Bali

We have traveled extensively in Asia, but never to Bali, an omission I have always regretted.  To me, the very word Bali conjured up mystical jungles, graceful dancers and exotic temples.  Although we only had three full days, we felt immersed in the atmosphere and flavors and we saw a fascinating cross-section of the island. 

Driving from the ship to Ubud, Komang gave us a fine introduction to the history and culture of Bali.  Although Indonesia is about 85% Muslim, Bali is overwhelmingly Hindu.  All of Indonesia had been predominantly Hindu as early as the fifth century, but gradually Buddhism and then later Islam became in turn the major religions. Bali remained Hindu because the Hindu religion formed the basis of their culture, art and music.    

Komang told us that the people were currently preparing for Nyepi, or Day of Silence, an annual ritualistic holiday which celebrates the new year with a full day of contemplation and self-reflection.  The preparations were evident everywhere because the day before Nyepi the whole island celebrates in grand style.  The people construct large platforms which carry huge papier-mache figures of demons called Ogoh-Ogoh. These are the “low spirits” with whom the people wish to make peace and co-exist in the coming year.  On Nyepi eve, the Ogoh-Ogoh are carried through the villages and later burned and the ashes buried in their local cemeteries.  They believe that this ritual purifies the natural environment of spiritual pollution which occurs naturally from human activity.  Everywhere we saw these preparations as the streets were lined with yellow and white parasols, another symbol of Nyepi, and the figures are constructed and stored until the Nyepi eve parades.  Each village has its own temple where the parades culminate and the burnings take place.  Then the people have a huge feast and consume an entire cow which has been sacrificed and roasted for the occasion.  The celebration continues into the night.

At six A.M. the next morning, however, the Day of Silence begins.  No talking, cooking, driving, no lighting fires, no electricity, no noise or unnecessary activity, no working, not even in your home.  Fasting is not obligatory but many do, for example Komang’s wife fasts all day but he does not. Except for the fasting, these rules are not voluntary.  The empty streets are patroled by special police who enforce the rules and reprimand anyone caught in an infraction.

But according to Komang, there are very few infractions.  The people, even the children, look forward to it.  The next day, normal activity resumes. Normal activity in Bali is frenetic.  Motorcycles scream through the narrow streets competing with autos, chicken trucks and a large population of dogs who wander all over the streets.  Our driver, Putu, a cousin of Komang from the same village, easily negotiated both city and winding mountainous roads with equal skill, dodging dogs and cars on collision courses sneaking back into his lane just in time.  After a while, one simply commends one’s spirit to the gods and hopes for the best.

I asked Komang what happens if you hit a dog.  We didn’t see it happen, but surely it does.  You just leave it there, he told us, the villagers will carry it off eventually.  Not so with a cat, though.  If you hit a cat and can’t find its owner, you are obliged to take it to your own home, perform a ceremony over it, and bury it.  If you fail to do this, bad things will happen.  It has something to do with the spirit of the cat versus the dog.

Made entirely of flowers, this figure was made in preparation for Silence Day and sat waiting on the grounds of one of the temples.

This is another example of the kind of figure that the people construct for the Day of Silence, although this one was on display at one of the temples and would not be used for this year's celebration.  It is entirely made of fruits, corn kernels and nuts.