The Origin Bali Island's Name that Never You Know

As we know Bali Island is a nice place for spending our holiday because Bali offers you many unique cultures, amazing tourism objects, spectacular food, beautiful nature, kindly people and maybe also a pretty girl. Because of that, Bali is the best tourist destination in the world, but do you know why this island called Bali? If you didn’t know, this article would give you nice information.

The word of Bali first time comes from an inscription were found in Blanjong Village, Sanur and this inscription also called by Blanjong Inscription. The inscription was created by Sri Kesari Warmadewa King in 835 Caka (913 AD) and it contains one word “ Bali Dwipa”. Bali Dwipa comes from Sanskrit and divided by 2 words Bali means the offering or Banten and Dwipa mean island.

According to the researchers, this name is given by the merchants from India that have spread in southeast Asia around the first century AD, and base on the religious activity of Bali island’s society who use various types of offerings (Banten = Bali) as a means of the ceremony.

Meanwhile, the Gobleg Inscription which is made in 905 Caka (983 AD) contained the word 'Bali'. In this inscription found the words "... ..siwyan ... ..dini in Bali ...." and means ‘respected here in Bali’

The word 'Bali' is also discovered in the Buahan Inscription 1103 Saka (1181 AD) which is written by King Jayapangus. In this inscription found the sentence reads, "... ..pinaka pangupajiwaning souls wardhana ring Bali Dwipa" ... .. and it means a source of livelihood for growing every society on the island of Bali.

Generally, foreign sailors know Bali with many names. Some foreign sailors call Balle or Ilha Bale. Dutch sailor who had stopped in Bali, Cornelis de Houtman knows this tiny island with Baelle. Now, you get information on why this paradise island was called by Bali. Bali cannot be spared from Hinduism activities, and society always uses Banten in the religious procession.

The Basic Movement of Balinese Dance before You Learning It

Have you watched Balinese Dance? Balinese Dance is more attractive than Java Dance because the movement of Balinese Dance is powerful. Bali has many traditional dances, the famous one is Pendet Dance (Welcoming Dance). There are 3 basics of Balinese Dance before learning it. 

Those are ; 

1. Agem 

2. Tandang 

3. Tangkep 

The meaning of Agem, Tandang, Tangkep are: 

1. Agem is the primary movement of Balinese Dance which doesn’t change. Agem is consisted of 2, right Agem and left Agem. 

a. Right Agem for woman
• The left foot is in front of the right foot with a corner position. 

•The distance of the left foot between the right foot is one clod of hand. 

• Left toe lifted 

• The butt is moving to the left and knees bent. 

• The right hand is equal with eyes and the left hand is equal with breast. 

 • The palm is facing forward. • Glancing to the right side 

• The body weight centered on the right foot. 

b. Left Agem for woman 

• The right foot is in front of the left foot with a corner position. 

• The distance of the left foot between the right foot is one clod of hand. 

• Right toe lifted 

• The butt is moving to the right and knees bent. 

• The left hand is equal with eyes and the right hand is equal with breast. 

• The palm is facing forward. 

• Glancing to the left side 

• The body weight centered on the left foot. 

 

c. Right Agem for man 

• The left foot is in front of the right foot with a corner position. 

• The distance of the left foot between the right foot is one sole of the feet. 

• The position of the body is perpendicular. 

• The body weight centered on the right foot. 

• The palm is facing forward. 

• The position of the hand is equal to shoulder. 

• Glancing to the right side 

d. Left Agem for man 

• The right foot is in front of the left foot with a corner position. 

• The distance of the left foot between the right foot is one sole of the feet.

• The position of the body is perpendicular. 

• The body weight centered on the left foot. 

• The palm is facing forward. 

• The position of the hand is equal with the shoulder. 

• Glancing to the left side 

2. Tandang Tandang is a way to move a primary movement to other primary movements, so that it becomes an integral part of continuous movement. 

3. Tangkep Tangkep is the expression when we conducting the dance

The Powerful Guardian of Balinese House

Balinese Statue Powerful Guardian of Balinese House

Have you been seen the statue in front of a temple or palace during you spent the holiday in Bali? It was called by Bedogol which is the Balinese name for the gate guardian statue. It also called Dwarapala.

The statues were placed only in Pura (temples) and Puri (Royal homes), but nowadays they can be found in most houses in Bali. The statues are usually placed on the left and right sides of the gate - they are an essential element of Balinese exteriors. They mark homes with stark personality, charm, beauty or eccentric figures. People are free to choose any character to be used as a Bedogol. 

The statue representing the more powerful character is placed on the right side of the gate. Balinese People are always concerned with directions and also with positions - left and right. The complementary nature of Bedogol and their placement on both sides of the gate relates to the Balinese philosophy of good and bad, positive and negative and the essential necessity to balance these forces - to make them neutral. And it is important to know that the good does not exist without the bad or, for that matter, the bad without the good. The bedogol’s purpose is to organize possibly unbalanced elements from the outside world, to make the positive and negative neutral before they enter the home.

The guardian statues are typically a pair of characters that complement each other, such as young and old brother. Most Balinese use the male-female Dwarapala to guard their homes. Sometimes they look alike, but they are not identical. Often the statues are like a mirror image rather than an exact replica. For example, if one statue makes a gesture to the left, the other would make it to the right. So, you just glance at our Dwarapala statues and walk through the gate assured of a stable and peaceful atmosphere. This is one of the unique things in Bali that you must know when you spent the holiday in Paradise Island.

