Archive for July 7th, 2006
As a tourist destination Bali has everything to offer - Great beaches, breathtaking scenery, good food, plenty of nightlife, great shopping, fantastic weather, a fascinating culture and more especially, friendly and warm people.
Although the tourist numbers dwindled since the October bombing last year, the number of tourists visiting the island is steadily on the increase. Garuda Airlines and the Bali Tourism Board have tried all kinds of inducements to increase tourism so that it will return to the boom days of the 90s.
The Bali Arts Festival and the upcoming Ubud Writers Festival are just two of the main drawcards during the year that are guaranteed to attract tourists to the island. But now there is another. I was reading in the Bali Discovery about an exciting program of Ubud-centred cultural events, tours, and an art auction organized by the Bali Bangkit Committee called the Spirit of Bali Revival and to be held July 12-23, 2006.
Here is the schedule for the Spirit of Bali Revival:
July 12, 2006 - Mask & Wayang Exhibition - 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. an opening of the exhibition and performance by I.B. Anom. Location: Kampung Seni Kubu Bingin, Banjar Tegal Bingin Mas, Ubud.
July 13-15, 2006 - Viewing of Auction Items Preceding Art Auction by Larasati of the Works of Balinese Traditional Artists Viewing on Thursday and Friday July 13-14 between 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and on the day of the Auction July 15 between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. - Location: Maya Ubud Resort - Ubud
July 13, 2006 - Mask & Wayang Exhibition - 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Cak Rina Kecak Dance Performance. Location: Kampung Seni Kubu Bingin, Banjar Tegal Binging Mas, Ubud.
July 14-23, 2006 - Balinese Traditional Painting Exhibition - “Tradition and Reputation” - Location- Agung Rai Museum (ARMA).
July 14, 2006 - Children Traditional Balinese Dance & Garden Dinner Party - Location: Agung Rai Museum (ARMA).
July 14, 2006 - Book Launching and Arts Awards - “Bravo Bali - Lexicon of 200 Years of Balinese Traditional Painting” and AMEX Art Awards - Location: Agung Rai Museum (ARMA).
July 14, 2006 - Mask & Wayang Exhibition - 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. Regog Ponorogo Performance; 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Mask Dance - Tari Topeng Tu Gek Carangsari. Location: Kampung Seni Kubu Bingin, Banjar Tegal Binging Mas, Ubud.
July 15, 2006 - Art Auction by Larasati of the Works of Balinese Traditional Artists - Location: Maya Ubud Resort, Ubud
July 15-16, 2006 - Golden Morning Tour - Free of Charge Sunrise Tour to Traditional Balinese Village and Surrounding Agricultural Lands - Departure at 6:00 a.m.. Location: Departure from Agung Rai Museum (ARMA).
July 15-16, 2006 - Free of charge tour to Jatuluwuh Rice Terraces, Mask and Wayang Exhibition and the Tradition and Reputation Art Exhibition - Departure at 8:00 a.m. Location: Departure from Agung Rai Museum (ARMA).
July 15-16, 2006 - Free of charge tour to the location of Walter Spies Villa in Sidemen, Mask and Wayang Exhibition and the Tradition and Reputation Art Exhibition - Departure at 8:00 a.m. Location: Departure from Agung Rai Museum (ARMA).
July 15, 2006 - Mask & Wayang Exhibition - 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. Stage presentation of Balinese traditional music performed by I Wayan Sutawa, a child dalang master. Location: Kampung Seni Kubu Bingin, Banjar Tegal Binging Mas, Ubud.
July 16, 2006 - Mask & Wayang Exhibition - 6:00 - 6:45 p.m. A contemporary Wayan Beber performance presented by a child dalang from Malang; 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Cak Rina Kecak Dance Performer. Location: Kampung Seni Kubu Bingin, Banjar Tegal Binging Mas, Ubud.
sources : www.baliblog.com
July 7th, 2006
A clinic aimed at improving the reproductive health for low-income women in Bali is now operating in the middle of a busy market in Denpasar.
Established in January 2004, a much needed clinic offering medical care and health education programs has been operating in an unlikely locale - in the very center of Bali’s largest traditional market, Pasar Badung in downtown Denpasar as Bali Discovery explains.
The market, adjoining the Kumbasari Art Market, is a bustling center of commerce open on a 24 hour basis attracting vendors and customers from across the entire region. As is generally the case in Bali’s markets the majority of vendors and workers attending the pasar are women with relatively low education and minimal incomes.
