The Beauty of Bali People and Culture

Agama Tirta, the “holy-water religion”

Balinese Hinduism is otherwise known as Hindu Dharma or Agama Tirtha, translating to ‘the religion of water’. Water carries crucial symbolism throughout everyday life in Bali, used in religious ceremonies, private homes and temples, denoting a power strong enough to cleanse, heal and ward off evil spirits.

Relating to this is Bali’s complex water management and irrigation system, Subak. In an island-wide community effort, water is distributed evenly to the rice fields of Bali, flowing through the major water temples and mountainous areas of Bali. In this way, the temple, ceremony, farmer and the rice fields cooperate together, signifying the importance of water throughout the entire fabric of life in Bali. In essence, the entire Subak system is underpinned by the ancient Tri Hita Karana philosophy that aims to sustain a harmonious relationship with the human, natural and spiritual world through rituals, offerings and artistic performances that seek overall harmony and sustainability.

Rituals and ceremonies

Balinese people honour many aspects and stages of life through a number of ceremonies held throughout the year. It is seen as greatly important to honour their ancestors and spirits. With more than ten thousand temples in Bali, an annual festival is sure to be occurring on every day of the year. Set by the Balinese calendar system of Pawukon, which adheres to a 210 day cycle, each ceremony and procession is a unique display of Bali culture and traditions. The most important event in the Pawukon calendar is Galungan—it is believed that ancestral spirits return to their former homes to visit their living relatives. 10 days later, Kuningan sees the spirits return to the afterlife and a big celebration takes place the following day.

Odalan is the celebration of each village’s connection with the gods every 210 days, but since there are so many temples in Bali, an Odalan, which marks the founding of a temple, can be found taking place almost every day of the year. The entire community contributes to the preparations, crafting decorations for the village temple, planning sacred dance performances, shadow puppet shows, parades and of course, cleaning, repairing and decorating the star of the show—the temple. At some larger temples, a major island-wide celebration takes place, with preparations occurring only once every 100 Balinese years.

One of Bali’s most unique annual days is Nyepi, the day of silence. Observed across Bali in March, the island is expected to stay inside for rest, switching off the lights and remaining quiet for 24 hours. It is seen as a day of introspection, reflection and spiritual cleansing. This sacred day is enforced by law, with the airport and businesses closing, as transport being banned. In the Balinese Lunar calendar, Nyepi is New Year’s Day, a time for the Balinese to slow down and recharge ready for the new year. In the days preceding, a colourful spectacle in the form of a parade takes place through the streets of Bali, in an effort to rid the island of evil spirits for the new year ahead.

Bali greetings and gestures

The people of Bali are a friendly bunch, so it’s normal to greet someone with an open and friendly smile—it’s how the Balinese connect with strangers they encounter every day. Pair this with the Sembah salute—placing your palms together in front of your chest—and the words ‘Om Swastiastu’ which translates to ‘May peace, happiness and prosperity be with you’, and you’ve got your Balinese greeting perfected.

While most tourists to Bali are free to dress how they’d like, upon a visit to a temple or ceremony on the island, modest dress is expected as a sign of respect. You’ll need to cover your shoulders and be wearing bottoms that go below the knee. Most temples offer free sarongs to wear to cover up before entering.

It is commonplace to take off your shoes when entering temples, homes, as well as many convenience stores. The Balinese consider the soles of the feet to be the most unclean part of the body, so if you happen to see a pile of shoes outside of an establishment, it’s likely you should follow suit.

Other ‘don’ts’ of Balinese culture include:

• Pointing and gesturing with your feet—this could be interpreted as an insult, so it’s best to be aware of this and avoid it as much as possible.
• Avoid using your left hand when passing or taking things from another person, eating or shaking hands with someone. It’s considered unclean, since it’s traditionally recognised as the hand with which you wipe yourself when going to the toilet.
• Avoid making public displays of affection.
• Avoid losing your temper in Bali as it is viewed as highly offensive. The Balinese people follow an extremely peaceful culture and have a calm demeanour.

Bali dance and music performances

Dance and music forms the basis for many Balinese events, ceremonies and rituals and are seen as a further way to connect with the gods, through both greeting them and communicating via trance dance performances. Many Balinese dances, including the Kecak fire dance are based on the centuries old Ramayana and Mahabarata Hindu epics. Often, the dances are accompanied by a traditional Balinese gamelan orchestra.

Holding UNESCO World Heritage status as a significant art form in Bali is Wayang Kulit, a traditional style of shadow puppet play found across Bali and Java. Scenes depict Hindu myths and epics of good versus evil, all made possible by an oil lamp or electric light, which projects carved leather figures onto white cloth stretched over bamboo. On sticks, the puppeteer manipulates the figures to bring vivid and entrancing stories to life. These traditional performances are a symbol of the cosmos, with the dalang (shadow artist) representing god, the screen representing the world, the lamp representing the sun and the banana log representing the earth.

Upon visiting Bali, you’ll fall in love with the way in which the people of Bali are so deeply connected to their rich cultural heritage and the way in which it is beautifully expressed. Together, these elements paint a picture of a culture that is both deeply spiritual and artistically vibrant, offering a glimpse into the heart and soul of Bali.