Being a "Bali-Bule" - Honouring Local Tradition

The Balinese recently celebrated Galungan & Kuningan, one of the island’s most important religious cycles. In the weeks leading up to these celebrations, the villages come alive with preparations - crafting offerings, cooking food, gathering family and creating the iconic penjors. These tall, beautifully decorated bamboo poles that line the roads as symbols of gratitude, prosperity and harmony between humans, nature and the divine. During these ten days of celebration, ancestral spirits are believed to return from the heavens to reunite with their earthly families, protecting them from bad spirits. And when Dharma (the good) triumphs over Adharma (the evil), their departure back to the higher realms is also celebrated.

Balinese Hinduism is unique - so rich with beauty, symbolism and daily devotion. Women prepare canang sari offerings every morning - these small coconut-leaf baskets filled with colourful flower petals - for blessings of homes, shops and temples. The year is filled with ceremonies: new moons, full moons, holy days dedicated to deities like Saraswati and Shiva, and special days for blessings of crops, livestock, and even metal objects like cars and motorbikes. And of course, the major sacred event of Nyepi, the Silent Day, marking the Balinese New Year. Added to this are family rituals and celebrations like weddings, tooth filings and cremations. The Balinese dress in their beautiful ceremonial clothing, gathering with family, friends and neighbours for temple visits and street processions. These people and their beautiful traditions are what make Bali so unique and special.

Being a bule, as foreigners are called here, is truly a privilege. The Balinese are generous and welcoming, inviting us to take part in the traditions they are so devoted to. And many of us join with grace and gratitude, even if we do not share the same belief system or faith. Over the years, I have been invited to Balinese weddings, house blessings, temple visits, and melukats (water purification ceremonies), always attending with deep appreciation. We bules show our respect by dressing up in local ceremonial clothes. As a woman I wear a sarong, kebaya (lace blouse) and a sash around my waist. Men wear sarongs, shirts, sash and the traditional udeng headdress.

It is said that the Balinese spend at least half of their income on religious and traditional obligations. Their devoted lifestyle profoundly shapes the atmosphere of Bali and the way the island feels to us visitors. This energy of devotion, humility and gratitude makes us feel welcomed, relaxed and more connected to ourselves and our hearts.

At times, it feels like we live parallel lives here - side by side with the Balinese, who are the true owners of this land, culture, and tradition. Bali depends heavily on tourism and the income brought by foreigners, which creates jobs and opportunities for many. And they accept us, treating us kindly, as they find most bules decent and respectful - even though there are of course some bad apples too. I am sure they sometimes shake their heads, thinking “bules are crazy,” when they cannot relate to certain behaviours. And I imagine that at times they wish they could turn back the clock to a time with fewer foreigners, allowing them to better preserve their genuineness and protect nature from pollution, over-construction and endless new hotels. Tourism is still increasing, last year by ten percent. I truly hope for the best possible future for Bali and its people, and that the island’s magnificence and sacredness can be preserved and protected.

Bali - or “Mama Bali,” as many of us call her - is considered, in an esoteric context, one of the strongest energy vortexes in the world, carrying a nurturing and healing feminine energy. We see her as a strong, loving, embracing mother - but she can also be firm and demanding. Many who come here are stunned by the beauty of the land and the warmth of the people, feeling welcomed by this loving side of Mama Bali. But it can also be the opposite: this motherly energy can bring tough challenges, physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

Some people who face difficult experiences - “Bali belly”, insect bites, nightmares, awakened traumas - leave feeling they never want to return. Others, who stay and face their issues, dramas and traumas, can expect deep inner work, powerful lessons and insights as rewards - even when it feels like tough love. And believe me, my life in Bali has not only been sunshine and roses in paradise. I have been severely sick and injured, emotionally devastated, heartbroken and shaken by life crises. But in hindsight, these challenges have made me grow and thrive as a human being. And I truly believe we are never given more than we can handle.

I try to be a humble bule, showing love, care and respect for my Balinese brothers and sisters and for their land. They enrich my life with their kindness, dedication and devotion. I am deeply grateful for my beautiful Bali life. Inspired by Balinese ceremonies, I have created my own little gratitude ritual every morning. I place Balinese offerings, fresh flowers and incense outside my house, giving thanks to Mama Bali, the guardian spirits of the land, my landlords’ family, my neighbours, pets, friends and the Balinese people in general. Invoking these feelings of humility and gratitude gives me such a beautiful start to the day.

What are you grateful for in your life?

What makes you feel humble and devoted?

Can you see the beauty in other people and cultures different from your own? How do you let them know?

With Gratitude,

Agneta