Tourism versus Tradition - The Future Of Bali’s Paddy-Fields

[Vincent OG]

Interesting article in today’s Jakarta Post
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailfeatures.asp?fileid=20030327.P01&irec=0

A group of artists have sought to highlight the loss of agricultural land to development.

Some of the points in the article are;

- Numerous land brokers persuaded farmers to sell their land
- The development process has separated the Balinese from their cultural and spiritual roots and, simultaneously, marginalized farmers -- the keepers of those roots.
- It is not always easy to resist the temptation of quick cash
- For years, the combination of high land tax and the low income from agricultural products had forced Balinese farmers to sell their paddy fields to the growing property, housing, manufacturing and tourism industry.
- The perceived low social status of any work associated with agriculture had only strengthened Balinese youths' reluctance to enter the sector.
- In contrast, working in a sharp suit and tie in any tourism establishment was considered the proper and most acceptable course of living among the younger generation

A lot of comments were made after October 2002 that, through mass tourism, Bali had lost contact with its roots and the tragedy might cause the Balinese to consider a return to traditional values.

Simultaneously, other Balinese, clearly suffering from the loss of tourism, look for a return of $ spending foreigners.

Seems to me Bali has a tightrope to walk and maybe expats do as well. When I get there, I’m considering buying some land to build a home. This will probably be agricultural land. I’m not going to lose sleep over this because my presence will hopefully bring employment and other benefits to the local community. Nevertheless, it makes me think.

 

[Roy]

My Two Cents Worth of Opinion

A hot topic in my Banjar to be certain. As you know, I live in what is now called the “gold coast” of Ubud, Sayan, Kedewatan, Bunutan, virtually all the land along the Ayung River gorge. Within my Banjar, I try to convince the locals to lease, rather than “sell” their land. A twenty year lease will have value to their young sons and daughters in the future. A land sale is final, and land is NOT replaceable. Selling land is selling your “pusaka” a term fully understood here, almost tantamount to selling one’s soul.

Since I am married to a Balinese, and with two sons, all of our land is “owned” or purchased, but virtually every square meter is in my wife’s name…and eventually will be in my children’s name. So no, I will not “lease” land, but gladly buy it when I can to preserve it for my wife, and our children. In other words, it will remain “Balinese” land.

Trust me when I say that I am not alone with this thinking. The vast majority of expats I know well, and regard as soul mates, agree with this 100%. Most of us appreciate the privilege of living, working, prospering and raising children in “paradise.” Very few of us want to ruin it through greed or other ambitions.

 

[xpat2b]

Agree

We certainly agree with the sentiments Roy expresses. When we began looking for land in 1999, we were intending to buy it, since that was simply the way it was done in the USA. As we began to learn more about the people and culture of Bali, including the developments in the social structure related to transfer of land to foreign ownership, it became apparent that a long-term lease made good sense, from a variety of perspectives. We have been fortunate to have been guided from our first step by a socially-conscious and highly altruistic local couple (Australian woman married to a member of the former royal family of the Ubud area), who have sort of "adopted" our little village, and have acted as intermediaries to assist the village in dealing with folks such as ourselves. They explained many of these developments to us, and as a result when we looked for land outside of Ubud, we looked for non-agricultural land (yes, on a river gorge but not the Ayung, ours is the Wos). Since the land we found was land which could not be used for agriculture (too steep), buying it would not have directly affected rice-growing, but the land-owner was still reluctant to sell, for all of the reasons Roy outlines.

Susan and I are moving to Bali for our "retirement" (whatever that means). Obviously we will not be marrying Balinese, nor starting a family. It is not important to us to leave a Balinese estate for our children when we pass on - they wouldn't be interested anyway. Building a beautiful home on this land will create an important asset for the family who owns it once our lease expires. In addition, we are hiring one of the owner's sons and his wife as our live-in staff, and have built a small home for them on the property. This way, they have a vested interest in maintaining the property, since it represents part of their long-term future and of their children.

I have other observations on the issue of the young folks in Bali, and the effects of all this on their relationship to their own culture, but that will have to wait for another post.

Meanwhile, PEACE TO EVERYONE, NO MATTER WHAT NAME YOU GIVE TO THAT WHICH YOU WORSHIP.

Dennis and Susan

 

[Gloria]

To Dennis and Susan

You seem to have your thinking caps on and I am sure with the attitude you have towards Bali, you will become very aware expats. I am glad you could join us. I for one would like to know more about your ideas.I am very interested in rammed earth or mud brick building....if you have any input for that....Good luck....G...

 

[Lothar]

in Malaysia

the Government has actually well taken care of this 'land-sell' issue. By constitution only Bumiputeras are permitted to trade in Bumiputera reserved land (and such land is a lot). IF they sell to foreigners that foreigner will have an impossible time to convert that land to non-Bumiputera. I'm not sure if Indonesia / Bali have similar laws?

My wife tells me that, since she is Indonesian, she could also buy land in Bali. Is that correct, Roy?