Development in Bali<\/p>\n
This is in response to the letter by Michael Beer in The
\nJakarta Post on April 11 titled Rituals are not good enough.<\/p>\n
Your elaborate complaint about the situation in Bali is not
\nnew, but that is the high price the Balinese have to pay for
\n\"development\". Obviously they need hard cash to fund their costly
\nrituals and are saving for their ngaben or cremation ceremony for
\nthemselves and their families, whether deceased or still living.
\nIt is partly their religion that dictates to them to build bigger
\nmalls, more restaurants and boutiques in order to earn more
\nmoney.<\/p>\n
However, at the end of last year I visited Bali and a good
\nfriend (she is a Balinese lawyer) took me to her husband's
\nvillage in the mountains one hour's drive from Denpasar along a
\ngood asphalted narrow road. I was surprised to still see lush
\npaddy fields, amid beautiful, totally unspoiled surroundings. The
\nelderly women still walk around bare breasted and the village is
\ntotally Balinese -- mostly wooden or bamboo homes, beautiful
\nhandcarved doors, nobody locks their homes and everybody was busy
\nmaking intricate rice cookies (red, pink, yellow and white) to be
\nsold in Denpasar and Ubud for the daily holy rituals.<\/p>\n
Although numerous developers over the past 20 years (from
\nJapan, Hong Kong, Australia etc) have approached this community
\nto purchase land from them, these people have refused and are
\nstill not attracted by the big money offered. The village still
\nhas a holy spring and tiny river where both men and women bathe
\ntogether every day and prepare for their rituals. The only modern
\nconstruction is the new temple (although the old one still
\nexists) and stage to be used for their holy rituals, to train
\nchildren the intricate steps and movements of sacred dances as
\nwell as to play badminton or volleyball.<\/p>\n
I felt honored to have seen this. There is hope yet for this
\ngenuinely, unspoiled part of Bali. Unfortunately, the Balinese
\nhave to work hard and find ways to protect themselves from the
\nlure of big money as we cannot do it for them. We could protect
\nBali by stopping the flow of tourism, but this is of course
\nimpossible.<\/p>\n
So, Michael Beer, whether you like it or not, do not forget
\nthat your presence there is also one of the reasons for the \"ugly
\ndevelopment\" in Bali.<\/p>\n
LYNNA VAN DER ZEE-OEHMKE<\/p>\n
Bogor, West Java<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/development-in-bali-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }