Bali Art Sales

European

admin — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 03:56:39 +0000

The first Dutch seamen set foot on Bali in 1597, yet it wasn’t until the 1800’s that the Dutch showed an interest in colonising the island. In 1846, having had large areas of Indonesia under their control since the 1700’s, the Dutch government sent troops into northern Bali. In 1894, Dutch forces sided with the Sasak people of Lombok to defeat their Balinese rulers. By 1911, all the Balinese principalities had either been defeated in battle, or had capitulated, leaving the whole island under Dutch control. During World War ll, the Dutch were expelled by the Japanese, who occupied Indonesia from 1942 to 1945.

After the Japanese defeat, the Dutch tried to regain control over their former colonies, but on August 17th 1945, Indonesia was declared independent by its first President, Sukarno. After 4 years of fighting, and strong criticism from the international community, the Dutch government finally ceded and in 1949, Indonesia was recognised as an independent country.

About

admin — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 01:36:39 +0000

With the reputation of being one of the most beautiful and diverse tourist spots in Asia, Bali attracts almost one million visitors from around the world every year. Geographically, Bali is situated between the islands of Java and Lombok, in the Indonesian archipelago, north west of Australia. Bali is small, stretching approximately 140 Km from east to west, and 80Km from north to south. The tallest of a string of volcanic mountains that run from east to west is Gunung Agung, which last erupted in 1963.
Located just 8 degrees south of the Equator, Bali boasts a tropical climate with just two seasons (wet and dry); a year with an average temperature of around 28 degrees C. The wide and gently sloping southern regions play host to Bali’s famed rice terraces, which are among some of the most spectacular in the world. In the hilly, northern coastal regions, the main products are coffee, copra, spices, vegetables, cattle and rice. The Balinese have strong spiritual roots and despite the large influx of tourists over the years, their culture is still very much alive. The main religion is Agama Hindu Dharma, which although originally from India, comprises of a unique blend of Hindu, Buddhist, Javanese and ancient indigenous beliefs; It is very different from the Hinduism practiced in India today.
Naturally creative, the Balinese have traditionally used their talents for religious purposes and most of the beautiful work to be seen here has been inspired by stories from the Ramayana and other Hindu epics.
The majority of Bali’s three million people live, for the most part, in tight village communities with large extended families. The largest towns are Denpasar (the capital) and Singaraja in the north. The main tourist area stretches from Kuta to Seminyak. Kuta became a major attraction during the tourist boom of the 70’s because of its famous white-sand beaches, the surf, and stunning sunsets.
Today, the Kuta to Seminyak stretch is a major tourist destination, with hundreds of hotels, bars, restaurants and shops. Those in search of a little peace and quiet tend to head for the more sedate resorts of Sanur and Candi Dasa on the east coast, or Lovina in the north. Nusa Dua, on the southernmost peninsula on the island houses many 5-star hotels. The central village of Ubud, in the hilly region of Gianyar has also blossomed as a tourist attraction and is now considered to be the artistic and cultural centre of Bali.

Those looking for spiritual and bodily renewal on a visit can indulge themselves in some of the many spas and therapeutic resorts available. There are many options available including Spa Vacations, Spa Packages, Resorts and Retreats. There are even Spa schools where one can join intensive courses in Balinese and other massage therapies.

People

admin — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:43:25 +0000

Life in Bali is very communal with the organisation of villages, farming and even the creative arts being decided by the community. The local government is responsible for schools, clinics, hospitals and roads, but all other aspects of life are placed in the hands of two traditional committees, whose roots in Balinese culture stretch back centuries. The first, Subak, concerns the production of rice and organises the complex irrigation system. Everyone who owns a sawah,or padi field, must join their local Subak, which ensures that every member gets his fair share of irrigation water. The other community organisation is the Banjar, responsible for arranging all village festivals, marriage ceremonies and cremations. Most villages have at least one Banjar and all men have to join when they marry. Banjars, on average, give membership to 50 up to 100 families and all Banjars have their own meeting place called the Bale Banjar. As well as being used for regular meetings, the Bale (pavilion) is where the local gamelan orchestras and drama groups practice.

