Balinese calendars, with exemplifications for each day signaling what activities that day is favorable for, are popular souvenirs. Apart from the everyday Western calendar, the Balinese also use two local calendars, the saka and the wuku calendar. The wuku calendar is used to fix festival dates. The calendar uses 10 different weeks, each by one to 10 days and all running at the same time.
The Galungan festival, Bali's major fete, is held throughout the island and is an annual event in the wuku year. During this ten day historic period all the gods, including the sovereign deity Sanghyang Widi, come down to earth for the celebrations. Barongs prance from temple to temple and village to village. The last and most important day of the ten day fete is called Kuningan.
Hindu saka calendar is a lunar cycle that more intimately follows our own year in terms of the length of the year. Nyepi is a major festival of the saka year, it's the last day of the year, the day after the new moon on the ninth month.
The Nyepi jubilations start on the day of the Dead Moon, when "Tawur Agung Kesanga" (Great Sacrificial Ceremony) rituals' are held in welcoming the "Nyepi" holiday. The ritual will be followed by procession of "Ogoh-Ogoh" (huge monster dolls) representing evil spirits along the village and city roads in the eventide.
"Nyepi" Day is a Holiday and a day of absolute silence through out the island when no activity takes place, no traffic is seen anyplace, no fire is lit. It's the day of self-introspection for Hindhu followers - the evil feelings are tricked into thinking that the entire island is deserted and therefore go away. On this day you will not be permitted to leave your hotel - most hotels and hangouts will operate with reduced staff and some services may be affected such as room service, limited restaurant hours. The airport is also officially came together.
Nyepi Day comparable certain major temples festivals are ascertained by the saka rather than the wuku calendar. This causes the actual date difficult to influence from our calendar since the lunar saka does not follow a fixed number of days like the wuku calendar. The full moons around the end of September to the commencing of October or from early to mid-April are often the times for authoritative temple festivals.
Doing a little research before you travel is an important thing that is often forgotten. By doing research we can find some things we need to prepare before coming to a particular destination. However, many people are often confused about what things to know before you go.
Here are 10 important things you must know before going to vacation.
* Learn as much as possible about the place to be visited. What are the attractions and places of interest there. That way you can determine the priority of the places where it should disambangi.
* Check how the weather in a place that will be visited. Thus, you can adjust the appropriate travel plans, for example regarding the wearing clothes, medicines must be prepared.
* Both also find out the latest socio-political conditions in place. Do not until you get stuck in the airport due to sabotage the demonstrators.
* Find out whether you need a need a passport for entry into certain countries. Make sure your passport is still valid. Some states do not allow strangers in if the passport validity period of six months to live. Extend your passport at least six months prior to expiration exhausted.
* In addition to a passport, check whether you need a visa or not to enter certain countries.
* Make sure all documents you everything you need during the trip.
* Find information about the plug that is used in the country you are visiting. Some countries have a different plug types. Indonesia using the plug two-legged, while the three-legged in America. If you visit the country that uses a three-legged plug your converter means.
* If you want to travel alone or did not join in group travel agent terteritu, cariah information about the local cost of local transportation. That way you can plan a good trip costs. Do not forget also to ensure tax collection and customs tips in place.
* Find information about the value of currencies and countries to be visited. This is important to plan the necessary travel expenses.
* It's also good to find out if there is a national holiday during your visit to that place. Because, usually a number of public offices closed on Iayanan day holiday. Do you sampal occurred Iayanan dither for public office while you are hard pressed close to completing an interest in that place.
