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Even
today, there is a certain magic about Bali. The longer
one stays on the island, the more one is impressed by
the many exquisite sights and the scores of talented
and charming people one encounters. All the tourist
hype aside, Bali truly is exceptional.
The island of Bali indeed presents a modern paradox
- an ancient, traditional society that is still incredibly
alive and vital. While the basic conservatism of the
Balinese has enabled them to preserve many of their
past achievements, it has never hindered the acceptance
of new and innovative elements, whether home-grown or
foreign.
How are
we to account for the island's fabled cultural wealth?
A fortuitous congruence of circumstances - accidents,
really, of geography and history, seems responsible.
 First
and foremost, Bali is extraordinarily blessed by Nature.
Lying within a narrow band of the tropics where wet
and dry seasons fall roughly into balance - providing
both adequate rainfall and long periods of sunshine
- the island's soils, topography and water resources
are all remarkably well suited to human habitation.
As a result, Bali has been civilized since very early
times.
This is
also the only island in "inner Indonesia"
that has enjoyed centuries of more or less uninterrupted
cultural continuity. While other traditional states
in the region suffered major disruptions due to Islamization
and Dutch colonization, Bali was isolated, left to go
her own way.
As a result,
this is the only area of Indonesia that remains "Hindu"
today - retaining elements of the great fusion of indigenous
and Indian cultures which took place over a thousand
years ago. When Bali was finally colonized by the Dutch,
at the turn of this century, the European invaders were
so fascinated by what they found here that a concerted
effort was made to preserve and foster the island's
traditional culture.
Balinese
society remains strong and vital, moreover, because
it promotes family and communal values. This is indeed
the key - a self-strengthening system in which religion,
custom and art combine with age-old childrearing techniques
and deeply-entrenched village institutions to produce
an exceptionally well-integrated society. Feelings of
alienation from parents and peers, so common now in
the West are rare in Bali.
Children
are carried everywhere until they are at least three
months old, held at all times in the warm, protective
embrace of family, friends and neighbors. Elaborate
rituals are performed at frequent intervals to ensure
their well-being. Every aspect of village life is organized
to the nth degree - the individual's rights and responsibilities
within the community being carefully defined by tradition.
Despite
all this, it should be noted that traditional Bali was
far from perfect. For the majority of Balinese peasants,
it was in fact a world wracked by warfare, disease,
pestilence and famine. In this century, moreover, Bali
was continuously plagued by political violence, over-population
and poverty.
Bali's unique
culture should in fact be viewed as a response to difficult,
uncertain conditions. Its strong village institutions
served as bulwarks against the ever-present threat of
disaster; their inherent flexibility was a guarantee
of survival in the face of often overwhelming odds.
The rapid
changes now occurring on the island must be seen from
this historical perspective. Certainly there are problems,
some perhaps as serious as those faced in earlier times.
But the Balinese are eternal optimists, fervently believing
that their "Island of the Gods" enjoys a very
special place indeed in the grander scheme of things
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INDONESIA
