both men and women dance but only men play the gamelan. Today you do see some women painters, sculptors, and woodcarvers. By wearing certain kinds of batik one can reveal the subtle differences in age, gender, status and kasta. The Balinese use batik for people but also for decoration of buildings, altars, sanctuaries and statues.
Ceremonies are extremely important within the Balinese system of healing.
This variation of the Hindu religion is on certain areas a lot less strict than the variant from India. The caste system is treated a little bit less strict, mariage regulations are more liberal and the higher studies of Brahmanen are somewhat of a mystery for most. The Balinese put more emphasis on frequent ceremonies and rituals, visual behavior is more important than the fine print of Hinduism.
There are also ceremonies in the temples that people perform as well as dances which are part of these rituals. When visiting the temples, it is always good to be respectful when the locals perform their rituals.
Buta Yadnya, the ceremonies for earthly spirits. For example every morning after cooking housewives put simple offerings on the left side of the door and in the middle of the house compound so as to maintain harmony between man and his spirit environment.
There are various rituals and ceremonies celebrating things such as the ascension of the ancestral spirits, praying for strength to face the temptations of the world, strengthening brotherhood and understanding among the youth, purification, celebrating new year, cleansing and so on. As you drive through the island, you can see symbols of these celebrations in the front of houses, bamboo poles decorated with coconut leaves, flowers, cakes and fruits.
Hinduism is one of the main religions in Bali. The Bali culture is based on a form of this religion, which is called "Hindu Darma". This religion reached the island during the eleventh century. Most of the family customs and traditions as well as community lifestyles of the Balinese people are influenced by this. The religious influence even expands widely into the arts, which makes Bali distinct from the rest of Indonesia.
