The Morning of the World
 

Over the past couple of months I've received a lot of private emails asking me about Bali. I don't know if this is because we're in the middle of a high tourist season for Bali, or if there is a general increase in interest.

I'm not a Bali expert, yes, I do have some knowledge of Bali but I'm not expert. However, the authors of this book are:-

Secrets of Bali -- Jonathon Copeland & Ni Wayan Murni, Orchid Press, ISBN: 978-974-524-118-3

It’s a paperback, its cheap, its full of lots and lots of information about Bali, and about modern day Indonesia, it was only published about 5 years ago, so its not like reading Covarrubias, then getting to Bali and wondering where all the bare breasted women are --- but even as late as the 1960's and early 1970's the old ways were still in evidence once you got out of Den Pasar.

Murni is regarded by many as a Balinese living treasure. She sure knows the society and the culture.

Jonathon Copeland is a lawyer, and he writes in a light, interesting and easy to read style.

I've read this book several times, and in my opinion it is one of, if not the best commentary on Bali as it is right now.

It is essential reading for anybody with a keris interest, not because there is any considerable mention of keris --- there's not --- but because absorption of the contents of this book will assist greatly with an understanding of the people of Bali, and without some understanding of the people we most certainly cannot understand their keris.

Thanks a lot for the pointer, Alan!

Regards,
Kai

Thank you Alan!
I've ordered the book.

Thank you!
 

I ordered it too! :)

Great !!
 

Thank you Alan for such a precious recommendation.
I've ordered the book...
I remember Bali when I went there in 1972.
Everyone can imagine how it was. Two little but very significant details at that time : there were no cars but an ambulance and a police car - lot of Japanese motorcycles - and an empty jail which last occupant was a man who by mistake pinched a hen from his neighbour ...
Difficult to admit when you see what Bali became...

Yeah, it was a bit different then to now.

1966 I stayed one night in a hotel, then I stayed with a family for a week or so --- this was not a home-stay, just a bloke who worked at the hotel who wanted to improve his English, I got accommodation in exchange for English conversation. Kuta was gravel roads, the beach was little sandhills, tussock grass, and palm trees to the waters edge. Much of the specialist service industry was not driven by money at all, but rather by mutual benefit, the butterflies were amateurs, not professionals.

right through to about 1976 you could ride a bicycle from Kuta into Den Pasar without fear of death or injury: I wouldn't do it now for a bet. There were motor vehicles, but not a lot and they were mixed in with horse drawn vehicles.

I reckon that maybe the last good year in Bali was 1982, after that development just exploded.

The Old Bali still does exist in pockets where there are no tourists and no people from Jawa and other places, but you need to to get well off the beaten track to find those places.