Yesterday, a friend of mine complained that the temperature in the morning is lower than other month and it makes him quite reluctant to take his morning bath. So I give my best shot to explain the phenomenon of low temperature in the morning. And here is the best answer I can think of:

The low temperature in the morning is a sign that Sasih Karo (the second month in traditional Caka calendar usually falls around the end of July or early in August) is on its sway. Sasih Karo is the coldest month compare to the other month. The temperature is in the lowest level especially in the morning. It is quite warm during but the day during the night, a thick blanket is needed.

(more…)

A good name is not the only thing to find or determine by the parents when a baby is born into a Balinese family, they also have to find out which ancestor is reincarnated into that newly born baby. Seven or twelve days after the baby was born, the family will consult a sightseer (dasaran) to find out the identity of the baby in his / her past life. This activity of consulting the sightseer for the past life of the newly born baby is called “Ngaluang”.

The typical result of this consultation is the ancestor from the father side is reincarnated into the newly born baby; though in some cases, it is the ancestor from mother side reincarnates. There are also rare cases in which the ancestor outside the ancestry of father and mother or deity of certain temple reincarnates into the newly born baby.

(more…)

On Saturday 26th July 2008 Balinese celebrated a holiday that is called Tumpek Wariga or Tumpek Pengatag. Tumpek Wariga is the day when a blessing ceremony is given to the plants, the ceremony held at every plantation and farm throughout the island. Tumpek Wariga is celebrated every 210 days or 6 months of the Balinese calendar.

(more…)

Cristina Wistari Formaggia, 62, died peacefully of cancer in her hometown of Milano, Italy on 19 July 2008. She will always be known in Bali as the woman behind the Gambuh Preservation Project in Batuan village. Her dedication to the classical performing arts of Bali knew no bounds.

A memorial will be held for Cristina on Wednesday, 30 July 2008 from 3 – 6 p.m. at Cristina’s home behind the Ibah Hotel in Campuhan, Ubud. The Pura Desa Gambuh troupe will hold a short rehearsal in her honor. Please feel free to bring a flower or piece of fruit.

(more…)

Bali is noted for the beauty and variety of the landscapes from coastal lowland to the exhilarating high mountain lakes, barren limestone plateaus to thick monsoon forests. A west-to-east volcanic chain divides the island in half. Bali’s mountains covered in tall rainforest stand in contrast to the wild and rugged beauty of volcanic craters, some of which are still active. Crater lakes are found at Batur in the east and Bratan, Buyan and Tamblingan in the rich submontane rainforest area around Bedugul. Fast flowing rivers, deep ravines, rugged saddles, and alluvial slopes score the surface of the island

(more…)

This month has seen the loss of two great figures in the world of Gambuh here in Bali. First I Ketut Kantor (I Nyoman Kakul’s son) passed away from a stroke earlier this month and on July 19th, Cristina Formaggia passed away in Europe from lung, brain and liver cancer (all undiagnosed until just before she passed on). She was 62 years young.

Cristina was one of the forces behind the Gambuh Preservation Project and worked diligently and tirelessly to ensure that this form did not disappear.
Thanks to her, we have the wonderful two volume book on Gambuh (in Indonesian) that she edited and a DVD of the Pura Desa Gambuh troupe.

I am currently trying to put some of her life into words for a short article so if any of you have words or photographs to share, please send to me at rucina@indo.net.id. I will then post this article on the list. There is a tribute to her at the URL below.
http://www.themagdalenaproject.org/archive/cristina_wistari.htm

We are all in shock at the loss of this vibrant, dedicated and amazing artist.

Rucina