The NOW! Bali Podcast

What makes Balinese arak so important for the island? This traditional spirit is both culturally and socially significant, and with its modernisation, it may be economically significant too. In the Season 1 Finale of Bali Breakfast Talks, Nathan Santoso of Iwak Arumery (Arak brand) joins us for a seaside conversation at @breakfastclubseminyak to share his insights on the past, present and future o...

Janice Girardi is the Founder of Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA) . She sits down with host Edward Speirs to talk about the fascinating history of Bali's indigenous dog breed – the Bali Heritage Dog – and why its becoming increasingly important to conserve this special breed of canine. BAWA is a registered non-profit founded in 2007 by Janice Girardi, who has made Bali her home for over...

Tipi Jabrik was born and raised in Legian, Bali, where he picked up surf and became a professional surfer by the age of 18. As a pro surfer he toured the world, winning international competition in Phuket, Japan, as well as here in Bali. After his pro career, he changed his focus to surf development, coaching young surfers, developing the Indonesian surf industry, and overall surf ecosystem. He ha...

Kania Maniasa is the Executive Director of Green School Foundation, a non-profit organisation created to bring sustainability-focused education to children in Bali. The foundation began in 2008 providing scholarships to the renowned Green School Bali. Today, Green School Foundation’s scope extends to working with local public schools to create environmental sustainability projects, including train...

Jasmine Okubo is a dancer, producer, choreographer and the founder of Yayasan Kitapoleng, a multidisciplinary art platform based in Bali. Though of Japanese descent, born and raised in Turkey, Jasmine has a deep passion for Balinese and Indonesian arts and has been a key figure in bringing the performing arts to modern audiences, especially here in Bali. In this episode of Bali Breakfast Talks, Ja...

Many have heard of Nyepi, Bali’s Day of Silence, and understand that for 24 hours the entire island undergoes a strict period of no work, no activity and no sound. But what is the reason behind this Day of Silence? And why is Nyepi observed on the day it is observed? These are the questions we hope to answer in this episode of the NOW! Bali Podcast with host, Eddy Speirs. For more details you can...

Tjokorda Raka Kerthyasa is an esteemed member of the Ubud Royal Family and holds the position of Bendesa Adat of Ubud (Head of Customary Village Organisation) since 2009. He is one of Bali’s respected authorities on culture and local traditions. He joins the podcast ahead of a colossal ceremony taking place in Ubud, on 10 November 2024, known as Karya Agung Penyejeg Jagat . This opens a wider conv...

In this episode, host Eddy Speirs shares a bite-sized perspective piece on factors that help to perpetuate Balinese rituals through time. Balinese Hindu philosophy has some effective built-in mechanisms for self-perpetuation down the generations. It is a mechanism driven by duty, debt and superstition. This is seen in the principle known as Tri Rna , the three duties or obligations one must fulfil...

Bali, renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and vibrant culture, has faced escalating environmental challenges as its tourism industry continues to grow. Issues such as waste mismanagement and ecological degradation have prompted a local response led by Eco Tourism Bali. Founded in 2021 by Suzy Hutomo , Chairperson of BodyShop Indonesia, and Rahmi Fajar Harini, a Balinese entrepreneur with a ba...

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 thi...

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 Band...

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 U...

In the same way we all make targets and goals for ourselves in the new year, why shouldn’t an island do the same? Why can’t Bali strive to be and do better? NOW! Bali Founder Alistair Speirs joins this episode to share his 20 Bali New Year Resolutions , some guidelines required to maintain the island's place as a world-renowned destination that everyone can love, or indeed as a wonderful place to...

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...

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...

The significance of water in Bali cannot be understated. In this episode we seek to illustrate the many ways in which water is part of life on the island and why it is such a central element in Balinese belief. You'll learn why Bali's belief system was called 'Agama Tirta', religion of holy water, before it was officially called 'Balinese Hinduism'. From the cycles of reincarnation, to the cult of...

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-...

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 Edi...

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...

Jatiluwih, the 600 hectares of rice fields in Tabanan, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is listed as a cultural landscape... but what does that even mean? It refers to the subak water-sharing system and how the rice fields are the manifestation of the Balinese Tri Hita Karana Philosophy, the three elements of well being, God Nature and People, that must be in balance and in harmon...

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...

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 from 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...

Myths, folklore and stories in general are powerful forces. They are vessels in which morals and life lessons can be shared to societies, thus guiding them in the 'right' way of being. Myths are an important part of Balinese culture, mainly through the medium of the shadow puppet performance or 'wayang kulit'. It is the puppet master, the dalang, who is therefore responsible for sharing the many B...

Galungan is one of the most important ceremonies on the Balinese calendar. The exact dates of this auspicious day are calculated through the 210-day Pawukon calendar , where the Galungan period will last 10 days. What makes this ceremony so special? What is its history and origins? Host Eddy Speirs shares the legend behind Galungan and why the Balinese Hindu celebrate this festive season. Read the...

The way the olden day Balinese perceive time, and remember old events, is not done in a measured and quantitative way - like we do in today's world. In this story by Jean Couteau, 'A Question of Time', he illustrates the interesting way in which time is experienced by Bali's older generations. Does it somehow relate to the way we are all perceiving time during these 'pandemic' days?