Bali Standing Strong
Wednesday, April 18th, 2007 by Elizabeth RhoadsHindu-Balinese identity is enforced through pork meatballs and praying competitions.
Walking the streets of Denpasar, you will probably notice small food stalls and carts bearing red and white banners that read Bakso Krama Bali (BKB), meaning bakso (meatball soup) sold for and by Balinese. Previously, bakso was most commonly made from chicken and sold from carts by Javanese migrants. The new BKB often uses pork, thus violating halal (Islamic dietary) requirements, meaning not only that Muslims can’t eat BKB, but also that they can’t sell it. Non-Muslim Balinese therefore have a monopoly on the market.
BKB arose in an attempt to take back control over the Balinese economy from the perceived economic threat of Javanese transmigrants. Even non-BKB food stalls and carts will often paint Bakso Ajeg Bali (literally, Bakso Strengthening Bali) on their signs, or advertise that they use pork, in order to benefit from the rising popularity of BKB. BKB is a reflection of what could be interpreted as the rise of Balinese nationalist or Hindu fundamentalist sentiment in Bali.
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