9. Bali Creation Myth (Bedawang) = the ancient Balinese believed their island rests on the back of a turtle. The world serpent, Antaboga, created the world turtle Bedawang by meditating. Bedawang carries the world on its back. The active movements of the turtle are the cause of Bali’s common Earth quakes. The Balinese created the myth without understanding the real science behind the creation of earth. – Nicole Souders and Su-Jean Lam
10. Bali Spiritual Compass = the spiritual compass is a compass in Bali with directions linked to religious beliefs. Unlike most westerners, the Bali spiritual compass’ directions are based on culture, religion and geography. The most sacred position is kaja, this is the direction of the most sacred mountain, Mt. Agung, the tallest mountain in Bali. Everyone sleeps with their head towards kaja. The second most sacred direction is kangin; kangin is east, the direction of the sunrise. Kelod is the sacred direction towards the sea. The family temple is in the most sacred position, the Kaja-Kangin. All temples in Bali are pointed toward the mountains and seas. – Akib Shahjahan and Zubin Shah
11. Agama Hindu = famous Balinese religion that is made up of Hinduism, Buddhism, ancestor worship and Animism. Animism is a belief that in all people, creatures, and objects have souls. Hinduism in Bali did not take place until the 9th century even though Indian traders had started to trade with Bali since the 1st century. Agama Hindu Dharma is the Indonesian name for Hinduism in Indonesia. Agama Hindu’s make up 93% of Bali but only 3 % of Indonesians are officially Hindu. Agama Hindus are deeply connected to art and rituals. Offerings to the gods are made everywhere, in houses, community halls, hotels, and in front of shops. A small amount of the food an Agama Hindu eats may also be presented as an offering. Agama Hindus believe in reincarnation. - Mahika Narula
12. Reincarnation (Samsara) = Balinese Hindus believe that when you die you are cremated then reborn into another body. The Balinese call this cycle of reincarnation “samsara.” Their body is temporarily buried for 5 Balinese years which is 2100 days. When their spirits are released they change into another living thing. The spirits go back to the same family and they will always stay in the same island. Their spirits are again in the Hinduism cycle that continues until the spirit is free from desire. If they forget after the 5 years, the reincarnation is cut off. Hindus believe that all forms of life contain a soul, and all souls have the chance to experience life in different forms. - Kate Molinero & Amanda Su
13. Sakti = Sakti is a magic energy that every Balinese is said to have. This magic energy makes it possible for the person to resist the attack of all evil powers which want to weaken the family’s luck, safety and physical health. Though every Balinese has sakti, it is not evenly distributed, some Balinese are born with a higher amount of sakti and some are born with a lower amount. This magic energy can be controlled with more ease the more you know about it. Sakti is not only given out to people, but also to objects. Balinese use the term “sakti” as a way of saying “holy” or “sacred”. – By Ayla Masrin and Ceria Kurtz
14. Pengiwa/Penengen = Balinese believe in pengiwa and penengen; Pengiwa is BLACK magic. Penengen is WHITE magic. Pengiwa is another form of adharma (chaos and disorder of the world), Penengen is the goodness of the world. Leyaks, or spirits, use black magic and are able to transform into evil spirits, and they also usually go after the sick and wounded or their own family members, who are the easiest to attack. Witch doctors, Balians and priests use Penengen to ward off the Leyaks, using charms and ingredients like yellow coconut, dadap leaves, onions, and salt, flowers, rubbings of gold, rain water that collected in plants, twin bananas, or twin coconuts. All of the magic is used anywhere in Bali. Belief in Pengiwa & Penengen started when the Balinese religion was first created, and are believed even now. Pengiwa helps explain the bad things that happen in Bali, Leyaks are a great part of the Balinese mythology and tradition with black magic in it. Penengen is important because it is the neutralizing force in life; they use chants of white magic like ‘ong’, ‘ang’, ‘mang’, to ward of the evil Pengiwa, used by witch doctors and priests. Penengen is also a great part of the Balinese stories and myths. The amulets usually have monsters or deities, drawn on a piece of new cloth or thin pieces of silver or copper. The pictures could also represent weapons of gods. Sakti fuels white magic, used to withstand evil powers. Balinese use the word sakti like we use the word ‘holy’ or ‘sacred’. - By Russell Sim and Andrej Grupkovic
15. Leyak = a Leyak is an ordinary human who is transformed by black magic. This occurs when a spirit enters a human body, usually someone who is sick or injured. When the victim is possessed, they are shape shifters and can change into a variety of forms such as animals (pig, monkey, tiger, etc). They also appear in a form of a flying head with entrails (heart, lung, liver, etc) still attached. There are some kinds of Leyaks like Leyak Poleng, Leyak Mata Besik and Leyak Barak used in mask performances. Leyaks fly around trying to find a pregnant mother to suck her baby’s blood because they need human entrails or baby’s blood in order to sustain themselves and make magic. They are active at night, and mostly attack their family members out of jealousy or revenge. It’s known that there is no practical use of their magic, so it is still a mystery why people want to learn it. Nowadays, Leyak statues are used for house decoration or hung on the wall. - Emmanuel Perez, Seung-Hee Jun
