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Bali - History and Overview

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Those who have heard of Bali may think of it as a vacation island (for it is a very popular vacation spot!) or a tropical tourist destination (There certainly is much to see and experience there.). Others, perhaps, take an anthropologist’s view as they consider the conglomeration of people and talents that have come to and from Bali. Whatever your reference point is regarding this piece of Indonesia, there is probably much that will fascinate you about this cultured island (one of the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia).

Bali lies next to the island Java to its west and Lombok to its east. It is a locale known for its cultivated arts – including music, dance, paintings, metalworking, and more. The people of Bali, the Balinese, are an assortment of many races and cultural groups: the Chinese, the Arabs, and the Indians are just a few examples. Most of these groups of people have been on the island for so long that they are now simply native Balinese; and they welcome those of other descents as they were once welcomed. However, there is a cultural group called Bali Aga (Old Bali) that prohibits for the most part any association with “outsiders.” Interestingly, these are the people that many historians and anthropologists are most interested in. Since their isolation keeps them away from updates and progress due to travel, technology, and other influences, it is believed that they may hold the keys to our understanding the way of life in Bali that existed hundreds of years ago.

Whatever historians discover about the old way of life in Bali, the fact remains that the present and the future of Bali is just as exciting, if not more for its relevance. This civilization is rooted in a heritage lush with customs and philosophies that enrich the minds of those who experience them. The daily lives of the Balinese are canvases to be studied. Everything from their artistic weddings to their approach to religion, music, and food is remarkable to discover and exciting to experience.

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