Bali Travel Newspapers Vol. I No. 12 by Bali Travel Newspaper

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”THK Awa rd the ca s & re A fo r

on” is focu itati d co ssing d e nser an r vat on cc eople io p

Vol. I, No. 12  July 11 - 24, 2011

IDR. 2,000 Publisher : Wisnu Wardana; Address : Jl. Melati 43 Denpasar, Bali-Indonesia ; Phone/fax (0361) 227610 Email : info@www-balitravelnews.com ; Licence/SIUPK : 0094 / 22-09 / PK / I / 2011; TDP : 22.09.5.52.00072

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VERY six months the Balinese Hindus celebrate the great day of Galungan when the ancestor spirits come down to the earth to dwell again in the homes of their descendants. The spirits are entertained and welcomed with prayers and oﬀerings. ‘Penjors’, long bamboo poles are erected together with a little bamboo

altar from which is hung a ‘lamak’, one of those beautiful mosaics on long strips of palm leaf on all the roads and at the gate of every home. Commerce practically ceases during the Galungan days. Schools are closed, and the normal life of the village concentrates exclusively upon the events surrounding this very sacred period.  BTNewspaper/Int. More about the

story of Galungan, see page V.

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No. 12, July 11 - 24, 2011

The Big Five of Tri Hita Karana (1)

Main characteristics of the concept of THK By Jan Hendrik Peters Strategic Advisor THK Foundation The Big Five of African nature Africa oﬀers unbelievable fantastic nature. Especially its fauna attracts many tourists, looking for adventure, spotting animals in the wild. It is their obsession to discover the big five of African animals. To see this big five in Africa is the ambition of all people who have the chance to undertake a safari in Africa for example in Kenya and South-Africa. This big five are elephant, lion, leopard, buﬀalo and rhinoceros. These are considered the top of the animal kingdom, although there are many more animals to observe, who are as fascinating and wonderful as the big five. It is just a matter of taste.

People from outside often want to know more about the significance of the philosophical concept of THK, which they heard of during their stay on Bali. Then I have always diﬃculties to do this in a comprehensible way. Of course it is easy to say that Balinese adhere to this concept expecting to become happy. But is happiness in the end not the ambition of each religion and do not all religions promise that true believers will find their destination in heaven? In this and the next issue of Bali Travel Newspaper I will give it a try to sketch the outline of THK. Some books have been consulted, but I am well aware that more study is necessary. THK is not a static concept but a dynamic philosophy that is developing in a fast changing world.

The Seven Wonders of the World The same can be said of the socalled Seven Wonders of the World, of which the wonderful Buddha temple Borobudur on Java is one. There will always be discussion about the limited number and the specific choices. It is just a matter of taste. The quality and beauty of each of the Wonders of the World is out of the question, but this does not mean that also other choices could have been made and that many more heritage sites can be admired around the world that can compete with each of the oﬃcially selected Wonders of the World. The BIG Five of THK In this respect I was asking myself what would be the big five of characteristics of the philosophy of THK. In line with the reasoning about the Big Five in Africa and also in line with the Seven Wonders of the World I started looking for the typical characteristics of THK. I consulted some experts who have knowledge and experience with THK and selected five characteristics, which tell in a nutshell about the importance of THK. I qualify these

characteristics as The Big Five of THK. A good understanding of these five characteristics will make people even more motivated to follow this spiritual concept as a guideline in both their personal and professional life. I absolutely agree that there is much more about THK that you would have to know. But just as in the case of The Big Five of the animals, living in the wild in Africa, and just as in case of The Seven Wonders of the World, it seems wise to have a first look at The Big Five of THK. These are: integral, universal, harmonious, guiding and spiritual (taksu). I shall go into each of these characteristics. Integral THK is not just a part of the whole, or just a specific project or whatsoever. On the contrary, this concept is integral, which means that it covers all aspects of life and all activities of the business. Most of the hotels on Bali just consider THK as a specialty and by doing so break up THK –you could say- into fragments. The management is running the hotel and sponsoring an orphanage as a special project that doesn’t interfere with the core business at all. It would be interesting to analyze what kind of activities or what project hotels, resorts and villas have set up in recent years. I guess most are focused on reduction of poverty and conservation of nature. These activities as such are fine and are fitting smoothly in the concept of THK. But these activities do not mean automatically that the THK concept as an integral model is implemented successfully. Balance between spirituality, people and earth is the real addedvalue of the THK concept. Only in the balance between these three values the treasure of THK can be found. THK is all-inclusive and will be visible to the guests all over the place. Furama Villas in Ubud and Melia Bali in Nusa Dua are nice examples of the integration of THK in the services. Their guests highly appreciate the attitude of managers and employees and are