Theft of sacred statues of the perpetrators are men Bali was recorded occurred in Gianyar, Klungkung, and Bangli. In the meantime, appears unfair competition among art-shop. They are forced to "buy" tourists per head of the travel agent to get visitors. Thus, tourism is more a commodity disregard the value of trade with artistic expression and culture. Balinese society economic slump is also seen bad credit who jumped to 2.85 percent of total loans a month after the Bali Bombing II, much higher compared to December 2004 which only reached 1.88 percent in December 2004. In December 2005, running bank loans increased by 21.8 percent. The team obtained information, performance of the banking sector in Bali tend continue to fall, from 6.79 percent in 2004, to 5.97 percent in 2005, and is expected to continue modestly in 2006. While the investment side, as a whole is expected this year fell about 2 percent compared to the year 2005. Similarly, the direct visits of foreign tourists (tourists) to Bali, which before the Bali Bombing II reached 162,102 people, in June 2006 only 110,196 people. After the Bali Bombing II appeared unconscious pessimism alarming possibility that the Bali Bombing III exacerbate the image of Bali is known as a safe tourism destination. As a result of the degradation of the image that is not favorable, foreign tourists visit one month after the bombing, declined 49.37 percent, and just felt the increase in April 2006, although until now (July 2006) is not able to attract foreign tourists to Bali in the position before the Bali Bombing II. Formation of Regional Security Coordination Agency (BKPD) Bali is one proof of the seriousness of the government to
improve the image in question, which currently has gradually improved. Bali economic growth per year since 2002 up to 2005 was 3.15 percent, 3.65 percent, 4.62 percent and 5.46 percent. Meanwhile, GDP per capita that in the year 2004 amounting to Rp 8,532,323, increased to USD 9,395,547 in the year 2005, and is estimated to be USD 10.005.908 in this year. In fisheries and agriculture sectors, the negative impact of the Bali Bombing II are smaller than the negative impact of fuel price hike. But for precisely the impact of the trade sector Bali Bombing II is greater than the impact of the Bali Bombing I, for Bali bombing incident was exacerbated by an increase in 2 fuel. Handicraft sub-sector (Small and Medium Industry) is a sub sector greatly depends on the activities tourism. The decline in tourists to Bali is proportional to the decline in sales of their products. Difficulty raw material supply sub-sector was also hit was because of the high transport costs. Because the combination of the impact of the Bali Bombing II, rising fuel prices, the issue of earthquake and tsunami, as well as absorption crowded government budget, many predicted this year's estimate in Balinese economy can not recover as conditions prior to the Bali Bombing II. In 2007, providers and the tourism industry players estimate the economy struggled will be better than this year.
Most people in Bali speak Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) and many speak some English. All Balinese however, speak Balinese (Bahasa Bali). In villages and towns across the island, kids are brought up in the family home speaking Balinese, later learing Indonesian, the national language in school, or while mixing with friends. It is still possible to meet older Balinese people, who do not speak Indonesian.
Balinese has 3 main forms and many variations. The 3 main forms are Ida / Basa alus (high), Ipun / Basa Bali Madia (Middle / Polite and Ia / Basa kasar (low). When addressing another Balinese person, the speaker soon finds out there caste, by the name of the person. If a high caste Balinese encounters a low caste person, the will speak to them in low Balinese (speaking downward), the other person responding in High Balinese (speaking upward). In this day and age, the strict lingusitic observations are confined to the village and the temple. In everyday life people will generally use the rule that they will speak low Balinese to family and fiends, Middle Balinese to strangers, and in the work place, Indonesian is the common language.
The language, Basa Bali (in Balinese), is a member of the Malayo-Austronesian language family. Many visitors to Bali can speak some Indonesian, but few speak Balinese. If you know a few words it will impress the locals for sure.
Balinese words place the stress on the last syllable, whereas in Indonesian, its often on the second last syllable. So ‘Bali’doesn’t sound like ‘Baa-li’(the way I say it), it sounds more like ‘ba-LEE’. Interacting with street vendors and Kuta lcoals, you’ll soon pick up that stress on the last vowel, even when speaking English (’CanNOT, ticKET no GOOOD, must come back tommoRROW.’).
Vowels:
As a general rule for us Anglos is Asia, vowel sounds out here across the board tend to go as follows: A=ah E=egh I=igh O=oh U=oo.
Consonants:
Balinese doesn’t have f,q,v,z, or th. Special pronounciations include b or d in the middle of a word, after another consonant are very faint, eg gambelan (gamelan). Letter C is pronounced as a ch eg. ‘that’s a bencong’(benchong). Letter G is always hard, like ‘g”in girl. H is silent at the beginning of a word eg. ‘halus’(alus). Letter H sounds strongly in between 2 vowels, eg.’kesugihan’(property) and makes a dead stop at the end of a word, eg. ‘mudah’(cheap). Letter J is like the English pronounciation, except when at the beggining of a word. eg. jagi (will happen), where it sounds like a ‘dy’. Letter K is pronounced as you would expect when located at the front and middle of a word. When located at the end it makes a dead stop eg. nampek (near), almost missing the ‘K’ sound. Letter R is rolled as in latin languages. Ng is pronounced softly eg. Ningrum. In situations where the ‘g’ is followed by a second ‘g’, the second one is pronounced as a hard ‘g’, eg. genggong (Jew’s harp). Ny can be prononced like ‘ny’ in lanyard, eg. nyuh (coconut).
Phew! glad that’s over. Now for some chit-chat.
The original Balinese language, as it was when foreigners first arrived, was wrriten in aksara text, which vagely resembles hindi. The writings were preserved on lontars, dried palmleaves, like the ones on sale in Tenganen. Signs around the island will offer the phrase ‘Matur suksma’ (thank you) in aksara and in romanized text.
