Bali needs to protect architectural treasures<\/p>\n
By Jean Couteau<\/p>\n
DENPASAR (JP): One of the most fascinating aspects of Bali, if
\ntoo often ignored by the tourism industry, is the extraordinary
\norder of its traditional human environment. Not only are rice
\nfields a wonderful display of a regular human hand in otherwise
\ntropical surrounds, but the island's architecture seems like a
\ngift of harmony addressed to the heavenly gods.<\/p>\n
If, as the gods do, we look at Bali from high above the ground
\n-- from an helicopter -- one cannot fail to be impressed by the
\nregularity of houses, temples and villages. Houses are identical
\nand strikingly parallel in lay-out; with family temples, kitchens
\nand rooms occupying the same relative position in the walled
\ncompound. Large temples, likewise, have all the same structure
\nwith all their main shrines occupying the same kaja kangin (east
\nmountain-ward) corner. Villages all have the same banyan tree in
\nthe vicinity of the similarly located princely mansion. More than
\nany of the so-called tourism \"objects\" vaunted by the tourism
\nindustry, it is in this architecture and the way it integrates
\nwith the surrounding nature that is the genuine charm of Bali.<\/p>\n
The Balinese base their traditional architecture on the Hindu
\ntheory of balance between Man, God and Nature. Man, seen as
\nBhwana Alit (microcosm or Small World), is expected to insert
\nhimself into his natural environment in a way which conforms with
\nthe order of the Bhwana Agung (macrocosm or Larger World).<\/p>\n
According to the Asta Kosala Kosali manuscripts, all
\narchitectural structures should thus reproduce the tripartite
\norder of both the world and the human body. Every building and
\ncompound should have a head, a body and a lower body (genitalia,
\nbowels and legs), corresponding to the gods, humans and demons.<\/p>\n
In traditional village compounds, the family temple is the
\nhead of the building while its body consists of the living
\nquarters and the kitchen and lavatory are its bowels and
\ngenitalia. Respect for these principles has evolved the magical
\nharmony of Man and Nature that is at the root of the island's
\nfame.<\/p>\n
But Bali is no longer an agrarian society. Tourism's brings in
\ntwice as much as agriculture and the population is relocating to
\nthe coastal areas and along the main roads, upsetting the old
\nagrarian patterns. Tourism itself is eating up ever larger chunks
\nof the island. The consequences can be easily guessed: land is
\ntoo scarce to allow for the preservation of the old harmony.<\/p>\n
There have been attempts to answer the challenge. The
\nprinciple of cosmic harmony between Man, Nature and God has been
\nmade the semi-official ideology of the island -- under the name
\nof Tri Hita Karana (the three causes of happiness). In regard to
\nits policy toward tourism development, the regional government
\nhas tried with some success to enforce \"design specifications\"
\nreflecting the Balinese concept of architecture. The construction
\npermits of the hotels in the Nusa Dua Resort have thus all been
\ndelivered under the scrutiny of a \"design committee\" and on the
\ncondition that they display the tripartite structure. The result
\nis sometimes surprising. The discotheque in Club Med, an obvious
\ngenitalia component, is located next to the kitchen, the resort's
\nbowels, and very far indeed from the shrine, its head, which is
\nlocated in the purest part of the compound.<\/p>\n
Jokes apart, this Balinese concern with harmony has
\nundoubtedly contributed to the creation of a genuinely modern,
\nyet \"indigenous\" type of tourism architecture. Most of the hotels
\nof Nusa Dua will go down in history as landmarks of post-
\ntraditional architecture.<\/p>\n
It would be wrong, though, to think that all is fine in the
\nisland of the gods. Much has been done in regard to the future,
\nbut almost nothing has been done to preserve the architecture of
\nthe past.<\/p>\n
New buildings<\/p>\n
The Balinese now have money and pull down old buildings to
\nreplace them with new ones whenever they can. This is fast
\ntransforming the human landscape. Instead of the airy traditional
\ncompound with its central yard and open living quarters under
\nverandahs, more often than not there are now cramped rows of
\nbuildings of an undefinable style. In Denpasar, with the
\nexception of tourist cottages, their aren't any examples of
\nBadung style houses with their white-painted brick walls.<\/p>\n
Things are no better in Gianyar, where the construction frenzy
\nis quickly destroying the last original Gianyar-style Balinese
\ncompounds. They are usually replaced by gaudy, over-decorated
\nmodern buildings.<\/p>\n
Things are still worse with large structures. When the
\nBalinese repair temples, gates and village halls, as they are now
\ndoing all over the island, they often pull down invaluable
\narchitectural treasures and replace them with similar concrete
\nstructures. This is the betonisasi. The tripartite structure
\nmight have been kept intact, and thus be in accordance with the
\nvaunted Tri Hita Karana, but the damage is done.<\/p>\n
This is why in beautiful temples like Ulun Siwi in Jimbaran,
\nBatukaru in Tabanan, to quote only those which come to mind --
\nBalinese style concrete wantilan (open halls) stand in front of
\notherwise beautiful shrines or buildings. They are waiting for
\nnothing less than the collapse of an architectural history, in
\nthe midst of total indifference.<\/p>\n
Many Balinese may disagree with this characterization. When
\nthey pull down a shrine, don't they insist that it be rebuilt in
\nthe Gianyar style? The hitch is that this new, highly
\nstandardized style is the product of bureaucratic soul-searching
\nand lacks the natural beauty of the original. New buildings may
\nbe constructed in this new style, but shouldn't the old ones be
\npreserved in their original state with their original materials?<\/p>\n
Is it to late to save Balinese traditional architecture?<\/p>\n
Perhaps. Here is an island with thousands of architectural
\nmonuments, large and small, famous and forgotten, which anywhere
\nelse in the world would be duly registered, protected and
\nrestored as part of the national heritage. But this heritage is
\nonly protected by the law of numbers in Bali. Soon it will be too
\nlate.<\/p>\n
The main obstacles to the conservation of the architectural
\nheritage are cultural. Not only does the Tri Hita Karana
\n\"ideology\" ignore conservation, but it tend to sooth the mind's
\nof the Balinese. Being repeatedly told, mantra-like, that their
\nculture is based on the principle of harmony, many Balinese
\nrefuse to even consider that this harmony is threatened. Very few
\nare really aware of the need to preserve their architectural
\nheritage. Accustomed to seeing themselves through the eyes of
\nothers -- the tourists -- they often insist on the conservation
\nof dance, which is going to change anyway, but pay little
\nattention to architecture, which normally has a much longer life-
\nspan. Isn't it significant that Bali has a yearly Art Festival,
\nwhile next to nothing is done for its monuments?<\/p>\n
Other obstacles to architectural conservation are social.
\nHouses are privately owned, and temples are owned and ruled
\ncollectively by congregations whose members like the cheap
\nGianyar style because it is official. Furthermore, they feel they
\nown their temples and that no one should interfere. Imposing on
\nthese groups a conservation policy is risky business and requires
\ntime. When, for example, the Indonesian government and UNESCO
\ntried two years ago to convert the \"Mother Temple\" of Besakih
\ninto a \"cultural park\", most Balinese protested as they saw it as
\na threat to their religious liberties. A good intention was
\nmisunderstood, perhaps for lack of information.<\/p>\n
Whatever the obstacles, there must be ways to protect Bali's
\narchitectural treasures. The higher authorities of the island are
\nwell aware of the problems mentioned above, but lack funds. So
\nisn't it time to set up a Heritage Foundation to work between the
\npeople and the government? Such a foundation already exists in
\nBandung so why not in Bali? This would help guarantee the future
\nof tourism.<\/p>",
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