eager to try to understand the uniqueness of this THK philosophy. Sometimes guests are invited to participate in THK related activities and by doing so they are even more impressed by the spirituality of THK. No wonder that a relatively high percentage of guests at Furama Ubud and Melia Bali Nusa Dua is loyal to the hotel. The integration of THK in the running of the hotel will attract guests and I am sure that in the next few years many more hotels will choose to integrate THK actively in their services: the spirituality of Bali, the care for people and the conservation of nature. If one sheep is over the bridge, more sheep will follow. This thought makes me feel good and I feel optimistic about preservation of Bali as a wonderful island full of spirituality. And I pray that this dream will never end up in a nightmare. Universal One of the questions that pop up every time and again is whether this philosophy of THK is not just a typical Balinese philosophy, which only applies to Balinese society and is by nature not feasible to be implemented outside Bali in Indonesia or abroad. Although originating from Hindu religion, the THK concept has the spiritual flexibility that makes it suitable for introduction everywhere in the world. Nobody will be forced to deny his own spirituality and is free to replace Hindu belief by Christian, Buddhist or Islam belief. The opinion that the concept of THK only would have regional impact is in other words not justified. In history you will see that religious intolerance has often led to wage war between people and countries. It is still a tragedy that in the world of today people are fighting each other because of religious intolerance. Against this background I would like to stress that promoting THK as a universal concept which can be introduced all over the world, has nothing to do with religious intolerance. On the contrary, THK is peaceful

and not in the least threatening for people elsewhere in the world, who of course want to keep their own religion. But before promoting THK outside Bali, it has first of all to be implemented inside Bali. Too many Balinese people are paying lip service to the THK as their guideline in life, which has apparently no meaning for their behavior in daily life. That attitude of people has to be changed but it will be hard to change their mindset. Although Bali is a small island with a relatively small population, there is still a long way to go. Harmonious Under all circumstances people have to stay in control of their emotions. I remember that since I came to Bali one time I completely lost my temper, becoming so angry that people nearby felt ashamed about this outrageous stranger who could not control himself. The reason why I lost my senses is not relevant. It is absolutely not done on Bali. I realized after some time that as long as I could not control myself, I would always be a stranger on Bali who doesn’t understand how to behave. Later on, I heard of the Balinese doctrine Tri Kaya Parisuda, which encourages the Balinese firstly to think, secondly to talk and thirdly to act, all in a positive way. By this behavior the Balinese people believe they will be reborn into a higher class or even ascend to heaven. From these philosophies the standard rule can be derived that you always stay in control of yourself. In this respect the West can learn from the East. To live in line with THK has the perspective to become happy. This is easy to say but most diﬃcult to realize. But this path of THK is anyhow going somewhere, while just wandering around without any perspective in mind will be confusing and aimless. Most people, who care about life, will walk the path to happiness and THK will be their best guide.  To be continued in the next edition.

“Carbon Footprint” Risks Misuse and Economic Damage, NGO Research Finds PRO DEVELOPMENT NGO, World Growth, released research Thursday (30 June), demonstrating that “carbon footprint” criteria advocated by environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to regulate carbon emissions from land use change in tropical forests is too uncertain to use. Data is weak and provides

Chief Editor : Wisnu Wardana; Publicist: Jan Hendrik Peters, KG. Dharma Putra, Journalists/contributors: Torsten Thierbach, Gung Man, Krisna; Marketing : Made Yudha ; Secretariate : Dewi ; Address : Jl. Melati 43 Denpasar, BaliIndonesia ; Phone/fax: (0361) 227610 Email : info@www-balitravelnews.com ; Jakarta : Bambang Hermawan, Villa Pamulang Mas, Blok C9/4, Pamulang, Tangerang Selatan ; NTB : Riyanto Rabbah, Jl. Abdul Kadir Munsi, Gang Dahlia No. 14, Mataram ; Yogyakarta : Titah Pratyaksa (083 1190 19410); Bank : BPD Bali KCP. Kamboja No. 0370115000510 A/N Biro Promosi & Pengembangan Pariwisata Budaya.

