5. Rice Terraces = a piece of land that has been carved out of a hill and made flat so crops can grow there. In Bali the rice terraces were made over 2,000 years ago. The rice terraces were made using simple hand tools, by farmers. They started building the terraces by making steps on steep hills. The rice terraces are made like this so that the water coming from the top of the terraces can flow all the way down. Year after year they extend the terraces more and more, but still kept its “step” shape. Rice is also the main food that Balinese families normally eat. – By Luigi Acevedo and Mohammed Husain
6. Bamboo = Bamboo is a type of long grass from the Poaceae family. There are over 100 species in Indonesia alone. It can grow in containers, outdoors, and indoors. Bamboo releases 35% more oxygen and can grow at 2 inches an hour to 1.5 meters a day. It also uses 12 tons of CO2 from the air. It is used for construction, furniture, medicine, transportation, textiles, paper, art, and food. In addition, baskets, water conduits, paint brushes, fish traps, rice steamers and musical instruments are made from bamboo. The young shoots provide an edible vegetable, but when harvested the plant dies. In Ubud there is an Environmental Bamboo Foundation that promotes the use of bamboo. – Richa Oberoi & Aarathi Prakasen
7. Bali Textiles = The Bali textile industry, as well as many other arts, have provided 300,000 jobs and are becoming the backbone of the economy. Exports have been increasing around 15% a year to over US $400million, textiles contributing about 45 %. The textiles are decretive clothes used to represent cultural identity and religious exclusivity. There are also three types worn by the Balinese. The Endek is a popular tie-dyed woven textile for most of the Balinese people. Endek is also a versatile clothe because it is worn by the Balinese for both daily and ceremonial purposes. The Songket is a brocaded silk cloth using interweaving patterns of gold and silver thread, because of the quality and thread work it is established as a wealthy man’s cloth. Batik is known as Prada cloth. Previously it was thought that certain cloth had powers to ward off ill fortune. During the process of Batik wax is drawn on over the design and then soaked in dye, traditionally in earthenware tubs. This art has been inspired by mythologies to every day encounters and spread through out the world. - Alex Driscoll and Michelle Salgado
8. Balinese Pawukon Calendar = A calendar which is used in almost all Hindu religion ceremonies and has only 210 days and once its over it starts a new one. The calendar has 10-12 months. All Bali celebrations are on holy days marked on the calendar. In the 210 days, it is divided into 30 weeks which are called Wuku. The calendar shows good and bad days for the Balinese, good days are called Dewasa Wullung while the bad ones are called Dewasa Jelek. The calendar was created in 78 AD the calendar was used in the Bali Aga Village which is in the Klungkung regency. – Andrew Munsell and Benjamin Tan