Those deriving their incomes from traditional market environments are in the best of times engaged in a daily struggle to survive economically. Following the recent terrorist bombings in Bali however, the already precarious livings eked out by the women at Pasar Bandung has become an even greater challenge. As a result women with little time or money are often faced with the choice of forsaking their own health needs in favor of more immediate needs of putting food on their families’ tables each day.
While the maternal instincts that make personal health care a secondary consideration for these women is understandable, the continuing dangers of maternal mortality, cervical and breast cancers and the risk of sexually transmitted disease (STD’s) - including HIV/AIDS mean that these female breadwinners put themselves at real risk when they fail to take care of their health.
Rama Sesana Foundation
In recognition of the pressing need in the community to guard the health of the Island’s mothers and daughters the Rama Sesana Foundation (YRS-Bali) decided that Bali’s main market was a very strategic area from which to reach a large audience of women and provide them with affordable, accessible and quality medical care services and health information. From the busy Health Center located in the market, outreach workers - comprised of both staff and peer educator volunteers are able to talk with vendors, laborers and shoppers at all hours of the might and day.
The outreach workers hand out brochures and condoms as required and make referrals to the clinic which is open during the day and on Friday nights. Every month the clinic receives about 400 patient visits; does Pap smears for around 50 women; screens some 100 patients for STDs and vaginal infections; and provides family planning, prenatal, general health services, and counseling and medical referrals for many more. Patients are asked to only pay what they can afford for tests and medicines.
In addition the program also runs discussion sessions every month to provide in-depth information and answers on important health topics with expert guest speakers scheduled on alternate months. There is also a monthly support group meeting for women victims of violence.
Initially established with funds provided by the Bali International Women’s Association (BIWA), the YRS Reproductive Health Program (YRS) at the market now receives the bulk of its funding support from the Ibu Pertiwi Humanitarian Foundation (YKIP) and the Annika Linden Foundation.
In order to provide badly needed additional funding for the program the YRS is establishing another clinic location for higher-income patients to help subsidize the marketplace programs. Open to both male and female patients the new clinic will soon operate at Jalan Tukad Buaji 37A in Panjer, Denpasar.
Interested visitors are always welcome to visit the either clinic with the YRS Badung Market Clinic located on the 4th floor of the Pasar Badung or their website.
souces : www.baliblog.com
July 7th, 2006
The devastating earthquake that shook Central Java and Yogyakarta on Saturday May 27, 2006, claimed over 6,000 lives and damaged a number of important heritage sites.
‘Raising the Roof for Yogya Friends’ is a special performance of Javanese Dance by American Garrett Kam to take place in Ubud on Friday July 14, 2006 according to the Bali Discovery.
Included among the long list of cultural treasures lost in the earthquake was the Dalem Pujakusuma, a noble residence that served as home to two of Central Java’s leading schools of Javanese traditional dance - Mardawa Budaya and Pamulangan Beksa Ngayogyakarta. Founded respectively in 1962 and 1976 by the late K.R.T. Sasmintadipura (1929-1996), these schools represent a rich living repository of dance forms from Yogyakarta’s Royal Court.
The Dalem Pujakusuma which served as both the school and the daily residence of the descendents of school’s founder was flattened by the earthquake.
Raising the Roof for Friends in Yogya
A special evening of both Balinese and Javanese dance and music has been scheduled in Ubud on Friday July 14, 2006 at the Pondok Pekak located on the east side of Ubud’s central soccer field staring from 7 p.m..
The women’s gamelan group of Pondok Pekak will perform Balinese music and dance together with a rare and remarkable performance by American Garrett Kam. Kam, a native of Hawaii and a noted Javanese dancer, art historian and curator at the Neka Museum will perform a program of Royal Javanese dances rarely seen outside their palace of origin.
Garrett began learning Javanese court dance in 1975. From 1979 to 1982 he lived in Yogyakarta where he studied intensively from master teachers of the Sultan’s palace including studies at the Mardawa Budaya and Pamulangan Beksa Ngayogyakarta schools. Garrett has taught and performed Javanese dance in Hawaii, California, Michigan, Oregon, Thailand, Singapore, Japan and Cambodia. He has been living in Bali since 1987.
Those attending the evening are asked to make a minimum donation of Rp. 50,000 with proceeds going to help restore the now destroyed schools of traditional Javanese dance.
July 7th, 2006