People visiting Bali cannot be expected to understand all the linguistic rules regarding Basa Bali and th appropriate time to use kasar (low Balinese) and Alus (high Balinese). For a visitor you’ll probalby go with the kasar, popping in the occasion alus word. That will mean people will understand you. Bear in mind that Balinese themselves may not be so familiar with Alus.
Thank you. Matur suksma.
What’s your name? Sira pesengen ragane?
Where are you going? Lunga kija?
Where have you been? Kija busan?
How are you? Kenken kabare?
How are things? Napa orti?
I’m / everythings fine. Becik becik kemantan.
I. Tiang.
I am sick. Tiang gele.
What is that? Napi punika?
Bad. Corah.
Big. Ageng
Child. Putra (boy), putri (girl).
To come. Rauh, dateng
Delicious. Jaen
To eat. Ngajeng, nunas
Family. Panyanman, pasa metonan
Food. Ajeng-ajengan, tetedan
Friend. Switra
To go. Lunga
Good. Becik
House. Jeroan.
Husband. Rabi.
No. Tan, nente.
Rice. Pantu, beras, ajengan
To sleep. Sirep sare.
Small. Alit.
Wife. Isteri.Timpal
Yes. Inggih, patut.
Here are numbers in Basa Bali from 1 to 10.
1 - Siki, diri
2 - Kalih
3 - Tiga
4 - Pat
5 - Lima
6 - Nem, enem
7 - Pitu
8 - Kutus
9 - Sia
10 - Dasa
Here are some sentences in Basa Bali.
Bapa bisa basa Bali? Do you know the Balinese language?
Sira wasten jerone? What’s your name?
Adan titiange madan Nick-inggih. Sira wasten bapane? My name is Nick, indeed. What is your name?
Tiang Barrie. I (am) Barrie.
Nick uli negara dija? Nick is from which country?
Tiang uli negara England, inggih. I (am)from England, indeed.
Mara teka uli dija? (You) just came from where?
Tiang mara teka uli Ubud. I just came from Ubud.
Bapa suba makurenan? Are you already married?
Inggih. Tiang suba nganten. Yes. I am already married.
Kurenan bapane dija jani? Where is your wife now?
Ia jani di Ubud, di losman. She is now in Ubud, in the guestthouse.
Akuda bapa ngelah pianak? How many children do you have?
Dadua-abesik luh, abesik muani. Two-one female and one male.
Bapa/Meme lakar lunga kija? Where do you want to go?
Tiang lakar ka airport. I want to go to airport.
Ada ajengan Bali ane tulen? Do you have native Balinese dishes?
Wemten-inggih! We have, indeed!
Ajengan napi sane wenten? Which dishes are they?
Wenten be guling miwah bebek betutu. There is roast pork and steamed duck.
Barrie sering sering ring Bali? Barrie are you oftten in Bali?
Titiang suba ping telu di Bali. This is my third time in Bali.
Nuju dina Pekenan di Ubud. Today its market day in Ubud.
Wenten manas? Do you have pineapple?
Aksama tiang-tusing wenten. Jero kayun biu? Kayun markisa? Pardon me-there are none. Do you want bananas, passion fruit?
Questions & Requests
1. For most questions you can simply raise your voice towards the end of the sentence. eg. Bapa bisa basa Bali. Do you know the Balinese language?
2. You may add the suffix -ke to the frist word in the sentence, which is its ‘topic’or main idea.
eg. Bapake bisa basa Bali? Are you the one who knows Balinese?
3. You may use a question word.
Apa (kasar) napi (alus) what (English)
Nyen - sira - who
Engken - encen - what / which / which one
Ane encen - sane encen - which one
Kuda - adi kuda - how much / how many
Dija - ring dija - where
Kija - lunga kija - where to
Uli dija - saking napi - where from
Nguda - ngudiang - why
Apakrama - punapi awinan - why
Kenken - sapunapi - how
Pidan - ring pidan - when (past)
Bulin pidan - malih pidan - when (future)
Nyen adane - Sira wastane - what’s (your, his, her) name.
Apa orta - napi gatrane - what’s new
Kuda - aji kuda - how much
Apa ento - napi punika - what’s that
Pukul kuda jani - pukul kuda mangkin - what time
Lakar nguda - pacang ngudiang merikat - Why do you want to go there also.
More grammar rules for Basa Bali.
Balinese sentences follow a regular word order, similar to English - subject-verb-object.
eg. Bapa ruah sakeng Kuta. Bapa teka uli Tabanan. (Father comes to Kuta. Father comes from Tabanan).
Possession:
The pronoun or noun after its subject indicates possession. eg Warung tiang (my stall), Barang pak (Your package).
Adjectives:
Adjectives follow a noun. eg. Ada kopi panes? (Do you have hot coffee?) (Lit: There is coffee hot?)
