Whats in a Name (Balinese Name Traditions)

When i set foot in Bali for the first time, I was utterly confused as almost everyone I was introduced to seemed to have the same set of names. It took me some time to figure out the system and finally get the method or system of recognizing people's names. The naming system is unique and native to the island of Bali and to some extent its neighboring island of Lombok. Bali has a strong majority of Hindus and most of the names given are from Sanskrit origins though many still use the Balinese name. The names given to people are based on their order of birth, regardless of the gender of the person. Only four names are used in this system though they maybe some variations which may arise due to caste, traditions or even because of the difference in language between the regions in the north and the south. The most frequent and widely used four names in Bali are as follows- Wayan, Putu, Gede - The first Born Made, Kadek, Nengah - The second Born Nyoman, Komang - The third Born Ketut - The fourth Born. The Caste system although not as important as compared to the Indian system still has a role to play with regard to the naming system. It is said to have evolved from the Javanese region with influences from the Hindu-Buddhist sects. The naming system of the peasant farmers of Bali precedes the idea of caste. These people are largely a mix of 'native' Balinese and very early Hindu-Buddhist missionaries and their followers, who did not arrive in Bali with successive waves of Javanese nobles and military rulers. They form the caste level that would be called Sudra in India, that is, people outside the triwarna, or three colors (Wesya, overseers and minor aristocracy,Ksatria, nobles, kings and warriors and Bhramana, the highest caste comprising teachers, priests, writers and philosophers). This "farmer caste" comprises the vast freemasonry of the Balinese villages, as set out above, this caste uses names to denote birth position. It is an ingenious way for peasant farmers to keep track of inheritance questions, Wayan, for first born, Made for second, Nyoman for third and Ketut for fourth. The three castes, use a caste identifier as the first part of a name. SUDRA - There are no special names given to people from this caste and they use the names which denotes their birth. In local tradition they will only add 'I' (For males) and 'Ni' (For Females) in front of their names. WESYA - 'Gusti Bagus' (Male) and 'Gusti Ayu' (Female) KSATRIA - I Gusti Ngurah (Male) I Gusti Ayu (Female) Anak Agung (Male) Anak Ayu (Female) I Dewa/ Dewa Agung (Male) I Dewa Ayu/Desak (Female) The word Gusti refers to "Leader" where as Agung refers to "Great" or "Prominent". BRAHMANA - Ida Bagus (Male) Ida Ayu (Female)

AYAM CEMANI (COMPLETELY BLACK CHICKEN)

The 'Ayam Cemani' or the 'Completely Black Chicken' originated on an island called Java in Indonesia. A dutch breeder exported this breed to Europe for the first time in 1998. Currently they can be found in Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The Rooster of this species can weigh up to 2.5 Kilograms whereas the hens weigh in a little less. What is remarkable about this bird is not just the colour of it outside appearance, but everything except its blood (Dark dark red) is black. Its meat, its muscles and even its bones are black. They are considered to be an extremely expensive bird to breed and the hens lay about 80 single eggs per year. This 'Ayam Cemani' is associated with a lot of black magic and it is believed that through it, many diseases are curable.

UBUD- The place I call Home

Located 35kms from the International airport and 600mts above sea level, Ubud is a tranquil little town amidst paddy fields and ravines. The lush green area is inhabited by about 30,000 people and is considered to be the 'Art and Cultural Area of Bali'.

Being a little town on a hill, the temperatures here are relatively cooler than found across the coast. What makes Ubud special and different from the rest are its Rice Fields (pic), Traditional little villages, art and craft, spiritual activities (pic of a cremation),

temples, palaces, Cheap Luxurious accomodation (pic).

It has it all. It is also home to the famous Monkey Forest (pic).

Ubud is full of various restaurants and Warungs (Small eating joints) Mosaic being probably the most well known and Warung Murnis being the oldest. Almost all restaurants offer scintillating views and are constructed on various levels such as 'The Bridges' restaurant. Tourists come to Ubud mainly for the shopping experiences and cheaper prices. Being the cultural area of Bali the markets are full of shops and you can hear the toursits constantly bargaining away for various goods and handicrafts.