contrary results. Key concepts remain speculative. Use of current criteria could unnecessarily restrict agricultural production and would not have a beneficial environmental impact. The report, “Grappling with Inordinate Uncertainty,” demonstrates that a broad-brush assessment of emissions from agricultural and forestry industries and economies is unfeasible with using current concepts and data. Eﬀective measurement of emissions from changes in land use requires empirical assessment on-site, and testing and refinement of key concepts.

The concept is also being promoted in the fierce debate over in Europe over whether or not to regulate the impact of indirect land use change on greenhouse gas emissions. The European Parliament and green groups like the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) argue carbon footprints should be established to regulate the sustainability and trade of products from tropical countries, like palm oil and timber products. “Yet this new research shows there is no reliable data which shows there are large emissions from land use change in tropical countries. It also shows important contrary data suggesting tropical forests sequester form soil organic carbon than temperate and boreal forest combined, and the emissions from tropical forests have been significantly overstated.

World Growth Chairman Ambassador Alan Oxley released the following statement: “The idea that clearing tropical forest creates a destructive carbon footprint has been given wide currency, but lacks technical underpinning. The concept of the carbon footprint is not robust, for example – no footprint is static. Not only is the basis for measuring carbon footprint not established, the data on emissions of terrestrial carbon is based on guesswork and data with very large margins of error.

“There is good reason to suspect that the carbon footprint concept has been advanced by environmental NGOs for the political purpose of supporting their campaigns to limit use of forest land and developing world industries like palm oil, regardless of the economic cost.

“The carbon footprint idea is being pushed worldwide by green groups to support restrictions on products to which they object, and is being supported by some Western business interests to demonstrate general support for measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Regrettably, European companies like Unilever are supporting a push by WWF to make a carbon footprint an additional criterion in the sustainability standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) when there was no data available to reliably create or measure a

footprint. Rather than prematurely imposing a measure that cannot be scientifically assessed, policymakers would do well to reject the calls by radical environmentalists for pre-determined, kneejerk action and support continued research into the ‘carbon footprint’ concept.” The report includes a foreword by Dr. David F Smith AM, Senior Fellow, Melbourne School of Land and Environment, University of Melbourne. About World Growth World Growth is a non-profit, non-governmental organization established to expand the research, information, advocacy, and other resources to improve the economic conditions and living standards in developing and transitional countries. World Growth, embraces the age of globalization and the power of free trade to eradicate poverty and create jobs and opportunities. World Growth supports the production of palm oil and the use of forestry as a means to promote economic growth, reduce poverty and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. World Growth believes a robust cultivation of palm oil and forestry provides an eﬀective means of environmental stewardship that can serve as the catalyst for increasing social and economic development. For more information on World Growth, visit: worldgrowth.org.  BTNewspaper/PR

No. No N o 12, July 11 - 24, 2011

III

Prambanan Temple:

The Most Beautiful Hindu Temple in the World PRAMBANAN temple is an extraordinarily beautiful building constructed in the tenth century during the reigns of two kings namely Rakai Pikatan and Rakai Balitung. Soaring up to 47 meters (5 meters higher than ‘Borobudur’ temple), the foundation of this temple has fulfilled the desire of the founder to show Hindu triumph in Java Island. This temple is located 17 kilometers from the city center, among an area that now functions as a beautiful park.

There is a legend that Javanese people always tell about this temple. As the story tells, there was a man named Bandung Bondowoso who loved Roro Jonggrang. To refuse his love, Jonggrang asked Bondowoso to make her a temple with 1,000 statues only in one-night time. The request was nearly fulfilled when Jonggrang asked the villagers to pound rice and to set a fire in order to look like morning had broken.

