Bali Map

Bali Map, Geographical, Social, Cultural and Environmental information

Tourism is now the leading economic activity, surpassing agriculture, the traditional source of the island’s wealth. The Balinese originally thought to confine tourism to the beaches of the south coast, but they failed to reckon with the Australians and with non-Balinese Indonesians, not to mention other nationals, who flock to the island in increasing numbers. As a result, tourism now occupies somewhat less than a third of the total land area and is creeping northward. There are 110 starred hotels. The loss of sawah (irrigated land for rice cultivation) to construction is now two percent per year.

Tourism is a national preoccupation. The Balinese would do nothing to jeopardize tourism, or to harm tourists, and would resent any outside attempt to interfere with tourism. For that reason many Indonesians themselves see Bali as a retreat from the political or ethnic turmoil that they experience elsewhere. There are examples of Indonesian capital parked in Bali in small enterprises and/or vacation homes that are probably considered safer investments than elsewhere in Indonesia.

Much of this development is evident in the roadside construction of small shophouses (rumoko, i.e. rumah-toko) and factories, whose activities contribute to traffic congestion and whose installations obstruct the famous views of Balinese rice terraces. Except for limitations on height, a ruling that has been in effect since the Sukarno era, there are no zoning restrictions on building.

Commercial activity is not confined to the arts and crafts associated with tourism but increasingly to other activity as well. Bali has become an entrepot for multi-faceted business such as furniture manufacture, in which furniture is first made in Java, finished in Bali, then shipped out from Surabaya. Agriculture is also booming, with temporary imported labor from Java to help with the rice harvest.

Bali attracts this activity because it is perceived as a nice place to live, and is seen as a place of high civilization in a beautiful rural setting. But if, because of unregulated development it is no longer a nice place to live, at what point will that development turn sour? The Balinese are beginning to wonder.

Decentralization is a big unknown thus far. At the moment the provincial government is in control of the distribution of tourist revenue and taxes, 40 percent of which is distributed to the poorer kebupaten. The kebupaten boundaries are still the same as the areas of the old royal kingdoms: Dan Pasar, Klungkung, Gianyar, Ubud, etc. How this will all be affected by decentralization is not yet known. Nor is it known how decentralization will affect the intricate irrigation system. In the worst case, each kebupaten will compete without restraint to capture the most tourists and the most enterprises. In the best case, the province and the center will still enforce some moderation. The Balinese strongly support President Megawati (she is one quarter Balinese) and seem to rely on her to keep a balance.

In any case, Balinese culture is holding its own against rapid development. The population is 93 percent Hindu (or the Balinese version of Hinduism which has a strong basis in spirit and ancestor worship). There is a “fierce national pride and possessiveness of Balinese culture as a national asset," Pringle said, “and a traditional intolerance toward foreigners, by which is meant Javanese.” There is also some antipathy toward non-Hindu Balinese such as Christians, who have been somewhat successful in making converts in some northern villages.

It is still roughly a caste society, with about 10 percent of the population in the upper castes and 90 percent in clans associated with crafts, especially smiths (goldsmiths, blacksmiths, etc). These ancient clans go back to Majapahit times and are traditionally associated with responsibility for rituals and ritual objects.

Traditional culture still has considerable importance, if some recent disputes about the high caste requirements for Balinese priesthood have any significance. Performing arts are still strong and show signs of enduring. Even transmigrant Balinese show signs of preserving their culture, as some transmigrant communities in Sulawesi have ordered Balinese gamelans to be sent to them.

Pringle suggested that the strength of the culture lies in part on the energy, resilience and inventiveness of the Balinese. They are quick to take pragmatic advantage of economic opportunity, even if it means compromising the rules somewhat. Signs of the times include Balinese carvers making “genuine” traditional Asmat carving from Papua; or an instant cremation service, consisting of a pickup truck and propane gas tank, offered for families of deceased who do not have the resources for a traditional (and expensive) cremation.

Author: Robert Pringle, courtesy of the USINDO society
Bali Map provided by Microsoft MSN Mappoint