When rainy season finally comes, there should be rain everyday in Bali. The service of a rain man (tukang terang) is in high demand, since many traditional or secular events are held outdoor and a sudden down pour of rain will be a great problem.

The traditional rain man of Bali is someone who has strong magical powers that enable him to move the rain from one place to another. The magical power is obtained by observing a strict self-purification and adherence to spiritual processes. Talent and a family line of rain man are also important requirements for obtaining this magical power.
The ability of the rain man is not just moving the rain from one place to another but also in making the rain.

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The word “megibung” is from the Balinese dialect meaning people eating communally. It is traditional custom of the Karangasem regency and normally occurs when there is a lot of work to be done in the village like a temple ceremony or social work. The megibung usually involves hundreds of people. The participants of megibung are divided into groups; each group consists of eight people of same gender, sitting cross-legged in circle on a mat or banana leaves and enjoying the delicious food. The participants eat with their right hand no spoon or fork is used.

The food eaten in megibung is arranged into sets of food called gibungan. The gibungan is set of foods comprise of various food that can be scooped easily with the hand, such as pesan (spicy fish wrapped in banana leaves), be guling (suckling pig), siap / bebek betutu (roast chicken or duck), spicy vegetables such as jukut ares (soup made from a banana tree trunk), jukut urab (strong smelling salad served warm) or lawar (grated coconut, condiments, meat and sometimes raw blood) and nasi putih / nasi kuning (white or yellow rice). Brem (balinese rice wine) or tuak (palm toddy) is always the favorite drink during megibung. The gibungan (food) is placed on a mat or banana leaves, no table is used in the megibung. (more…)

Speaking about Balinese women, we will speak about endurance, patience, love and care and of course, hard workers. The women do all the work while men go to tajen (cockfighting) is the image of Balinese society seen by the outsider and there is some truth in it. The cockfighting is seldom held nowadays maybe once in a month or two, but the Balinese women are still a hard worker.

Balinese women are independent women, tough and hard working. The household duties that are entrusted to the women are exhausting and need a lot of patience such as taking care of the households, preparing the religious offering, taking care of the children, managing the budgets and working in the rice field or office.

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Despite the rapid expansion of supermarket and mall, Peken (traditional market) still hold its ground. The peken (traditional market) in Bali can be found in each village especially in rural area. The meaning of the word “peken” is not “market” but equivalent to the words “gather” in English. The Balinese put the emphasis on the gathering side of the market activity. The peken (traditional market) is usually situated in the heart of the village, beside of village temple (usually on the south side of village temple), under the banyan tree or strategic open place. The peken (traditional market) is usually held everyday. Some peken (traditional market) is held on specific day, called “pasaran”, this “pasaran” comes every three day based on three days-week system (viz. pasah, beteng/pasaran, and kajeng), while the cattle market is held on Wednesday and Sunday.

The peken (traditional market) starts at 4 AM and subsides at 9 AM. The peken (traditional market) reaches its height at 6 to 7 AM. At that time the animation is very great and the market resound with excited bargaining, the constant coming and going of the people. The thousand smells of coconut oil, flowers, spices, and dried fish combine to make a pungent smell, the smell of traditional Balinese market. The peken (traditional market) subsides at 9 AM the buyers return home loaded with the merchandise they have bought and the merchants return home with empty basket and loaded pockets.

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worldleisurejobs.com - The Spa at Maya, part of the Maya Ubud Resort and Spa in Bali, Indonesia, has added three double treatment spa pavilions to its riverside spa property.

The new pavilions – each boasting two treatment tables and a separate dressing room – are located on the banks of the Petanu River and are connected to the existing spa via a boardwalk along the river’s edge.

The boardwalk also features an open-air reflexology deck, suspended over the river with views of the water below and the surrounding rainforest.

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The great mamungkah and mupuk pedagingan ceremony in Pura Taman Ayun reached its peak yesterday (12/19/2006). The ceremony began on 10/21/2006 and last until 12/30/2006. This great ceremony comprised of a series of intricate ceremonies.

The first ceremony was Matur Piuning (informing the God), this ceremony was dedicated to informing the god that the great mamungkah and mupuk pedagingan ceremony will be held soon this ceremony was held on 10/21/2006. Then Nunas Pengalang Sasih (begging a clear month) ceremony was held on 10/27/2006, this ceremony was dedicated to ask for good weather to the God. After that the Nyukat Genah (purifying the venue) ceremony was held on 11/20/2006. This ceremony was dedicated to purify the venue where the great mamungkah and mupuk pedagingan ceremony were held.

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