Urutan Celeng – The Delicious Balinese Pork Sausage

Bali Pork Sausage is a Famous Food on the Island of the Gods

Urutan is made of pork meat combined with Base Gede ( Balinese sauce). It is conveniently encased in the roast pig’s reserved tubular stomach intestines. The pork meat is diced into small bits and then mixed with Base Gede. The Balinese then construct a handheld funnel carved out of bamboo, insert a coconut leaf spine in the middle as the tube and squeeze the pork through it into the attached intestinal casing below.

 Urutan Daging Babi is generally deep-fried before they are eaten. Almost every food stall (Warung Nasi) offers this kind of fare, and it is generally served as a small portion (a 3 cm off-cut) within a mixture of other fillings, along with the staple food - rice. In some parts of Bali, Urutan Daging Babi is left to dry in the sun by hanging it on a bamboo stick and then fried it.

Ingredients of Balinese Pork Sausage

Ingredients: 

• ½ kg 1 cm square chopped pork. Any kind of pork will do, including its fat, and any part of the animal - leg, neck, etc 

• 1-meter pig intestine

• 6 red onions

• 3 pieces garlic

• 3 small red chilies

• 1 cm whole ginger 

• 1 cm whole turmeric 

• 1 cm kencur (Kaempferia galanga)

• 1 teaspoon whole coriander 

• 2 pieces of candlenuts 

• 1 teaspoonful of shrimp paste 

• ¼ teaspoon pepper • plenty of nutmegs 

• 1 clove 

• 2 dessert spoons of coconut oil

Directions: 

Mince all of the spices or the base gede. Wash the pork intestine until it gets very clean. Mix the pork slices with the minced spices. Fill in the pork intestine with the mixture until it is full. Tie both ends of the intestine with a rope. The fermentation of the meat will happen naturally in the process of drying. This sausage can be fried and served directly.

Kintamani Dog - The Balinese Faithful and Friendly Pet

Kintamani Dog Famous as Faithful and Friendly Pet  

If you know, Bali has an endemic dog, it’s called Kintamani. It is a spitz dog breed from the island of Bali. These friendly, medium-sized dogs with erect ears and long fur are popular pets in Indonesia. The Kintamani was taken from named Balinese town of Kintamani. Kintamani dogs can be found in Sukawana, Kintamani, Bali.

Several stories exist to explain the origin of the Kintamani dog. One story has the breed originating 600 years ago from a Chinese Chow Chow. According to another story, the Kintamani dog descends from a fox-wolf-dog cross. DNA studies involving Kintamani dogs, Bali street dogs, Australian dingoes and nine AKC-breeds of Asian or European origin show that the Kintamani dog has evolved from Balinese feral dogs with little loss of genetic diversity.

Kintamani Dog Kintamani Dog in Balinese Life

Kintamani is a mid-sized spitz-type dog with a thick, long, dense fur, erect ears, and a feathery tail curled over the back. The long coat forms a frill along the shoulders. The preferred coat color is white with a white-red shade on the top of the coat and apricot ears, tail and hindquarters. Black also occurs, as well as other solid colors and other color patterns, such as black and tan and white-gold-and-black. A special Kintamani dog is Belang Bungkem (black-and-white). However, these particolored dogs are probably genetically closer to the Bali street dog. Kintamani is 40 - 55 cm tall.

The Kintamani dog is a friendly pet dog and alert guard dog. This Dog is active and lively, smart and highly trainable, and has an alert and high curious characteristic. If living in a close relationship with their owner they are very loyal dogs and love their owner. They have a unique way when they will give birth, they will make a hole in the ground to protecting their child.  This is the best animal that Bali had.

Subak – The Balinese Traditional Irrigation System

Subak Organization Lead The Balinese Traditional Irrigation System

While spending your holiday in Bali, you will discover many amazing places. You have been visited many tourist destinations such as Uluwatu Temple, Besakih Temple, Ubud, etc but have you heard about Subak? This island is famous for its unique system of irrigation. Guided and informed by religious values, it combines impressive feats of engineering with complex and elaborate social structures. Subak is a community organization that was in charge of the irrigation system applied in rice farming in Bali.

Subak usually has a temple, called Bedugul Temple or Uluncarik Temple specially set up by farmers and destined to prosperity and fertility goddess Dewi Sri. Subak irrigation system is governed by a leader who called by Pekaseh. A Subak consists of all the landowners – or their representatives- in a particular rice production area. The Subak is not only responsible for the construction and maintenance of canals, tunnels, aqueducts, and dams, and for the distribution of water but also coordinates the planting and organization of ritual offerings and festivals.

Subak System

The overall Subak system exemplifies the Balinese philosophical principle of Tri Hita Karana that draws together the realms of the spirit, the human world, and nature. Subak temple rituals promote a harmonious relationship between people and their environment through the active involvement of people with ritual concepts that emphasize dependence on the life-sustaining forces of the natural world.

Most Subak possesses written legal codes, called Awig-awig, which detail the rights and responsibilities of Subak membership. Awig-awig or traditional customary laws and regulations, including Subak management and the traditional protection and conservation of cultural properties are covered by regulations of Bali Province Number 5 (2005) Section 19, that clarify zoning for protected sacred sites such as temples, based on local Awig-awig.

UNESCO admitted Subak (Balinese Culture Landscape) be a World Heritage Site. The ratification held in the first hearing which took place in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 2012. If you want to see a Subak irrigation system, you can visit Ceking Terrace in Tegalalang, Jatiluwih Rice Field, Busung Biu Rice Field in Buleleng. Those are the best place for exploring this unique irrigation system.