Feeling to be cheated, Bondowoso who only completed 999 statues cursed Jonggrang to be the thousandth statue. Prambanan temple has three main temples in the primary yard, namely Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva temples. Those three temples are symbols of Trimurti in Hindu belief. All of them face to the east. Each main temple has accompanying temple facing to the west, namely Nandini for Shiva, Angsa for Brahma, and Garuda for Vishnu. Besides, there are 2 flank temples, 4 kelir temples and 4 corner temples. In the second area, there are 224 temples. Entering Shiva temple, the highest temple and is located in the middle, you will find four rooms. One main room contains Shiva statue, while the other three rooms contain the statues of Durga (Shiva’s wife), Agastya (Shiva’s teacher), and Ganesha (Shiva’s son). Durga statue is said to be the statue of Roro Jonggrang in the above legend.

ing temple is Garuda temple that is located close to Vishnu temple. This temple keeps a story of halfbird human being named Garuda. Garuda is a mystical bird in Hindu mythology. The figure is of golden body, white face, red wings, with the beak and wings similar to eagle’s. It is assumed that the figure is Hindu adaptation of Bennu (means ‘rises’ or ‘shines’) that is associated with the god of the Sun or Re in Old Egypt mythology or Phoenix in Old Greek mythology. Garuda succeeded in saving his mother from the curse of Aruna (Garuda’s handicapped brother) by stealing Tirta Amerta (the sacred water of the gods).

In Vishnu temple, to the north of Shiva temple, you will find only one room with Vishnu statue in it. In Brahma temple, to the south of Shiva temple, you find only room as well with Brahma statue in it.

Its ability to save her mother made many people admire it to the present time and it is used for various purposes. Indonesia uses the bird as the symbol of the country. Other country using the same symbol is Thailand, with the same reason but in diﬀerent form adaptation and appearance. In Thailand, Garuda is known as Krut or Pha Krut.

Quite attractive accompany-

Prambanan also has panels of

relief describing the story of Ramayana. Experts say that the relief is similar to the story of Ramayana that is told orally from generation to generation. Another interesting relief is Kalpataru tree that - in Hindu - the tree is considered tree of life, eternity and environment harmony. In Prambanan, relief of Kalpataru tree is described as flanking a lion. The presence of this tree makes experts consider that Javanese society in the ninth century had wisdom to manage its environment. Tri Hita Karana Just like Garuda, Kalpataru tree is also used for various purposes. In Indonesia, Kalpataru is used as the logo of Indonesian Environment Institution. Some intellectuals in Bali even develop “Tri Hita Karana” concept for environment conservation by seeing Kalpataru relief in this temple. This tree of life is also seen in the gunungan (the puppet used as an opening of traditional puppet show or wayang kulit). This proves that relief panels in Prambanan have been widely known throughout the world.

If you see the relief in detail, you will see many birds on them; they are real birds as we can see on the earth right now. Relief panels of such birds are so natural that biologists can identify their genus. One of them is the relief of the YellowCrest Parrot (Cacatua sulphurea) that cites unanswered question. The reason is that the bird only exists in Masakambing Island, an island in the middle of Java Sea. Then, did the bird exist in Yogyakarta? No body has succeeded in revealing the mystery. You can discover many more things in Prambanan. You can see relief of Wiracarita Ramayana based on oral tradition. If you feel tired of enjoying the relief, you can take a rest in the beautiful garden in the complex. Since 18 September 2006, you can enter zone 1 area of Prambanan temple. The damage caused by the earthquake on 27 May 2006 is being reconstructed. Please come and enjoy Prambanan temple.  BTNewspapers/Text: Yunanto Wiji Utomo

Borobudur: A Wonder of Indonesia History THE MAGNIFICENT Borobudur temple is the world’s biggest Buddhist monument, an ancient site widely considered to be one of the world’s seven wonders. Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Syailendra dynasty, the temple’s design in Gupta architecture reflects India’s influence on the region, yet there are enough indigenous scenes and elements incorporated to make Borobudur uniquely Indonesian. This awe inspiring monument is truly a marvel. After a visit here you will understand why it is Indonesia’s most visited tourist attraction and a famous icon of Indonesia’s cultural heritage.

This monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The ten levels of the temple symbolize the three divisions of the religion’s cosmic system. As visitors begin their journey at the base of the temple, they make their way to the top of the monument through the three levels of Budhist cosmology, KÄmadhÄtu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms) and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness). As visitors walk to the top the monument guides the pilgrims past 1,460 narrative relief panels on the wall and the balustrades.

