Year: 2007
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: An open fortress 'Ajeg Bali'On 16 August 2003 the Bali Post celebrated its 55th anniversary with a special edition. 1 It contained an extensive report on a seminar held earlier that month under the title Menuju strategi ajeg Bali, towards a strategy for a strong and resilient Bali. 2 The word ajeg refers to a discourse about the position of Balinese culture in present-day Indonesia, in particular since Reformasi and desentralisasi had changed the political map of Indonesia.The general feeling at the seminar was that Bali was endangered by a variety of negative external influences and that Balinese culture had to be rescued.Representatives from various sectors in society voiced a shared concern that uncontrolled building activities and the rapidly expanding tourist sector cause large scale environmental damage, while they also feared that Western influences stimulate criminality, the use of narcotics, and a hedonistic materialistic attitude, at the cost of traditional religious Balinese values.Moreover, the influx of thousands of Muslim migrant workers from neighbouring islands Java and Lombok gave the unpleasant feeling that Balinese are becoming a minority on their own island.In order to counter these negative developments, the need for a spiritual revitalization and the strengthening of cultural self-confidence was felt.Ajeg Bali became the key word in a quest for a new master plan that respected the delicate balance between Gods, men and environment (Tri Hita Karena).
Source: BRILL eBooks
Author: Henk Schulte Nordholt
Language: English
Subfield: Cultural Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W902816900