Bali's Season of Festivals : More Than Just Parties

When is the right time to celebrate? Well since you are on holiday, it’s today. And you are in luck, Bali is a GREAT place to celebrate just about anything - birthdays, coming of age, engagements, weddings, perhaps even a divorce! Partying is easy in July and August in Bali when the clubs are in full swing, the DJ’s are flocking in and the dancing is all day and all night. But the origins of celebration are really in the history of festivals, which were the original celebrations of life.

Life revolved around two things in the ancient times: agriculture and religion, and they were closely intertwined. People prayed for good harvests to keep them alive in the winters, and thanked their divine spirits for their mercy when the harvests were plentiful. Many of the original festivals were harvest related or celebrations of a successful hunt. They also prayed for mercy when times were hard and when life was tough. The word festival and the word feast were interchangeable in the middle ages. And for many that remains the same - celebrating with good food and wine is the best way of bringing together good friends in a good place for a good time. So feast away while you are in Bali. But don’t forget that here many of the festivals are purely religious and are at the very core of life in the villages. In this issue we bring you a very good run-down on the most important festivals on the island and help you to understand a little better what Bali is all about through them. So while you are feasting on the great dining options across the island try also to take in the culture and traditions that mean so much through appreciating the festivals. They are amazing and unforgettable - real celebrations of life.   Alistair G. Speirs, OBE