Located on the island of Java, the temple sits majestically on a hilltop overlooking lush green fields and distant hills. It covers an enormous area, measuring 123 x 123 meters. The monument is a marvel of design, decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The architecture and stonework of this temple has no equal. And it was built without using any kind of cement or mortar! The structure is like a set of massive interlocking Lego blocks held together without any glue. The temple has remained strong even through ten centuries of neglect. It was rediscovered in 1815, buried under volcanic ash. In the 1970’s the Indonesian Government and UNESCO worked together to restore Borobudur to its former majesty The restoration took eight years to complete and today Borobudur is one of Indonesia and the world’s most valuable treasures. The temple is decorated with stone carvings in bas-relief representing images from the life of Buddha. Commentators claim that this is the largest and most complete ensemble of Buddhist reliefs in the world, unsurpassed in artistic merit.

The whole monument itself resembles a giant stupa, but seen from above it forms a mandala. The great stupa at the top of the temple sits 40 meters above the ground. This main dome is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa. Historians suggest that the name of Borobudur comes from the Sanskrit ‘Vihara Buddha Uhr’ or the ‘Buddhist monastery on the hill’.  BTNewspaper/www.indonesia.travel

No. 12, July 11 - 24, 2011

Orphanage Visit Grand Istana Rama Hotel—To support the implementation of Tri Hita Karana (THK) concept, particularly in the field Pawongan (harmonious relations among human beings), Grand Istana Rama Hotel Kuta paid a visit to several orphanages. The visit made on Thursday (Jun 23) was directed to two locations, namely the Wisma Anak-Anak Harapan Orphanage on Jalan Anom 2, Untal-Untal Hamlet, Dalung (Badung), and Sidhi Astu Orphanage on Jalan Serma Kawi 7, Denpasar. Employee representatives of Grand Istana Rama Hotel consisted of the Human Resource Manager, Executive Chef and Executive Housekeeper. On that occasion, the entourage handed over some 100 packages of donation comprising linens (bedsheets), food (for 90 persons) and usable clothing. Strategic Location This four-star Hotel Grand Istana Rama has a very strategic location on magnificent Kuta Beach as the best surfing playground in the world. In addition, it also oﬀers convenience and relaxation. Around the location of this hotel, there are hundreds of souvenir shops in Kuta Square and entertainment venues on Jalan Legian for tourists who love music. Grand Istana Rama Hotel with 149 rooms has just accomplished a renovation to some of its cottages. Standing on an area of 1.7 hectares, the hotel is equipped with superb lush tropical garden. All rooms and spaces have exterior reflecting distinctive charm and appeal of Bali, while the international shops of Kuta Square and the vibrant nightlife on Jalan Legian can be reached only in a few minutes’ walk. Aside from strategic location, the hotel a l s o p re p a re s some attractive Balinese cultural events, such as free cooking classes with Balinese menus. This class begins by visiting a traditional market to purchase some ingredients. When returning to hotel, it is resumed with mixing the ingredients under guidance of a professional cook. Ultimately, participants will enjoy the food with a presentation reflecting the uniqueness of Balinese culture. Another favorite activity is learning the local language and culture. There is a simple Indonesian Language class taught by professional staﬀ of the hotel. After attending the class of Indonesia Language, participants are expected to be able to negotiate directly with the art market traders if they want to buy souvenirs. If they want to refuse not to shop, they can do it politely, especially against street vendors who are often annoying and disturbing the comfort of guests. No less interesting attraction is coconut climbing that can also draw the attention of guests staying in the hotel. It demonstrates to visitors how local people make use of coconuts into coconut milk and produce oil. Then, the shell is used as charcoal for grilling meat or fish as well as heating substance in traditional ironing.  BTNewspapers/Marcomm

W-Retreat Seminyak— Gathering of the Indonesian Food and Beverages Executive Club (IFBEC) for June 2011 was just organized in W-Retreat Seminyak, Bali. The event held on Friday (Jun 24) was a regular event of the food and beverage organization. Aside from introducing several new members of IFBEC, the event was also a rendezvous of togetherness among the members. Interestingly, the event held in W-Retreat was also jazzed up by the appearance of sexy dancers and cabaret show performed by several dancers. Next event of IFBEC would be held at Aston Tanjung Benoa, so ... get ready guys!  BTNewspapers/Photo by Krisna

