On Friday, April 11, 2008, the cremation ceremony of Dr. Anak Agung Made Djelantik and two other members of Karangasem royal family was held in the cemetery near the royal palace of Karangasem. This cremation ceremony involved hundreds of people, the royal family of Karangasem, friends of Dr. Anak Agung Made Djelantik and family, and the members of the hamlets around the royal palace of Karangasem. The preparation for the procession to the cemetery had been commenced from early in the morning. The cremation towers and winged-lion –shaped sarcophaguses had been stationed in front of the palace waiting for the procession to start.

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Luca was born in Turin, Northern Italy, and worked as an editor for an Italian publishing company before moving to Asia. He has since become a world-renowned photographer whose work appears in numerous coffee-table books featuring South East Asia’s finest hotels and resorts, spas, homes, tropical gardens, cooking and archeological sites.

The first of these two exhibitions Asian Travels – Black and White Images of Asia” feature works from his travels in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia (including Bali) and the second one is Seeking Serenity which showcases the images he has taken for the Wellness Movement that has swept the world.

Over the years Luca has photographed many of the most exclusive hotels, resorts and spas in the Asia-Pacific region. His keen sense of composition, combined with his technical expertise, captures the desired ambience and brings out the best aspects of interior architecture and design. In his photography of resorts and spas, Luca strives to find imaginative and visually appealing ways to emphasise natural beauty and modern wellness trends.

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On the 9th of July, Balinese will participate in the public election, for electing the next governor. And Balinese hope the next governor will be as successful as Ida Bagus Made Mantra, the 1978- 1988 Balinese governor. Balinese love him much.

Born on May 8th 1928, Mantra grew to become a man who with great artistic talent. He was a good student in his school, very active in artistic activities and well known as Kebyar Duduk dancer. He inherited this artistic talent from his father whom also taught him how to dance.

Mantra then taught Cultural History of India in Indonesia University after he graduated from Santiniketan University, India. He was also one of pioneers who pioneered the establishment of Udayana University.

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Here is an interesting article written by Arthur Asa Berger, PhD on cockfight and Balinese men.

William Ingram begins his superb memoir of his experiences living with a Balinese family, A Little Bit of One O’Clock, describing the sounds of cocks crowing. He writes (1998:13):

I woke to the sound of roosters. There were hundreds of them. The nearest was right beside my room on the waist-high compound wall. Others scrabbled and crowed in a neighboring bamboo grove. The calls from across the whole village blended into a constant wailing. The crowing of roosters is one of the basic sounds of Bali. You hear them all the time, making their presence felt by their seemingly endless crowing.

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Bali is an island which is very active in celebrating traditional ceremony. Almost everyday, all over the island, traditional ceremonies and celebrations are held. And those celebrations and ceremonies need security forces to ensure the ceremonies and celebrations are going well. In this case this task is tackled by Pecalang.

If you take a look in every Balinese ceremony you will know what pecalang are and how they looks like. Pecalang resemble police that they work in group. They (pecalang) use black-red-white checkerboard-pattern “saput” (a traditional Balinese lower cloth which is tied in waist and is used to cover the main cloth (kamben). The main cloth is longer and covers the legs). They also use head-cloth named “udeng” and sometimes using waist coat.

Etymologically, Pecalang derived from ‘celang’ means vigilant. That is logic because pecalang have to secure the ceremony process from any problems. They worked based on the traditional rules (awig awig) and appointed by the member of Banjar (hamlet). (more…)

Pecalang (traditional Balinese security force) is responsible for securing the traditional ceremony or events which are held in Bali. From directing the traffic on the road near the venue of a religious ceremony in order to avoid the traffic jam to patrolling the streets in Silence Day (Nyepi day) are responsibilities of them. The problem is Silence Day oblige people not to go outside home. However, Pecalang have to go outside to do their responsibility. This is such of dilemma.

Silence day is a day when people who stayed in Bali are forbidden doing activities based on Catur Brata Panyepian. This regulation consists of four things that must be obeyed. Those are:

• Amati Geni means people are forbidden to do activities related with fire including switch on the lamp on the night, cooking, etc.
• Amati Karya means people are prohibited to do any activity.
• Amati Lelungan means people are prohibited to go outside their house compound.
• Amati Lelanguan means people are forbidden to enjoy any kind of entertainment.

When people are forbidden to go outside home and to do any activity, pecalang is allowed to do that. For they have to make sure that Catur Brata Panyepian is practiced by all of people. They patrol on the streets inside the territory of Banjar (hamlet) which the pecalang is assigned. And when there is any violation of Catur Brata Panyepian they will ask them-who break the regulation-to obey Catur Brata Panyepian. Indeed, what pecalang do is giving a great effect especially for children who usually use this chance to play in the road.

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