Celebrating Indigenous Dance and Rituals at Gawai Festival

Celebrating Indigenous Dance and Rituals at Gawai Festival

The crocodile appeared on the stage in the form of a human. The dancer writhed and slithered, accompanied by the deep tones of the didgeridoo. This opening dance at the 2018 Gawai Festival was received with loud cheers from the crowd.The Gawai festival committee had...
Bali Aga – Sacred Swings and Ancient Ways

Bali Aga – Sacred Swings and Ancient Ways

    Hidden in the hills of East Bali, there are two ancient Bali Aga (old Bali) villages. The Bali Aga people are the original aboriginal people of Bali. They were living in Bali long before the ancestors of most of today’s Balinese arrived as part of the Hindu...

Kalimantan – Festival of Colour

I arrived late in the evening to catch the Prince and Princess Tourism Competition. Suddenly chairs were parted and bodies shifted to make room for me in the front row. I was ordered to sit here, by one of the Dayak ladies, so I quickly took my place between a very...