Bali: Island of Gods...
By Mason Gersh, Political Science and International Affairs
...and island where goddess Julia Roberts discovered her inner self in a 2010 blockbuster film. After an academically rich week in Jakarta, Indonesia’s sprawling capital of over ten million, the green island of Bali seemed a culturally rich and more accessible window into the diversity of Indonesian history and culture.
Following an early morning pick-up, our first activity in Bali was to attend a Balinese Barong & Keris Dance (Lion Dance) representing the internal fight between good and evil. According to our local guide, the experience was quite different from what one would find in a Balinese community temple today, although I was quite taken with feelings of camaraderie with the Rangda (queen of the witches) nonetheless.
The Barong & Keris Dance
Afterwards, the group was graciously hosted in a Balinese family home to learn of the Tri Hita Karana architecture model. These compounds are beautifully constructed and meant to maintain closeness to both community and nature, as the kitchen, family temple, and bedroom are all interconnected via green courtyards and stone pathways. Each community on the island is expected to maintain a temple no matter how small, a policy that has clearly contributed to the wealth of intricate architecture Bali is famous for.
A religious space within a family Tri Hita Karana
Our final stop of the day—before heading back and taking some quick stops at a tea plantation and the elephant caves—was to the Kintamani Volcano and surrounding Batur Mountain Range. The volcano is still active, and one can see the dried lava and soot on the countryside surrounding the mountain. Lunch, apparently, is best served hundreds of meters up and surrounded by bees with the threat of an active volcano looming in the distance.
Kinatmani Volcano
While undoubtedly a rewarding experience overall, the day—and particularly the dance—brought issues to the surface I will continue to contend with throughout our stay. In an economy centered on tourism, what did it mean for an American such as myself to come in with my relative wealth and demand performativity and exposure to another’s culture? Was my presence on the island at all beneficial to my host community, or have decades of tourism diluted many Balinese livelihoods to a mere transactional relationship with temporary visitors. While the answers to these questions are undoubtedly complex, it’s important to keep them in mind while in environments markedly different from your own. These challenges also present ample opportunity for personal growth for myself and for others on our dialogue, and I look forward to further exploring Bali and our role here on the island in the days to come.