16. BALIAN = a type of doctor that the Balinese would go to if they are ill or in need of help. They can also be called Shaman or Witch Doctors. Some Balians are healers while others have different skills and abilities. When a baby is born the Balinese people believe that the Balian must find out what reincarnated soul is inside the baby’s new body. It is very common for most Balians to carry a magical substances that when touched by the ill with heal them. Balians can be found all around Bali they also can be found in Temples such as Gunung Kawi Temple. Traditional Balinese healers, or Balians, have been the focal point of healing in Bali for centuries. – Moriah Stuart, Eko Hirota
17. Rituals = Balinese people perform rituals that are an established or prescribed procedure for a religious rite, such as the cremation ceremony. Ritual ceremonies mark a person’s journey to a new phase in life. They let the community know that a person is taking on a new role, position or responsibility in society. There are 5 types of Bali rituals: Exorcism, Rites for Gods, Rites for Priests, Life Rituals or Rites of Passage, and Rites of the Dead. For example, when you have the tooth filing ceremony, it’s a 3 month ritual. It occurs when a child becomes an adult, signaling that the person should behave like an adult and control his animalistic emotions. On the day of the cremation, the family (or if several families cannot afford the cremation ceremony and rituals, a group cremation will occur), will build a cremation tower, prepare elaborate offerings, and sponsor a shadow puppet play or masked dance. These rituals are done for religious purposes. The Balinese believe that deities will protect and watch over them if they behave correctly and make the appropriate offerings at rituals. By Aga Widjojo & Katherine Kuncewicz
18. Bali Religious Festivals = Most Bali festivals are connected to their religion and beliefs. Three famous festivals are Galungan, Nyepi, and Eka Dasa Rudra. Galungan is the most important feast for Balinese Hindus. It is celebrated once in 210 days of the Balinese calendar. Galungan is a celebration to honor the creator of the universe and the spirits. It symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Nyepi is when people lock themselves in their house and turn off all the light and become quiet. Nyepi means dead silence, it is celebrated because Balinese think the evil spirits rise up and roams in earth on that day so they become quite and nobody can go outside. Nyepi is celebrated in March 12 in Bali and or the tenth full moon. The last Eka Dasa Rudra preparation occurred in 1963 after president Sukarno proposed shortly after a massive eruption of Mt. Agung. The celebration worships and gives offerings every 100 years and the celebration lasts for 7 weeks. – Karl Sjlobad & Dylan Lubis Furler
19. Canang Sari = is the daily offering given to the gods by the followers of Agama Hindu, a branch of Hinduism practiced in Bali. Canang Sari is made from coconut leaves that are woven to form a box, inside they place flowers and food for the gods and demons alike. Canang Saris are often placed in home shrines, temples, and even on the floor in order to balance the spirits. The Balinese give offerings to the gods AND demons so that they do not disrupt the harmony in the universe. About 93% of the people on Bali are Hindu. - Kush Shah & Ian Stuart
20. Penjors = A penjor is a Balinese religion instrument that is especially used in Galungan, a religious festival that lasts for 10 days. A penjor is made up of curved bamboo pole, decorated with yellow coconut leaves, fruits, vegetables, plawa (leaves), traditional cakes, 11 Chinese coins and a small shrine with some offerings. Men make penjors and put it outside the family compound. A penjor is made up of a straight bamboo pole which represents the “straight honest way”, a curved upper part in a bowing position which represents “respect” and a sampian (a clump of leaves) which represents the tail of Barong which is a symbol of good. The Balinese believe that a penjor represents the mother mountain, Agung, because most of the materials that are needed to make a penjor are found on Agung. – Lucas Gramm & Shruti Chandrasekharan
21. Bali Economy & Cultural Tourism = The majority of Balinese are still employed in farming, followed by tourism, and then the textiles industry. Farming employs the highest number of workers but it is declining. Each village focuses on making one type of product so a village doesn’t focus on a lot of different products. The average minimum wage in Bali is around Rp.730, 000 per month. Tourism makes 80% of the total money made in Bali although agriculture still employs the most people. Cultural Tourism is the term used to Balinese arts such dance, painting, sculpture, etc. that earn money. Examples of the traditional dances that now earn money include Kecak Dance and the Topeng “mask” Dance. Bali’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is 4.44 billion US$. Most tourism in Bali occurs in the southern part of the Bali Island because most of the hotels and the best beaches are in southern part of the Bali. - By Ziyad Al-Yafi and Ben Clark
