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Bali and its rich cultural traditions
by Tania Montmon
http:/www.ftptbali.com
Bali a tropical paradise - owes its popularity to the
Dutch colonists that inhabited it earlier. Tales of its
natural splendor traveled far and wide; and since 1920s,
it has been a favored destination for cruise ships. The
economy of Bali thrives on tourism and this has taken the
form of a cottage industry in this group of islands.
Despite its proximity to the island of java, Bali has a
contrasting culture to that of island of java. Most of
the Balinese people are Hindus. When the whole of
Indonesia was converting to Islam, it was only the island
of Bali that remained untouched and till date major part
of the population is Hindu. Hinduism practiced by people
of Bali is similar to that in India, but the cultural
practices are totally different and unique.
On the island of Bali the cultural differences with
respect to Indian Hinduism can be found in their temple
styles, ceremonial offerings, rites and rituals. Balinese
cultural rites are based on the belief in reincarnation.
The other religion that has influenced Balinese culture
has been Buddhism which came to these islands many
centuries ago. While the number of practicing Buddhist
in Bali is very small, their entire culture is a blend of
Hinduism and Buddhism. In this very caste and status
conscious society, the prominence enjoyed by a person is
reflected in his name.
Bali has a very long history and traces its people to
prehistoric times. These islands were initially ruled by
their own leaders and were under Java. Thereafter, it
became a Dutch colony. It was only during Word War II
that the Japanese overthrew the Dutch and gained control
of these islands. It was in 1949 that these islands
gained independence with Indonesia.
After independence, the communist took charge of the
affairs of the islands and progress was little or slow.
It was in 1965 that General Suharto came to power and
placed the islands on the path to progress. He initiated
a long movement against the communists that resulted in
the killing of about 50,000 people. It was during his
rule that the country progressed and the tourisms
industry really grew. The economy of Bali revolves around
agriculture and tourism.
Still, after these cultural interruptions, Balinese culture
remains unique and is kind of an oasis in Indonesia.
Although neighboring Java has great influence and the
Suharto regime uprooted many traditional communities, Bali
is still a place of ancient tradition and Hindu culture
rooted in agriculture and tourism. However, the Balinese do
not take this steadfastness of their culture for granted.
They honor it every day, and organizations exist to
"conserve" Balinese culture and historical treasures for
the future.
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