Many tourists dont really look beyond Kuta and Seminyak and that sort of makes me happy as it preserves the sanctity of this gorgeous little town. There are no McDonalds and KFCs or any other such fast food joints available in this area and I hope it stays that way in the coming years. People here are healthy and fit and very caring and religious in their daily activites. I feel absolutely blessed to call this place my current home. There is hardly any nightlife here and nothing usually stays open past 11pm preserving the way of the people. Because of its location, Ubud is central to many adventures and sightseeing starts. Activities around this area include Whitewater Rafting, The Safari Park, Jungle trekking, The Bird park, Botanical gardens and various vocational courses such as Cooking and Yoga. For most tourists Ubud, is the ideal place to start their adventures no matter which direction theyd like to begin with. For me, its just a place I call home and I hope it stays that way for years to come.

USAT (USS) Liberty- A must for Divers

Okay, so I haven't been there yet but it is now No.1 on my to do list in the next month or so. Just off the coast of Bali, not far from Amed, in a place called Tulamben, lies the wreck of a US Cargo ship called the Liberty.

The liberty was first launched by the US Navy during World War I as an animal and general cargo vessel. In 1933, the Liberty had a collision with another vessel in Ambrose Channel and was banked near 'West Bank Light'. After being repaired and ready, in 1940, during World War II, the Liberty was one of ten ships that was taken by the US Army for defensive services. In 1941, when the US entered the war, the Liberty was stationed in the Pacific. Come the beginning of 1942, and the ship was enroute from Australia to the Philippines carrying a cargo of railway parts and rubber. January 11th 1942 was the last day the ship could be of any service to the US. A Japanese submarine (I-166) launched a torpedo, damaging the ship just southwest of the Lombok Strait. US Destroyer Paul Jones and Dutch Destroyer Van Ghent tried pulling the ship in tow towards Singaraja, a Dutch Port and administrative center. However, the Liberty was taking in too much water and had to be beached in Tulamben (Eastern Coast of Bali)so that the cargo could be saved.

In 1963, Bali's most famous volcano erupted, causing tremors around the island that caused the Liberty to slip of the beach and land where she now rests, on a sand slope in about 30-100 feet of water in Tulamben. This has now become a famous diving spot for tourists in Bali.

However, it was something else that caught my mind when researching about this shipwreck and it was the photographic work of a Montreal based Director and photographer Benjamin Van Wong. He along with his crew took two models (Trained Divers) to do a photo shoot in the ship wreck and his work is phenomenal.

His images have made it absolutely necessary for me to make the trip and head down to catch a glimpse of the famous USS Liberty

History behind BARONG (The Barong Dance)

A lion like creature is often seen dancing around the streets of Bali(mainly ubud) amongst the gaze of curious tourists. The Barong Dance famous through out the island is a dance depicting the epic battle between good and evil. Barong (The name given to the lion like creature) is a part of Bali mythology and is depicted with a red head with thick white fur. Jewellery and mirrors often adorn the body of this mythical creature.

Barong is the King of spirits and the leader of good. His arch enemy is 'RANGDA', the demon queen and mother of all spirit guarders. According to local mythology, the good spirit is known as 'Banas Pati Raja', who is the fourth 'brother'or spirit child who is said to accompany a child throughout their life. Some people in other countries may know them 'Guardian Angels'. Barong is usually accompanied by two monkeys.

RANGDA (Pic left) as mentioned before is the demon queen and the opposite of Barong. She is said to be an incarnation of 'CALON ARANG', a legendary witch that caused havoc in ancient Java during the reign of "AIRLANGGA" in the 10th century. This story of Calon Arang and Airlangga is of a separate nature and wil be shared later. The Barong dance is said to originate in the Gianyar region (Ubud) where tourists can see this dance. The dance drama shows Barong responding to Rangda's use of magic to control and kill her and restore the balance. A priest usually throws holy water on the Barong as he dances through the streets. The drama opens with Barong in a peaceful atmosphere being teased by two monkeys. (pic)

. The second scene is usually known as the "KERIS DANCE" where the character of Rangda appears and causes havoc using black magic

on male dancers who represent the soldiers of Airlingga. They committ suicide by stabbing themselves with a 'kris' on the orders of Rangda. While this is in progress Barong and the priest use magic on these men which makes them invulnerable to these stabbings. The dance then ends with a face off between Barong and Rangda, where Rangda is made to flee and Barong appears victorius depicting good triumphing over evil. The lion barong is one of five traditional Barongs. In Bali each region of the island has its own protective spirit for its forests and lands. Each Barong for each region is modeled after a different animal. They are: Barong Ket: lion barong, the most common Barong, it is the symbol of a good spirit. Barong Landung: giant barong, the form is similar to Betawi Ondel-ondel Barong Celeng: boar barong Barong Macan: tiger barong Barong Naga: dragon (or serpent) barong