Religion

admin — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:42:44 +0000

Balinese people are Hindu, but their religion is very different from the Indian variety. The Balinese worship the Hindu trinity Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, who are seen as manifestations of the Supreme God Sanghyang Widhi. Other Indian gods like Ganesha (the elephant-headed god) also appear, but less commonly. Shrines associated to the many gods and spirits, uniquely Balinese, are to be found all over the island. Balinese people strongly believe in magic and the power of spirits, basing much of their religion on this. They believe good spirits, dwell in the mountain and that the seven seas are homes to demons and ogres. Most villages have at least three main temples, namely (1) the Pura Puseh or ‘temple of origin’, facing the mountain; (2) the Pura Desa, or village temple found in the centre; and (3) the Pura Dalem, aligned with the sea and dedicated to the spirits of the dead. Aside from these ‘village temples’, almost every house has its own shrine. Some temples, for examples Pura Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung, are considerably more important and people from all over Bali travel there to worship.

Offerings play a significant role in Balinese life as they appease the spirits and thus bring prosperity and good health to the family. Every day small offering trays (canang sari), containing symbolic food, flowers, cigarettes and money, are respectfully put on shrines, in temples, in front of houses and shops, and at dangerous crossroads.

Festivals are another great occasions for soothing the gods. The women carry huge, beautifully arranged pyramids of food, fruit and flowers on their heads while the men might conduct a blood sacrifice through a cockfight. The gods are invited to descend and join the festivities with music and traditional dances to go with it. This kind of event is extremely exciting, memorable and well worth attending.

Bali

admin — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:40:28 +0000

Although there are no artefacts or records dating back to the Stone Age, it is believed that the first settlers on Bali migrated from China around 2500 BC. By the Bronze era, around 300Bc, a fairly evolved culture already existed on Bali. The complex system of irrigation and rice production, still in use today, was established around this time.

It appears that the main religion around 500 AD was predominantly Buddhist in influence. In 670 AD, a Chinese scholar (Yi-Tsing), on a trip to India, reported that he had visited a Buddhist country called Bali.

It wasn’t until the 11th century that Bali received the first strong influx of Hindu and Javanese cultures. The most famous event in early Balinese history occurred towards the end of the 10th century, when a princess of East Java, Princess Mahendratta, married the Balinese king Udayana. Their marriage portrait is believed to be depicted in a stone in the Pura Korah Tepigan in the Batur area. With the death of his father, Udayana, around AD 1011, their son, the Balinese Prince, Airlanggha, moved to East Java and set about uniting it under one principality. Having succeeded, he then appointed his brother, Anak Wungsu, as ruler of Bali. During the ensuing period, there was a reciprocation of political and artistic ideas. The old Javanese language Kawi, became the language used by the aristocracy, one of the many Javanese traits and customs adopted by the cause.

With the death of Airlanggha, in the middle of the 11th century, Bali enjoyed a period of autonomy. However, this proved to be short-lived, as in 1284 the East Javanese King Kertanegara, conquered Bali and ruled over it from Java. In 1292, Kertanegara was murdered and Bali took the opportunity to liberate itself once again. However, in 1343, Bali was brought back under Javanese control by its defeat at the hands of Gajah Mada, a general in the last of the great Hindu-Javanese empires, the Majapahit.

With the spread of Islam throughout Sumatra and Java during the 16th century, the Majapahit empire began to collapse and a large exodus of aristocracy, priests artists, and artisans to Bali ensued. For a while Bali flourished and the following centuries were considered the Golden Age of Bali’s cultural history. The principality of Gelgel, near Klungkung, became a major centre for the Arts, and Bali became the major power of the region, taking control of neighbouring Lombok and parts of East Java.