Ancestry in Modernity

Hello again my friends and family… The days and nights have become seamless as I move through research papers, hot cold hydrotherapy, beach cafes, scooter rides past temples, lab work and waterfalls. The other night I was the back of a Grab scooter being driven home and I noticed my mind flowing randomly through odd thoughts as I took in all the sights and sounds around me…How many pairs of flip flops does a small child lose while dangling their feet and flippies off the back of a scooter before they don’t lose them anymore? How many shades of blue night sky can the average human eye see, have people met new friends while talking with each other while on their scooters in a cluster at a traffic light, and how does ongoing ceremony and ritual affect the Balinese people’s sense of community?

The culture is very tourism friendly, and yet there is an indigenous ancestry here that firmly asserts its character in the land and people. Over a thousand years ago the Indonesian people collaborated together to create an irrigation system to bring water to all areas of the land and therefore every single farm. That irrigation system is the same one they use today. They recently celebrated Hari Raya Kuningan, an honouring of the victory of Dharma over Adharna, or generically, good over evil. It is a time when their ancestors visit, so all the homes and streets are decorated to welcome their ancestors spirits home, to say thank you for their land and for the beautiful gift that Bali is, including the irrigation system… There are so many poles and statues wrapped in golden sarongs to please the ancestors, and for a while it felt like the entire area stopped in order to have ceremonies for the ancestors. All the Indonesian people were dressed in their best sarongs, and although the ceremony was technically supposed to end early afternoon… People filled the streets late into the night, dancing, talking and basically having time together. My attempts to get home that night were hampered by happy people hanging out with each other in the streets – many of those people, once they saw me standing off the back of the scooter, came to wave or high five me. Quite a welcome into their evening.

Photo Gallery: Tibumana Waterfall, Tegalalang Rice Terraces, Ceremony ending procession, Satria Coffee Plantation, LaRosa Cafe and bridge walk to Tibumana

Putu drove me around that day, after his family celebration and had ceremony. He said many Indonesian people want to share information about their ceremony and culture with outsiders so that more people understand the beauty of Bali and don’t think of it as only a surf, health and yoga island. He wanted me to see Ubud and the surrounding areas while they were still fully decorated and celebrating. He and I spoke of how his culture always thinks of the connection we have to the land, to our ancestors, to each other. I see this in their daily morning offerings of incense, flowers and blessed water to the front of their homes and businesses to give gratitude for their blessings from the Gods and to give honour to the demons to keep them away. The acknowledgement of blessings in balance beginning every day seems a meaningful practice that I deeply appreciate.

Photo Gallery: Batu Bolong Beach waves crashing, Canggu – Nelayan Beach – a photographic representation of life, La Brisa Sunday market at Echo Beach, Canggu, the staircase out of Kanto Lampo waterfall, Penjor Bamboo ceremonial poles outside each home and a Candi Bentar(Balinese/Javanese gate