Bali is an island that offers so much splendid beauty that has tourists coming back to visit the island. The people are very warm and the culture and traditions are something worth learning. The Balinese are genuinely happy people, perhaps attributed to their strong faith in Hindu. They have the belief that a balance should be maintained between the spiritual and the physical world to have peace and prosperity.

People in Bali share many things in common. They have a vivid organization of villages and farming. Almost all aspects of life are placed in the hands of two traditional committees, which are the Subak and the Banjar.

The Subak is concerned of the production of rice. As such, it is responsible for taking care of the irrigation system to ensure that every member of the community gets his/her fair share of irrigation water. It is a tradition for the head of the Subak to have his sawah so that the water will have to pass through the sawahs of the members before reaching his own. There is also the Banjar which is responsible for arranging the village festivals and marriage ceremonies and cremations. The villages have one Banjar and the men are expected to join one once they get married. Banjar has an estimate membership of 50 to 100 families and they each have a meeting place of their own which they call the Bale Banjar. This place is where the meetings are usually held and this is also where the gamelan orchestras and drama groups practice.

Every stage of Balinese life has ceremonies and rituals which are called the Manusa Yadnya. The first of these ceremonies takes place even before birth, followed by another ceremony after the birth wherein the afterbirth is buried with the proper offerings. The first major ceremony is held halfway through the baby’s first Balinese year of 210 days.

Balinese people basically has four first names and these are Wayan or Putu for the first child, Mane or Kadek for the second child, Nyoman or Komangfor the third, and Ketut for the fourth. The preceding children will be given the same names following the same order. It can also be noted that Bali has many children. This is because they love children. After the ceremonies of babyhood is another one which will mark the stages of childhood and puberty. This includes the important tooth-filing ceremony.

Everyone in Bali is expected to get married and have a family. Marriages usually take place at a young age. Unlike other Asian countries, marriages are not arranged. Instead, they are divided in two forms, the mapadik and the ngorod. The mapadik is the respectable form which requires the family of the man to formally visit the family of the girl to propose marriage. Ngorod, on the other hand, is the elopement. This does not come as a surprise to the people because they are practical people. The couple could go and hide somewhere so as to avoid being found by the girls’ parents. They will jus re-emerge for the official marriage to take place.

Truly in every country there are many traditions that can be learned and explored. These are what make up the people of the country, thus giving the country an identity. In Bali, there are many other traditions that can be learned to have a better understanding of the place. These traditions, when witnessed are a great way of educating the self and making your stay in Bali more exciting.

by BaliVillaHolidays.com

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When in Bali, a vacation will not be complete without sampling the island’s native delicacies. The island’s rich culture is also accentuated by the richness of their delicacies that are not only sumptuous but appetizing as well.

Balinese cuisines are characterized by their native spices and ingredients. These flavors are usually from a blend of their spices, herbs, roots, and other savory ingredients. These ingredients and spices include spice paste, basic spice paste, chicken spice paste, beef spice paste, seafood spice paste, vegetable spice paste, satay sauce, tomato sambal, fried bird’s eye chili sambal, shallots and lemongrass sambal, chicken stock, fried shallots, pickled vegetables, fried shredded coconuts, and chilis in soy sauce. These ingredients have different ways of preparation and these should be followed properly to achieve the intended flavors.

For people who are into vegetables, Lawar Ayam or Green Bean Salad with Chicken may be a good choice for them. Usually served in big religious and private celebrations, this dish is cooked with chicken meat, which can also be replaced with beef, pork, seafood, vegetables, or young jackfruit. Locals also incorporate raw pounded meat and dress blood in the dressing. Only the eldest and experienced men are allowed to mix the ingredients for this dish but nowadays, other people are also preparing this in their own homes and for guests.

Another interesting delicacy in Bali is Sayur Pakis or Fern Tips In Garlic Dressing. Fern tips which boiled and dried are the main ingredients for this dish. These fern tips have a refreshing spinach-like flavor. Prepared with kencur roots, bird’s eye chilis, black peppercorns, this dish is a great way to tide one over before eating a heavy meal.

Seafood dishes are also popular among visitors of Bali. Sambal Be Tongkol or Tuna Fish Salad is usually cooked with fresh tuna but there are some who use drained canned tuna as substitute. Mixed with seafood spice paste, limejuice, sambal mata, and shallots, this dish is not cooked so those with weak stomach should watch be careful about eating too much of this.

Bebek Betutu or Roast Duck In Banana Leaf is another popular delicacy in Bali. Mixed with pungent roots, herbs, and seasonings, the flavor of duck is a popular dish among tourists visiting Bali.
For people who are into sweets, Bali has Pancong or Coconut Cake to offer. A very easy to prepare dessert, its ingredients include freshly grated coconut or desiccated coconut moistened with warm milk, glutinous rice flour, plain rice flour, white sugar, and salt.

Wajik or Rice Flour Cake With Palm Sugar is another dessert offering from Bali. Due to its popularity, this dessert has many variations. It has a longer shelving life as long as it is stored in the refrigerator. It can be served in normal room temperature but some serve it warm topped with coconut milk. Some people also add ripe diced jackfruits after the rice is half-cooked.

There are many other dishes and delicacies that people can enjoy while in Bali. Surrounded with great view of the beach and served by warm and friendly locals, eating is another activity that tourists can greatly enjoy in Bali.

by BaliVillaHolidays.com

Keep posted with our weekly updates and articles about Bali Villas and Bali Travel Experience only here at Bali Villa Holidays Blog or subscribe to our bali blog feeds.