Kecak Dance in Bali

Kecak Dance is a typical Balinese performing arts that was created in the 1930s, played by dozens of men who sit in a circle and lined with a certain rhythm called for the word “smack” and raised both arms.
The dancers in the circle wearing a plaid cloth like a chessboard their waist.
This dance illustrates the story of Ramayana when Rama’s line of apes help fight Ravana. Kecak dance songs taken from the ritual dances sanghyang namely that the dancers dance traditions will be in unconscious condition, to communicate with God or the spirits of the ancestors and then convey its expectations to the public.
Tourists who are interested in watching Kecak can choose one of three locations the show, among other Luhur Pura Uluwatu, at the Village Batubulan, and Hanuman Road.
Kecak Dance privilege of not relying on musical instruments to accompany the dance, but a chorus of dancers. Kecak Dance is also known as the Kecak and Fire Dance. Performing this last sort of bonus that can invite click amazed the audience.

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Saraswati Ceremony in Bali

Saraswati Ceremony is the celebration of the revelation of knowledge or science (vidya). This celebration is based on calculations of Balinese Calendar, exactly on the day of Wuku Watugunung Saniscara (Saturday). celebrations are done in place of an education such as schools, libraries and other places. Celebration is done by praying together by the school community

Saraswati is the Shakti (wife) of Brahma. Saraswati is symbolized as a goddess who stands above the lotus with the swan (Hamsa) and peacock next to her. Have four hand with a sitar / Veena and ganatri on both the right hand, the left hand bring literature / books and one left hand  to play guitar.

Meanings of that symbols are:

• White skin, meaning: as a basic science (vidya) is white, clean and pure.

• Book / libraries in the left hand, meaning: All forms of knowledge and science that is a kular.

• Veena, meaning: art, music, culture and sound AUM. It is also a symbol of harmony of mind, budhi, life with the natural environment.

• Ganatri in his right hand, meaning: the spiritual science that is more meaningful than many who are secular science (left hand). But nevertheless the importance of books and teaching various sciences, but without a sincere appreciation and devotion, all these teachings will superfluous or useless.

• Goose (Hamsa), symbolizing: know where the dirt and where to eat, which is good which is bad, even in the filthy water and turbid

• Peacock, meaning: hairy lovely, beautiful and brilliant even if their habitats in the forest.

• Lotus Flowers / Lotus, meaning: can thrive and produce beautiful flowers even though his life on the dirty water .

Meaning of Saraswati Celebration

• We should be grateful to God for the gift of intelligence and science

• By vidya (knowledge), we can be free from avidya (ignorance).

• We can learn from goose  (symbol) to become a wiser person.

Is that good? But that’s what we do in Bali to respect science. Date and time of celebration can be seen on our calendar.

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Ngaben Ceremony in Bali

Ngaben, or Cremation Ceremony, is the ritual performed in Bali to send the deceased to the next life. The body of the deceased will be placed as if sleeping, and the family will continue to treat the deceased as sleeping. No tears are shed, because the deceased is only temporarily not present and will reincarnate or find his final rest in Moksha (freeing from the reincarnation and death cycle).
The proper day of the ceremony is always a matter of consulting a specialist on ceremony days. On the day of the ceremony, the body of the deceased is placed inside a coffin. This coffin is placed inside a sarcophagus resembling a buffalo (Lembu) or in a temple structure (Wadah) made of paper and wood. The buffalo or temple structure will be carried to the cremation site in a procession. The procession is not walking in a straight line. This is to confuse bad spirits and keep them away from the deceased.
The climax of Ngaben is the burning of the whole structure, together with the body of the deceased. The fire is necessary to free the spirit from the body and enable reincarnation.
Ngaben is not always immediately performed. For higher caste members it is normal to perform the ritual within 3 days. For lower caste members the deceased are buried first and later, often in a group ceremony for the whole village, cremated.

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Galungan Ceremony in Bali

Galungan is a Balinese holiday that occurs every 210 days and lasts for 10 days. Kuningan is the last day of the holiday. Galungan means "When the Dharma is winning." During this holiday the Balinese gods visit the Earth and leave on Kuningan.
Occurring once in every 210 days in the pawukon (Balinese cycle of days), Galungan marks the beginning of the most important recurring religious ceremony that is celebrated by all Balinese. During the Galungan period the deified ancestors of the family descend to their former homes. They must be suitably entertained and welcomed, and prayers and offerings must be made for them. Those families who have ancestors that have not yet been cremated, but are still buried in the village cemetery, must make offerings at the graves.

Although Galungan falls on a Wednesday, most Balinese will begin their Galungan 'holiday' the day before, where the family is seen to be busily preparing offerings and cooking for the next day. While the women of the household have been busy for days before creating beautifully woven 'banten' (offerings made from young coconut fronds), the men of our village usually wake up well before dawn to join with their neighbours to slaughter a pig unlucky enough to be chosen to help celebrate this occasion. Then the finely diced pork is mashed to a pulp with a grinding stone, and moulded onto sate sticks that have been already prepared by whittling small sticks of bamboo. Chickens may also be chosen from the collection of free-range chickens that roam around the house compound. Delicate combinations of various vegetables, herbs and spices are also prepared by the men to make up a selection of 'lawar' dishes. While much of this cooking is for use in the offerings to be made at the family temple, by mid-morning, once all the cooking is done, it is time for the first of a series of satisfying feasts from what has been prepared. While the women continue to be kept busy with the preparations of the many offerings to be made at the family temple on the day of Galungan, the men also have another job to do this day, once the cooking is finished. A long bamboo pole, or 'penjor', is made to decorate the entrance to the family compound. By late Tuesday afternoon all over Bali the visitor can see these decorative poles creating a very festive atmosphere in the street.
On Wednesday, the day of Galungan, one will find that most Balinese will try to return to their own ancestral home at some stage during the day, even if they work in another part of the island. This is a very special day for families, where offerings are made to God and to the family ancestors who have come back to rest at this time in their family temple. As well as the family temple, visits are made to the village temple with offerings as well, and to the homes of other families who may have helped the family in some way over the past six months.
The day after Galungan is a time for a holiday, visiting friends, maybe taking the opportunity to head for the mountains for a picnic. Everyone is still seen to be in their 'Sunday best' as they take to the streets to enjoy the festive spirit that Galungan brings to Bali.
The date for Galungan and other special Balinese days is shown on the Balinese Calendar. Galungan is also celebrated in the rest of Indonesia such as in the Balinese communities spread over Sumatra.

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