Story of Bali, Indonesia

In the villages there is a custom called nganggur, at which three to five' men go together to a woman's house in the daytime to talk and joke with her. If one of this group likes or loves the woman, he will visit her alone next time. This event seldom happens in the cities, because the parents there monitor their daughters more closely: young urban women are allowed to receive friends at home only in the evenings at which time the entire family is present.

Before menstruation, a girl is considered holy. 'Me gods may choose such a girl to use her body (by possession) as may be observed in the little girl trance dance. God may also use a married person's or man's body but that person must first undergo a special ceremony to purify his or her body and mind. After this ceremony by the priest, he or she can no longer engage in sexual activity and must devote their lives to God or to humans. Parents are not unhappy if their daughter marries late or remains unmarried because an unmarried woman is highly valued. The Balinese call such a woman nyukle brahma cari, which means 'the holy woman, still a virgin, loved by God'.

Since marriages may be terminated verbally and no legal divorce is required, a man who 'divorces' and remarries has in effect more than one wife to whom he may provide material support. Occasionally but less often, the wife leaves her husband. Extramarital affairs generally take the form of secret liaisons. In cities, these may be carried on for years on a regular basis with the same partners even though both might be married. The authors have no idea of the prevalence of this, only that it does occur. It is not acceptable or even possible for unmarried copies to live together. if a couple were to do so, the banjar leaders; would simply require an immediate marriage.

There is very little information on violence except with regard to amok, a culture-related syndrome. Types of violence typical in the West such as homocide, stabbing, and fights are relatively rare ' and gangs of youths do not exist but at this point, there is insufficient knowledge of violent behaviour in Bali to relate it to character.

Occasionally, the authors have been asked to identify negative aspects of character.

Please access this web site for more Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and all Indonesia Hotels bali lombok yogyakarta jakartahotels- and Indonesian Holidays Information, hotels and travel reservation indonesia hotels travel holidays