One could go one for ever detailing grammar rules and exceptions. I think this will give you a insight anyway, into how the Balinese language sounds and works. I’ll tell about a thing that happened as I was writing this. Down at La Cabana in Kuta the sun was setting and I was typing away. Paying my bill I let slip a couple of Balinese words, and it was like magic. The wait staff and chefs all stopped what they were doing, looked my way and grinned. One of them continued the conversation, myself trying to remember more Balinese words. It doesn’t take long to get into the local’s consiousness.
Periplus does a handy little pocket guide to Basa Bali (Balinese), entitled ‘Practical Balinese’. Mine cost 29,000rp at Bintang supermarket, has 138 pages and is written by Gunter Spitzing.
(http://www.baliblog.com)
Spoke about the cultural customs and beliefs of a region was not to last forever, each having indigenous and culturally diverse and very unique, custom and culture that developed in a very strong area influenced by a belief or a belief, inherited his ancestors were hereditary, and most of the trust they earn from the ancestral form of fairy tales, stories about the stories laced with the teachings of their religion, the story also conveyed messages about the order and rules in conducting the religious life.There is also a tale of a story or delivered, includes the figures as they admired it, and these figures as a character disimbulkan representing character traits of good and bad, with the goal of keeping the faithful in their belief that there can be more easily understand the teaching delivered. To mempekuat growing confidence in each race, dikukuhkanlah events in the story becomes a mandatory event to remember or be remembered, be a warning to the religious ceremony is very sacred.
And this method was proven to be able to be absorbed and lasted continuously until the present.
"Galungan AND KUNINGAN", this holiday was one of the biggest holidays celebrated in particular Hindus in Bali. For the general public outside Bali must be many who still do not know about this holiday. Simply increase knowledge and enrich the cultural kasanah our archipelago, I need to share it ceritak about what and how this holiday can happen. Many believe that the story of this holiday is a myth, but some are saying that this holiday is a historical event that can be proven through historical relics in the form of tablets.
Interesting indeed, this ceremony was quite unique, and has lots of mysteries no less than the customary order of Hindu culture and beliefs that developed in Bali, ceremony and governance from upakaranya Galungan and Kuningan events, such as a term "caru" which is the basis of every ceremony held in Bali. In outline Galungan and Kuningan ceremonies is a reminder of a very historic day in which the power of darkness which is the symbol of evil can be destroyed, and destroyed by the forces of good.
The wedding ceremony is a very authoritative moment in the journeying of human life, not much another from most regions passim the world who have a culture. The wedding ceremony is very precious in the eyes, as important as the ceremonials such as birth and demise.
Therefore, many of whom are hoping that the wedding was held just as much as imaginable one time in his life.
Wedding ceremony in Bali is called the ceremony "Mesakapan or Pewiwahan", which means to unite the two different types of human beings, who loved each other into a very sacred bond.
For most people in Bali of course this is very in apprehension, because it is part of the observance which included the briny ceremonial groupings in order istiadatnya habitual.
But no matter, I tell you this once more with the intention that the cultural beauty of this custom, also can be understood by the general public, at least they can enjoy the meaning behindhand the beauty in the structure of the subsisting cultural custom.
Hindu spiritual people of Bali, but they are identical different faiths with Hindus in India. Balinese Hindu community of interests worship the god of Tri Murti Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, which is a small actuate of the supreme Lord of catch Widi. Indian Hindu god dwell others like Ganesha (the elephant-headed god) also idolised but more seldom. A large enshrine to Bali to be singular. Balinese people strongly believe in the magic and power of the spirit and most religions are based on this belief. They believed that good spirits inhabit the mountains and the sea is habitation to demons and giants. Most of the villages in Bali, have at least 3 main temples: one, temple or temple Puseh Ancestors, overlooking the mountains, the early is the village temple, often can be constitute in the middle of the village, and the last is the synagogue palace, parallel to the sea and is signified to the spirits of the lifeless. In addition to pretend this village, almost every mansion has their own temple. Some temples, Pura Besakih example, on the slopes of Mount Agung, believed to be the most sacred temple and people from all over Bali to worship there.
Offering a meaning role in Balinese society, they think it will have the enduringness and bring prosperity and health for the whole family. Each day, small oblations (Canang Sari) of food, flowers, tobacco and cigarettes in the shrine dihaturkan of the Temple, outside houses and shops and even at dangerous crossroads.
Celebration is another great opportunity to worship God. Women convey a series of high pyramid-shaped consisting of food, fruit, and flowers on their heads while men perform blood sacrifice through a cockfight. There are traditional dances and music and the gods invited dispirited to attend this solemnisation. Celebrations ordinarily an opportunity that is very interesting and very useful to see if you were at that place.