The Patra Bali Resort & Villas—One of the concrete implementations of Tri Hita Karana (THK) concept in parahyangan aspect held by The Patra Bali Resort & Villas was a joint circumcision activity in cooperation with Muslim employees. It took place on Sunday (Jun 26) in Nurul Iman Mosque located within the local hotel. Participants of the circumcisions on that occasion were from the family of employees and communities that register on the spot. They amounted to 26 children aged 4.5 years - 14 years. Uniquely, the circumcision was also followed by some non-Muslim children because circumcision was adequately important for the health as it could maintain the cleanliness of penis, while for Muslims circumcision was obligatory.  BTNewspaper/Photo by: Krisna

Mercure Resort Sanur Proudly Introduce Angelie The Cow MERCURE Resort Sanur is pleased to introduce our new mascot, Angelie the cow. This lovely mascot is the representation of our “pet” a Balinese cow named Angelie. She assists our gardener to clean the beach every day. The gardener’s assistant has grown to become our guest’s sweet heart. The idea behind the launch of Angelie the cow as our hotel’s mascot is to provide a memorable souvenir for our loyal guests, as well as to share the unique story of Angelie’s role in maintaining the cleanliness of our beach. An eﬀort to preserve the natural, traditional practice of involving original Balinese cow, which is in line with the concept of our environment-friendly resort.  BTNewspaper/PR

BALI DISTRIBUTOR: PT. DELTA SATRIA DEWATA Jl. Imam Bonjol 226 A - Denpasar Email : marketingdenpasar@aio.co.id.

No. 12, July 11 - 24, 2011

‘Galungan’ and ‘Kuningan’ Day:

GALUNGAN Day is celebrated every “Budha” (Wednesday) Kliwon Dungulan. Galungan Day has a meaning “Pawedalan Jagat” or the earth’s celebration. On this day the Balinese Hindus thank to the God for the creation of the earth and its content. On this day, they feel grateful for His blessings.

God Mahadewa to go to Jambu Dwipa (India) and ask for help.

attack Citrasena and Citragada led the platoon in the right wing.

It is not clear about who was finally sent to India, and how was it until a platoon of troops from heaven came to attack Mayadenawa. It was said that the God Indra led the troops from heaven, with complete weapons to Bali. In that

Sang Jayantaka led the left wing, whereas Gandarwa led the main platoon. Bhagawan Narada was sent to investigate Mayadenawa’s palace. Mayadenawa has known the attack from the troop of Bhatara Indra, because he had many spies.

The Myths of Galungan Day Once upon a time, there was a powerful King called Mayadenawa. Mayadenawa was a descendant of daitya (powerful giant), the son of Dewi Danu. Because of his power he can transformed himself into many kinds of creatures and forms. This King ruled the area of Makasar, Sumbawa, Bugis, Lombok, and Blambangan. Because of his great power, Mayadenawa became snobbish and cruel. In this period a priest with divine power, called Mpu Kulputih. Mayadenawa did not allow the Balinese to worship the God, and he destroyed all the temples. Because of this the people of Bali became desperate, the plants were destroyed, plaque was everywhere. The people did not dare to fight back or argue the order of Mayadenawa because of his magical power. Mpu Kulputih was so sad to see this condition. Then he meditated at Pura Besakih to ask for the God’s guidance to handle the chaos of Bali society caused by the King’s behavior. Then he got guidance from the

Therefore, he prepared his troop to face the attack from the troops of heaven. A war cannot be avoided, a dreadful war that caused many victims from the both sides. But, because the troop of Bhatara indra was stronger, finally Mayadenawa’s troops fled and left the King and his assistance, who is called Si Kala Wong. Good luck was with Mayadenawa and his assistance because the war had to be stopped, because the night has come. At night, when the troops from heaven were still asleep, Mayadenawa came and created water with poison in it near the beds of the troops from heaven. Then, he left that place, and in order not left any trail, he walked with the sides of his feet. That place later is called Tampak Siring. The next day the troop from heaven woke up from their sleep and drank the water that has been created by May-

