The other day I read in Algemeen Dagblad, a national Dutch newspaper, that 600,000 tourism-related jobs are at stake in Bali. Hotel occupany at the moment has already dropped to 14%.
If the tourists stay away (too long), it's Down and Out in Bali.
If only I could travel back in time, to observe Bali as it was in the days before Tourism...
No cars, no motorbikes, only dirt roads and dokars, no hotels, restaurants or bars, just a few losmen and many warungs, no timeshare, no 'beach hawkers' and no watches or dolphin watching.
Sometimes I wonder how the Balinese must feel about the rapid changes that took place in Bali in such a short time. I am fairly new to Bali - my first visit was in september '99 - so I have no memories of my own of the 'old days'.
But I remember well, one of my very first days in Bali I visited the Odalan of the Pura Ratu Gede in Tejakula. We arrived after sunset and had to climb up to the temple following narrow streets. It was my first aquaintance with 'traditional life' in an 'off-the-beaten-track' Balinese village. I walked through an exciting, colourful new world, like in a dream. While walking I looked left and right and regularly I got a glimpse of what was inside the old blistering paintless houses. Shabby furniture, as I expected, but also color TV sets, and I saw satellite dishes. Somehow this spoilt my 'dream' a bit, like a disonant in a beautiful concert, a disenchantment of a spell.
Another thing I learned (much later) is that Status plays an extremely important role in the lives of many Balinese. Besides color tv and vcd player, possessing a car and the latest model mobile phone are amongst the most striking examples for that matter. Even when they can't afford it, even when they can hardly (or not) pay the periodical bills of basic everyday life.
Last september I was in a VCD shop in Singaraja, searching for Balinese karaoke vcds - really cheap à raison rp. 4,000 per piece. Maybe they also sold "The Lord Of The Rings"? No sir. However, I did find hundreds of 'violent' vcds - kung-fu, horror, you name it. And especially the Third Generation Balinese seems to be fond of watching these films, even on television regularly violent movies are broadcasted.
Another disenchantment: the high number of alcohol- and drugaddicts, and suicides (of which many girls) among the youth.
How can this all be rhymed with the intentions of Balinese Hinduism? Where did it go 'wrong'?
Upacara Yadnya, the Sembahyang (praying) and Banten (offering) is done in an attempt to restore disbalances but I think that many (2nd and 3rd generation) Balinese have forgotten (or do not care) about the real intention of these ceremonies, namely to be reminded of Tatwa and Susila, meditation in order to cleanse ones thoughts, to control ones desires.
And now I think, if only I could travel forth in time, to observe Bali as it will be when the Third Generation has become the First... but I am afraid to do so.
:cry:
If the tourists stay away (too long), it's Down and Out in Bali.
If only I could travel back in time, to observe Bali as it was in the days before Tourism...
No cars, no motorbikes, only dirt roads and dokars, no hotels, restaurants or bars, just a few losmen and many warungs, no timeshare, no 'beach hawkers' and no watches or dolphin watching.
Sometimes I wonder how the Balinese must feel about the rapid changes that took place in Bali in such a short time. I am fairly new to Bali - my first visit was in september '99 - so I have no memories of my own of the 'old days'.
But I remember well, one of my very first days in Bali I visited the Odalan of the Pura Ratu Gede in Tejakula. We arrived after sunset and had to climb up to the temple following narrow streets. It was my first aquaintance with 'traditional life' in an 'off-the-beaten-track' Balinese village. I walked through an exciting, colourful new world, like in a dream. While walking I looked left and right and regularly I got a glimpse of what was inside the old blistering paintless houses. Shabby furniture, as I expected, but also color TV sets, and I saw satellite dishes. Somehow this spoilt my 'dream' a bit, like a disonant in a beautiful concert, a disenchantment of a spell.
Another thing I learned (much later) is that Status plays an extremely important role in the lives of many Balinese. Besides color tv and vcd player, possessing a car and the latest model mobile phone are amongst the most striking examples for that matter. Even when they can't afford it, even when they can hardly (or not) pay the periodical bills of basic everyday life.
Last september I was in a VCD shop in Singaraja, searching for Balinese karaoke vcds - really cheap à raison rp. 4,000 per piece. Maybe they also sold "The Lord Of The Rings"? No sir. However, I did find hundreds of 'violent' vcds - kung-fu, horror, you name it. And especially the Third Generation Balinese seems to be fond of watching these films, even on television regularly violent movies are broadcasted.
Another disenchantment: the high number of alcohol- and drugaddicts, and suicides (of which many girls) among the youth.
How can this all be rhymed with the intentions of Balinese Hinduism? Where did it go 'wrong'?
Upacara Yadnya, the Sembahyang (praying) and Banten (offering) is done in an attempt to restore disbalances but I think that many (2nd and 3rd generation) Balinese have forgotten (or do not care) about the real intention of these ceremonies, namely to be reminded of Tatwa and Susila, meditation in order to cleanse ones thoughts, to control ones desires.
And now I think, if only I could travel forth in time, to observe Bali as it will be when the Third Generation has become the First... but I am afraid to do so.
:cry: