Culture Of Bali: A Merger Of Traditions, Wisdom, Customs And Nature

The Balinese people follow a form of Hinduism known as Agama Hindu Dharma. Balinese culture and traditions impact almost every aspect of life on the island and draw people to Bali to see and experience it. An important belief of Balinese Hinduism is that the elements of mother nature are influenced by spirit. The Hindu influences are combined with the original ancestor worship practices on the island to create their own customs separate from Indian Hinduism.

Let’s explore the Hinduism influence on Bali, its temples, art forms, dances, and festivals which represent the culture in Bali.

Hinduism And Its Influence

Hindu influences reached the Indonesian Archipelago as early as the first century. There are two major theories for this that compete with each other as there is a lack of written records for historians to be able to refer to:

1. South Indian Sea Traders brought the faith with them and slowly won over the people of Bali (and Java back then, though Java is now Islamic)
2.  Indonesian royalty welcomed Indian religions and culture, and it is they who first adopted these spiritual ideas followed by the masses. 

Indonesian islands adopted both Hindu and Buddhist ideas, fusing them with pre-existing native folk religion and Animist beliefs. While Bali is part of an independent Indonesia, there are still several royal families on the island, but they play no formal role in governing Bali and are purely ceremonial in function. This guide to Bali Religions helps you understand Balinese culture in depth!