adenawa. All of the members of the troops became sick. Bhatara Indra found out about this, then he created another source of water called ‘Tirta Empul’. Because of this source of water, the sick troops became well. The flow of the water from Tirta Empul became a river called Tukad Pakerisan. Bhatara Indra and his troop chased Mayadenawa who had run away with his assistance. In his flight Mayadenawa transformed himself into ‘manuk raya’ (a big bird). This place later is known as Manukaya village. Mayadenawa could not trick the powerful Bhatara Indra. Mayadenawa transformed himself several times into ‘buah timbul’, ‘busung’, ‘susuh’, ‘bidadari’ and finally turned himself into a stone called Si Kala Wong. Bhatara Indra shoots it with an arrow till he died. His blood kept on flowing and became a river called Petanu. This river is cursed. If it used to water the rice field, the rice paddies would grow rapidly, but when harvested blood would came out of it and smell bad. This curse will end in 1000 years. The village where Mayadenawa transformed himself into ‘timbul’ fruit, later is known as Timbul village, the place where he transformed

into ‘busung’ (young coconut leaf) is called Blusung village, the place where he transformed himself into susuh is called Penyusuhan village, and the place where he transformed into a fairy, later is called Kedewatan village (Ubud). The death of the King Mayadenawa is the victory of the good (dharma) upon evil (adharma). This victory day is celebrated every six months (6x35 days=210 days), which is called Galungan Day. It is called Galungan. Penjor Penjor is the symbol of Mount Agung and also the symbol of the presence of the God. It is made from a long bamboo pole with its curved end, and decorated with rice paddies, corn on the cob, coconut, cakes, a piece of white or yellow cloth, etc. This as a sign for reminding the human that everything we enjoy in this world is from the God. Penjor is usually made on Penampahan Galungan (a day before the Galungan Day). It is the symbol of Mount Agung, and also as gratitude for the agricultural produce. Mount Agung is the symbol of holiness as a connection to Mount Semeru, Mount Himalaya, or Mahameru, which is believed as the place where Bhatara Putra Jaya stays.  BTNewspaper/Int.

Bali Clean and Green Stakeholder: Networking for Solutions Forum THE GOVERNMENT of Bali is well aware of the issues highlighted by the Time article few months back and has published the ‘Bali Green Province Roadmap’ (February 2011) to outline some of the actions that must be taken and to call for the participation of all components of society to make Bali “Clean and Green”. In line with that, the needs of thorough discussion regarding waste issue in Bali it feels more necessary. Governor, Regent/Mayor and stakeholders in Bali hoped could sit together and unite their commitment to solve the waste issue that keeps increasing in Bali. This conclusion comes in a group discussion focused on waste issue in Bali involved several parties taken place in Denpasar a few months back.

On Friday during the oﬃcial O F id (1 JJuly) l )d i th ﬃ i l opening i delivered by Minister of Environment- Prof DR Ir Gusti Muhammad Hatta, waste and environment issue should not viewed as an easy problem since it will give direct impact for people is health,” said Pak Gusti. He further spoke of the importance of engaging Academic, Business and Government or “ABG” to achieve the vision “Bali Clean and Green”.

In a discussion held by Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Daerah Bali – Division of Regional Development Planning – emphasizes the importance of leaders in Bali have the same fighting spirit and stand under the same flag to deal with waste issue that is increasingly crucial. “Do not viewing Bali Program for ‘green province’ and waste management merely as a provincial issue but we need to look at it as our mutual issue. Of all regencies in Bali,” said I Made Mangku Pastika – Governor of Bali. In response to this call, a group of passionately committed people have joined forces to launch a movement to support this essential goal. To this end, the Bali Clean and Green MultiStakeholder Group have been formed, consisting of key NGO, community, and industry in actors, and supported by the Head of the ac Bali Environment Agency (BLH), A.A.G.A B Sastrawan. Sa The Governor added, to build awareness in the community on waste mann aagement, it is needed a forceful eﬀort. TThrough this process it is expected in a long term that everybody will be encourlo aged to participate in the law enforcea ment to make sure everybody can do it, m then make it as a habit and finally become t a culture. In the end of the day everybody is i entitled on reward and punishment as the process moves on. pro He further said that many of such forums have been in place for quite some time. But the challenge would be in term of implementation. It is time now to move on, enough of talking. It is time for SUMO: Shut Up and Move On….. The Bali Clean and Green Multi-Stakeholder Networking for Solution Forum initiated by CocaCola Amatil Indonesia (CCAI) and Quiksilver (QS)

