Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
But tourism really is the engine of Balinese economic life. There's the
money that pours in with visitors, and that which is made when people
abroad buy Balinese goods. The value of handicrafts exported each year
(whether silly and profane wood-carvings in a backpack or exquisite ikat
cloth destined for a designer abroad) is at least US$1.5 billion.
Within the often-battered Indonesian economy, Bali is a relatively affluent
province, with tourism providing a substantial hard-currency income, along
with the craft and garment industries. Economic problems and unemploy-
ment elsewhere in Indonesia have led to an increasing number of people
coming to Bali from other islands, hoping for work or for some other way
to make money, and this is a continuing source of tension.
COCKFIGHTS
Cockfights are a regular feature of temple ceremonies - a combination of sacrifice, sport and
gambling. Men keep fighting cocks as prized pets, carefully grooming and preparing them for
their brief moment of glory or defeat. Look for their hoop-shaped baskets near houses.
At the festival, the cocks are matched, a lethally sharp metal spur is tied to one leg, there's a
crescendo of shouting and betting, the birds are pushed against each other to stir them up, then
they're released and the feathers fly. It's usually over in seconds - a slash of the spur and one
rooster is down and dying. After the bout, the successful gamblers collect their pay-offs and the
winning owner gets to take the dead rooster home for his cooking pot. When travelling in rural
Bali, you'll know there's a cockfight nearby when you see scores of vehicles and scooters parked
near a temple but nobody in sight. The men are usually back behind the compound.
Although cock-fighting was once a method of keeping the small amounts of available cash
in circulation, as more people in Bali hold jobs, wagering has exploded. It now diverts family
income from school fees and credit payments.
The Tourism Industry
Tourism accounts for about 40% of Bali's formal economy. This is achieved
through the provision of accommodation, meals, services and souvenirs
to visitors. You won't go anywhere in Bali and not see the importance of
visitors to the island's livelihood. In many ways it underpins the economy,
providing the funds needed for Bali to develop its infrastructure, educa-
tional system and more. The bombings of 2002 and 2005, coupled with
bad relations with Australia, caused a plunge in visitor numbers that have
sent shock waves throughout the island's economy. Shops and other busi-
nesses have closed by the score and the effects have been felt in the most
remote villages as young people are no longer able to send home their
earnings from tourism.
In 2006, the total number of visitors was expected to be somewhere near
1.2 million, down 20% from the peak year of 2001. With the numbers of
visiting Australians - who historically shared top visitor status with the
Japanese - down more than 50%, Bali has had to rely more on tourists from
Asia, North America and Europe. The entire industry is also undergoing a
shift as the high end of the market continues to grow, seen in the hundreds
of villas displacing rice fields north and west of Seminyak.
Lombok's tourism industry, though much smaller, has suffered several
lean years since rioting provoked by religious and cultural tensions affected
Senggigi in 2000. Though visitor numbers remain depressed in many parts
of Lombok, the Gili Islands, particularly Trawangan, have largely bucked
this trend.
Farmers must join the
local subak (rice growers'
association). The subak
ensures that water
reaches all the paddies,
so whoever's field is at
the bottom is usually
elected to lead the
organisation since his
happiness will mean
others are happy as well.
Along the way, the group confuses the deceased's spirit so it cannot find
its way back home. They shake the tower, run it around in circles, throw
water at it and generally make the trip anything but a stately funeral crawl.
Meanwhile, the priest halfway up the tower hangs on grimly, doing his best
to soak bystanders with holy water. A gamelan sprints behind, providing an
exciting musical accompaniment.
At the cremation ground, the body is transferred to a funeral sarcophagus
which corresponds to the deceased's caste (p43) - a black bull for a Brahmana,
white bull for priests, winged lion for a Ksatriyasa, and elephant-fish for a
Sudra. Finally, it all goes up in flames and the ashes are taken to the sea to
be scattered on the waves. With the material body well and truly destroyed,
the soul is free to descend to heaven and wait for the next incarnation.
Reality Check
There is a growing problem with drug use among Balinese youth and on Lom-
bok, especially with crystal meth - yabba - brought over from Java and sold
cheaply to teenagers with access to cash raised from the tourism economy.
Local attitudes to sexuality differ to the Western misconceptions that still
persist. For example, in rural areas people still bathe naked by the side of
the road. This is not a show of exhibitionism, but a tradition; while bathing,
they consider themselves invisible.
Begging has no place in traditional Balinese society - what you see in the
south and at times in Ubud are either the mountain Aga people or families
from Java.
Though unmarried Balinese girls are ostensibly virgins, discreet premarital
sex is common, but generally restricted to couples who intend to marry. Sex
workers and willing companions looking for some cash or merchandise on
the side, however, are common in tourist areas. These people - of both sexes -
are usually from another island, with Java being the primary source. In some
cases they are from villages in the north and are counting on not being seen
in the company of a foreigner by any one they know.
ECONOMY
Bali's economy has traditionally been agricultural. A majority of Balinese
STOPPING CHILD-SEX TOURISM IN BALI
Unfortunately, Indonesia has become a destination for foreigners seeking to sexually exploit local
children. A range of socioeconomic factors render many children and young people vulnerable to
such abuse and some individuals prey upon this vulnerability. The sexual abuse and exploitation of
children has serious, life-long and even life-threatening consequences for the victims. Strong laws
exist in Indonesia to prosecute offenders and many countries also have extraterritorial legislation
which allows nationals to be prosecuted in their own country for these intolerable crimes.
Travellers can help stop child-sex tourism by reporting suspicious behaviour. Call the Women
& Children Care Unit (
Balinese culture keeps
intimacy behind doors.
Holding hands is not
customary for couples in
Bali, and is reserved for
small children; however,
linking arms for adults is
0361-226 783, ext 127) of the Bali police. If you know the nationality of
the individual, you can contact their embassy directly.
For more information, contact the following organisations:
Child Wise (www.childwise.net) This is the Australian member of ECPAT.
ECPAT (End Child Prostitution & Trafficking; www.ecpat.org) A global network working on these issues, with over
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