Bali Local Custom Tips by ancient_traveler

NGABEN

A cremation is a superb study of all the most important symbols of Balinese ceremonial life, because the Balinese perceive death not as an end but as a new beginning, a cremation is a time of joyous celebration, the greatest day in a person's life. The 'ngaben' ritual is the last and most important rite a family can perform for a loved one.

There are ceremonies for every stage of Balinese life but often the last ceremony-cremation-is the biggest. A Balinese cremation can be an amazing, spectacular, colorful, noisy and exciting event. In fact it often takes so long to organize a cremation that years have passed since the death. During that time the body is temporarily buried. Of course an auspicious day must be chosen for the cremation and since a big cremation can be very expensive business many less wealthy people may take the opportunity of joining in at a larger cremation and sending their own dead on their way at the same time.

BALINESE DANCE

Bali Dance have historically played an important role in Belinese society. Through this medium, people learned about the tales of the Ramayana, Mahabarata and other epic strories from Balinese history. The following are brief descriptions of some of the more well-known dance-dramas that can be seen at regular performances, throughout Bali.

Barong & Rangda: This is basically a story about the struggle between good and evil. Good is personified by the Barong and evil represented by Rangda.

Kecak: the most famous of the Balinese dances. This is a very exciting dance to watch and is performed by a large group of chanting men sitting in a circle, waving their arms and swaying in time with the chants.

Legong: The Legong is a very classical and graceful dance, and is always performed by prebubescent girls, often as young as 8 or 9 years old.

FESTIVALS IN BALI

Festival are important features of Balinese life. Most of this ceremonies occur on fixed dates within the Balinese calendar that is based upon a cycle 210 days. Some of this festivals are anniversary celebrations of temples. Many are life cycle ceremonies that begin at conception and continue at major stages of an individual’s life, ending only with the cremation.

GALUNGAN is the most important holiday. It symbolizes the victory of Virtue (Dharma) over Evil (Adharma).

KUNINGAN take place ten days after Galungan.

NYEPI is the Balinese Lunar New Year called the “saka” new year. It is a day of total silence throughout the island. No physical activity is allowed, no traffic at all on the road, no fire may be lit and no the day before nyepi so as exorcise evil spirits from every corner of the village.