Most Balinese believes that their bodies, like an electric battery, accumulates a magic energy called ‘kesaktian’ that enables them to withstand the attack of evil powers, human or supernatural, that seek constantly to undermine their health. This ‘kesaktian’ is not evenly divided; some people are born with a capacity to store higher charge of magic than others. Balinese believe that women has greater capacity then men, someone who born on a certain day and someone who born with a deformity is believed to have stronger magical power than ordinary human. Some people are believed to be born with stronger magical power inherited from their previous life.

Balinese have a firm belief that ‘kesaktian’ can be trained to produce various magical ability such as changing shape, flying spreading disease, etc, by undergoing ascetical life, meditation and systematic study of the arts of magic (kawisesan). The magic energy (kesaktian) can be used for various purposes, people whose heart are wicked use the magic science to harm their enemies, or satisfy their curiosity on magic by using their neighbors as specimens for their magical experiments.

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Balinese dance, music, painting, sculpture, and drama are well known around the globe. Unfortunately, Balinese traditional literature does not enjoy so much attention and admiration, known only to cultural researchers and of course by the Balinese.

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Bali possesses a rich and diverse literary heritage. Balinese traditional literature covers a wide variety of genres, ranging from folk tales and mythical stories in prose to epic poetry in different styles, from histories to dictionaries, from specialist manual to astronomical text, from magic formulae to moral treatises, from divination to agricultural practices from religious doctrine and philosophy to medicine.

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Wayang Kulit is a very popular traditional art performance uses the shadow of leather puppets in its performance. The origin of wayang kulit can be traced back to the days of King Ugrasena in 896. As its name suggests wayang kulit is made of processed cow hide. Some wayang kulit characters especially the jesters (Sangut, Delem, Merdah and Tualen) are made from special cow hide (hide from cow that had been struck to death by lightning or unborn calf). This cow hide is made into puppets representing various characters. The differences among characters are produced by the differences in shape and in intricate carving that symbolize each character.

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