Ceremonies Everywhere!

Again we are backed up on blog posts.  We will be posting new ones the next couple days to catch up.  The following is actually dated 4-10-11. 

Who ever mentioned that Bali has a ceremony every single day was absolutely correct!  Crowds of people dressed in the best of their traditional Balinese clothing surrounded highly decorated temples in each township that Ryan and I passed on our way to a few surf breaks.  Celebrations have been going on for the past couple of days. “It’s a holiday today!” exclaimed a Balinese woman at the supermarket I purchased my new pair of slippers from in Nusa Dua.  “Really! Again?”  I asked.  “Yes, many ceremonies in Bali.  Look what I prepare.”  I peered down at the large tray of offerings.  There was the usual, boiled eggs, colorful flower petals, yellow and white round rice crackers, chips of beef jerkey type things, and little woven pandanas baskets filled with a sticky gooie substance, much like mochi.  The smoke from the incense tickled my nostrils and I looked up to the sky knowing well what it meant.  The rising smoke reached God and honored their ancestors.  Other offerings kept the demons away or at bay.  That was their hopes in the offerings presented. 

 

On mo-ped I noticed several people holding sharp machetes and dressed in work clothes.  Many tied up bundles of weeds that were hulled on the shoulders of the workers, to where the weeds would go, not quite sure, maybe to mulch a garden or feed the cows?  I wondered if the “holiday” was a community work day, like a day of service?  I also noticed a very large sign in Indonesian near the “dump sight” where many loads of plastics were left.  Balinese usually burn their rubbish at dusk, but I don’t think plastic is included.  Much of their plastics like water bottles are recycled and turned in for a few rupiah.  Maybe the sign near the dump encouraged less plastic use? Or not to burn plastic?  Not sure.  It’s funny Bali…I remember a comment that was made earlier on in our adventure, “Why don’t they get it? Why don’t these people like become more modern or western?  What is up with them?  Do they just want to continue to live like this?”  I thought to myself, what don’t they get?  Balinese seem to be living just fine the way they are…they’ve done so for centuries, carrying in past traditions and protocol far deeper than one’s own punitive, close-minded glance at the current situation of this beautiful place.  Everyone obviously is entitled to their own opinion, but if and when we travel narrow mindedly, authentic experiences fail to be discovered, let alone accepted.   If spent enough time here in Bali, one would experience so much more than what is viewed for just moments.  Critical opinions may fade away when one see’s smiling little ones enjoying the ride of their miniature bikes or frolicking in the rain water laughing, families sitting together watching their satellite television analyzing the latest international news stories, elementary and secondary school children maybe more than one on a mo-ped, dressed in their school uniforms (different color everyday) who are so disciplined, or the groups of people just hanging out in the little warungs on a Friday or Saturday night joking around, listening to music.  Sundays are a very religious day, Ryan and I usually hear the same song being played at restaurants or homes.  I asked what one of the songs meant and the man replied, “It’s giving praise, thanks and honor to God.”  “Sang yang whidi ?,” I asked.  “Yes, how you know?”  “I know,” I smiled back.  “The song is in Indian, but us Balinese, we understand it.”  

Bali is a dichotomy of one side being full of modern amenities and the other, extreme poverty and overcrowded areas.  I was stunned as a woman looked up at me after purchasing bananas and apples from a nearby fruit and vegetable street vendor.  She was holding a huge pile full of weeds for such a little thing.  She smiled at me, gums a dark orange-red color, with just a couple of teeth still hanging on.  She mentioned something in Balinese to Ry and I, but I just smiled, quickly and carefully walked away and said, “Terimakasi.”  Thankyou…that’s all I could say was thankyou.  I thought, couldn’t I have said something more? Struck up a better conversation?  Asked her what her situation was? How I could help maybe?  A volunteer dentist in these parts would be beneficial.  Like I said, I was a bit stunned, stopped in my tracks, and felt a bit nervous.  I judged, yes, formed my own opinion of the surface of the situation and wanted to flee from there as quickly as I could.  But I realized later, she was just doing her own thing, her task for the “community day,” and smiled, the biggest smile that she could, her smile speaking what couldn’t be shared between us in a formal conversation, “How are you? Hope you are just as well as I am because I’ve finished my work for today.”  

The point is, yes, there are areas of great need and yet others who are getting by just fine.  Funny thing really, kind of see this in many places around the world.  Maybe not as strong of a contrast, but it is definitely prevalent even in Hawaii.  In any place that we may visit, especially the labeled “third world” countries, there are great needs for improvements, but at the same time, many people in such a special place like Bali are relatively happy just the way they are.  I think “they DO get it,” and are some of the most amiable, lovable, positive people I have ever met.  They place so much passion in all they do, everyday activities and they have so much hope.  As Ryan and I’s taxi driver compared Bali to other Indonesian Islands “Still have jobs Bali, still can make a living in Bali, we doing okay.”