BALI « BALINESE TRADITIONS »

Bali is the smallest island of Idonesia in Asia.

It’s located at the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, between Java and Lombok.

The capital is Denpasar at the south of island.

In 2010 there is 3,890,000 habitants and the area is 5637 km2

It’s a touristic island with a tropical climat.

Bali is renowed for its diverse and sophisticated art forms and it was enlisted in UNESCO in 2012.

The languages are Balinese and Indonesian.

93% of Balinese are hinduists.

Infancy :

During the three first months, the baby is carried all the time because the ground is impure for her/him.

She/He can touch the ground after a purification ceremony.

Two hundred ten days after her birth, there is a big celebration for his first balinese year.

They don’t celebrate the other birthdays and many Balinese people don’t know their age.

The ceremony of teeth filing :

They equalize six teeth which represents six defects, and they think that pointed teeth are a caracteristic of dogs.

This ceremony mark the passage between adolescent to adulthood between 16 and 18 years old.

Cremations :

Cremations take place at least 42 days after death.

They burn the body because they think the soul will be reincarnated.

Its a very big celebration and  very expensive for the family.

The silence celebration :

 In the Balinese New Year, the people stay at home without noise to chase away the evil spirits.

All shops are closed, nobody goes in streets.

Cocks battles :

Cocks battles are forbidden since 2002 because a lot of Indonesian people  were ruined because of betting, but we can look at that in certains villages.

They put blades on the left leg of cocks.

The battle last until the death of one of the cocks.

Dances :

Dances are very important in Bali because each celebration has its own dance.

In these dances the hands and eyes movements are important.

The costumes are very colorful.

The rhythm is given by an instrument, the Gamelan (xylophone).

The most important dances are « Lelong, Kecak, Kebyar ».

Questions : 

What is the principal religion ?

Why  the children can’t  touch the ground ?

What is forbidden since 2002 ?

Written by Elliot