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The traditional culture of Bali is particularly vibrant and manifests itself through a cultural calendar punctuated by many festivals. By visiting the island, you will have a good chance of attending one of them.
A traditional festival celebrated every 210 days, a calendar year according to the Balinese tradition, Galungan celebrates the descent of ancestors among men. On this occasion, for about ten days, the streets are adorned with penjors, poles richly decorated at the end of which offerings are suspended. The festivities conclude with the two days of Kuningan. Throughout the festivities, the offerings to families are added to those given to the deities.
The celebration of Nyepi, the Balinese New Year, begins with the Melasti ceremony or purification. On the eve of the Nyepi, statues of carton dough demons are wandering around the city. Firecrackers are then lit to frighten evil spirits. These effigies will then be burned to evacuate the negative forces of the year that ends. When the day of Nyepi arrives, the Balinese scrupulously respect the silence. Everything is closed and the streets are deserted to make the devils believe that the island is deserted. It is a privileged moment for meditation.
Like Galungan, Pagerwesi is celebrated every 210 days. Celebrated in honour of a battle between good and evil, this festival is an opportunity for the local people to strengthen their souls against harmful influences. They go to the temples with offerings. A few days before Pagerwesi, Saraswati is celebrated in honour of the goddess of knowledge.
Each family event is a celebration throughout the village or in the entire neighbourhood. At the birth of a child, the placenta is washed and buried in the yard with some objects. After 42 days, the newborn can touch the ground for the first time after a ceremony. Another typical Bali ceremony is the filing of the teeth. At the time of their first menstruation, the girls were filing their teeth to mark their transition to adulthood.
An annual event celebrated in Denpasar, the capital, the Bali Arts Festival is a one-month event. Various exhibitions are devoted to the traditional art of the island. Dance and music shows are also on the programme.
