Inhabitant of Bali Island
most are native Balinese, only a few percent of them are inhabitants from other
parts of Indonesia and
foreigners who are living in Bali. Most of
Balinese are Hindus, only a small number of them are Moslems or Christians or
Buddhists. The new comers are Moslems, Christians, Confucians, and Buddhists.
Though differing in race, customs, and religions, they have live side by side
in harmony.
Bahasa Indonesia is the national
language, used in daily conversations and any activities. Bahasa Daerah, the
local languages, which are different from one another, is used only during a
traditional ceremony or among the families. English is used in the tourism
business and for certain commercial purposes. This language is taught at the
Secondary Schools and High Schools.
The Balinese have their own way
of filling life with their entire Balinese ness, whether or not they have to
exist among the streams of technological progress. Between the busy traffic
confusion still we can see a duck-keeper walking patiently after his duck rows
or among the jet-plane whistles still there is an old man watching his cooped
cocks by playing his bamboo flute. To enjoy these unique scenes one should keep
one’s eyes and one’s sensitive feeling keen.
The Balinese life is never
getting out from Art. Art and also handicraft since a long time ago had never
become a “special thing” for the natives but merely a part of their daily life.
It is a fact that Bahasa Bali, the local language spoken among the natives
hitherto, has no word meaning “artist” in its vocabulary. It only has some
words which mean “drawer” or “draftman” for painter (tukang gambar), as is the
case with any other “tukang” which means “somebody who is capable in doing a
certain work”. (tukang perahu for boatman, tukang batu for bricklayer).
An actress, for instance, will
only be called a “Pregina” as long as she is on the stage. Soon after she
leaves the stage she will go back to her daily life as a peasant girl, or just
a common person, not more than her neighbors who never set foot on a stage.
Even arts and handicrafts are not
something special but very often the artworks appear astonishing. The creator
never feels that he has created something, so there is no copyright nor
monopoly of a certain right. It is no use to be very surprised if there is a
piece done by several persons, or a number of similar works done by a number of
different people (with their similar forms), and completely difficult to point
out which one is the original or the duplicate. However, some of these works
will probably appear superb.
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