In this episode, host Eddy Speirs covers one of the most central aspects of Balinese Hindu ritual life: the Pawukon Calendar. This episode outlines the mythological origins of Hari Saraswati, The Day of Knowledge, rooted in the legend of 'Watugunung', Bali's own 'Oedipus' tale. This is tied to the creation of the calendar as well as wariga, the knowledge of time. Following this is an explanation of how the Pawukon calendar is used, and what 'calculations' must be done to define specific auspicious days. This episode comes from an article written by Jean Couteau, published in TIMELESS Bali Volu ..read more

In this episode, we welcome Prof. Dr. I Made Bandem and Bruce Carpenter who recently published 'Masks of Bali: Between Heaven and Hell', an epic 2-volume collection on Bali's traditional masks, a historical publication set to define this field of art for generations to come. Note: this episode is best enjoyed as a Video (YouTube version available here). In this insightful conversation, Pak Bandem and Pak Bruce share their in-depth knowledge on Balinese masks, explaining the history of masks in Bali; the nine different genres of masks found in Bali, their different shapes, forms and functions ..read more

This episode discusses Balinese healing traditions in the modern age, speaking to Tjok Gde Kerthyasa on how both science and spirituality are important to his work, why Balinese cosmology is important to holistic healing, and also what it will take to make Bali’s healing offerings more trusted and robust. Tjok Gde Kerthyasa is the founder of Tirta Usada, a holistic clinic and research centre in Ubud. With his mixed background — his mother, Jero Asri Kerthyasa, is Australian; his father Tjokorda Raka Kerthyasa, is Balinese and was a spiritual healer — Tjok Gde shares unique insight into Balines ..read more

Full Video Interview available on YouTube here. Stored in distant archives of universities abroad, the earliest recordings of Balinese music and dance have remained a mystery for the greater Balinese society, alongside footage and photography of island life just a century ago. Bali 1928, a project on a mission to repatriate this old documentation back to the island, is seeing the effects the past can have on today’s generation. Artistic communities, environmental groups, everyday Balinese awe-inspired by the sounds, images and scenes of their own history; invigorated to revive, revitalise and ..read more

Full Video Interview available on YouTube here. Stored in distant archives of universities abroad, the earliest recordings of Balinese music and dance have remained a mystery for the greater Balinese society, alongside footage and photography of island life just a century ago. Bali 1928, a project on a mission to repatriate this old documentation back to the island, is seeing the effects the past can have on today’s generation. Artistic communities, environmental groups, everyday Balinese awe-inspired by the sounds, images and scenes of their own history; invigorated to revive, revitalise and ..read more

Found in most banjars across Bali, the distinct appearance of the Barong Landung characters are unmistakeable in the assortment of Balinese religious effigies. This conspicuous couple, always found together, are at face-value just symbols of an old Balinese love story. However, digging deeper, this historic husband and wife drama speaks not of love, but of identity. It is symbolic of Bali’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious history, and ultimately of the centuries-long relationship the island has had with China. This episode was originally published in our February 2022 Digital Edition of NOW ..read more

In this episode of the podcast we’ll be exploring changes in Bali - and of Bali - discussing the effects of the island’s transformation into modern livelihoods and land-use. To read the transcript of the episode, feel free to visit our website article here.  This episode comes from a feature article in our recently published, 'Preservation in Times of Progress', our January 2022 Digital Edition of NOW! Bali Magazine which you can read here. In this episode, as well as this edition, we bring to the forefront the challenge of balancing the new with the old, questioning whether Bali can stil ..read more

In this episode, host Eddy Speirs is joined by two special guests, Ewa Wojkowska & Robi Navicula. Together they discuss a range of topics, including plastic pollution, Bali’s environmental crisis, beliefs surrounding nature, the future of Bali’s agricultural communities and also the island’s vibrant music scene. Ewa Wojkowska is the Co-Founder of Kopernik, a research and development lab based in Indonesia that focuses on poverty alleviation and finding solutions to social and environmental challenges. Their work has helped many people living in the last mile. I Gede Robi Supriyanto, or Ged ..read more

Agama Tirta, the Religion of Water. This is what Balinese religion was often referred to before it’s official title of Hindu Dharma, as water was - and continues to be - an essential element in the rituals and even belief of the Balinese. Today’s episode is taken from one of Jean Couteau’s articles in the NOW! Bali archives, titled Balinese Pilgrims on the Quest for Holy Water. Read the full transcript here. To get a better understanding of Agama Tirta, we strongly suggest that you listen to Episode 22 which outlines at a macro scale why belief was called 'the religion of water' in Bali ..read more

Why is Bali the way it is? How is there a solitary Hindu island in the largest muslim country in the world (by population)? Why is its brand of Hinduism different than what is found in India? Why is it called the Island of the Gods? To understand everything we see in Bali today, it's necessary to take a deep-dive into Bali's history, to see the origins of its culture and its belief systems. This episode is a kind of condensed history of Bali, explaining what made Bali the way it is today. It will help to contextualise everything you see around you on the island. This episode was originally wri ..read more