is the first in a series of events aimed to bring all stakeholders together to collectively create practical solutions to the challenges that aﬀect us all, starting with waste management. The forum is a one-day networking for leading government, NGO, Community and Industry stakeholders to align their resources to support optimal solutions to the solid waste management issues identified in the Bali Green Province Roadmap. The purpose of the event is to facilitate a balanced and fully representative cross-section of stakeholders networking, information exchange, resource sharing and brainstorming collaborative actions plans among all participants. It is intended that by combining resources, participants can contribute more optimally towards delivery and tackle challenges. The forum created for group discussion consists of Waste Collection, Waste Processing, Waste Disposal and Eﬀorts to Activate Corporate Social Responsibility Program in Corporation. From the

above group discussion the forum concluded: 1. Put the priorities based on issue categories 2. Solutions from the identified issues. 3. Tools identified to reach the goals. 4. The importance of media involvement as the key success in Bali Clean and Green. The new links established among NGO,s Government, Community and Industry so they can better understand each other ‘s ways of seeing ,operating and identify new ways to collaborate said Paul Hutson – CEO Quiksilver Indonesia. Initiation of a set of actionable next steps as well as medium and long term action plans to collectively support the implementation of the Bali Green Province Roadmap supported by interactive wiki as a tool to monitor the KPI of key actors/ resources, monitoring tools and reports to support ongoing networking in the future is crucial added Peter Kelly – CEO CocaCola Amatil Indonesia at the end of the forum.  BTNewspaper/PR

No. 12, July 11 - 24, 2011

Sukunan Environmental Tourism Village:

Offer an Environmental Education-Based Tour Package Come on residents of Sukunan Let’s keep the environment clean Do not forget to separate Plastic waste, paper, glass and metal We have to maintain our health, Do not carelessly dispose any garbage, Do not burn any rubbish, Let’s collect rubbish together Sukunan Village is clean and convenient. (March Song of BLOSSOMING SUKUNAN by Iswanto Family)

FABULOUS! It was spontaneously spoken when Bali Travel Newspaper paid a visit to Sukunan Village known as Sukunan Environmental Tourism Village. Of course, Sukunan located 5 km from the west of Yogyakarta Monument is one of the areas in Yogyakarta paying great attention to environment.

2004 is a pride for Yogyakarta in general and Sukunan Village in particular. Before known as an Environmental Tourism Village, Sukunan was originally an ordinary small village where a sense of togetherness was still very strong. The original situation in the city, garbages were strewn every erywhere. Though garbage had been co collected, it was ultimately burned, pla planted, or carelessly discarded into the gutter nearby. If left constantly, it would certainly damage the enviro ronment. In responding to the concerns, Is Iswanto as a pioneer of the enviro ronmental care at Sukunan Village w was finally trying to process the w waste into something that could b be reused so as not to damage the environment.

The March song of Sukunan (above) is one of the pieces of evidence that Sukunan continuously strives to awaken people about the importance of environmental preservation. Sukunan is located downtown of this city of students also becoming one of the pioneers for the establishment of organizations concerned about environment in Yogyakarta. A first winner achieved in the National Recycling Creation Competition in

Iswanto:

Armed with fervent spirit and hig high sense of togetherness, Iswanto accompanied by his wife, Endah Iswanto and family along with other communities of Sukunan attempted to socialize the ideas. Although it should rise and fall, eventually they were able to touch people’s heart of Sukunan to jointly process the eco-friendly waste management. For example, it was processed into compost, craft items or building materials. As a result, Sukunan Village now

manages to become one of the villages showing oﬀ great attention to the environment, and the system is known as independent, productive and eco-friendly waste management system. Independent is how Sukunan Village could manage it without the involvement of government. Productive is to see waste as a resource, so that it can generate revenue for individuals or for Sukunan Village. Meanwhile, eco-friendly means not to manage the rubbish for sanitation only, but how to manage rubbish in eco-friendly management. Tour Packages It is terribly interesting, isn’t it? Why wait any longer, if you want to make a visit to Sukunan Village to see in person how the people of Sukunan process their waste in eco-friendly method, you can take some travel packages on oﬀer. For waste management, Sukunan Village has provided some training

Open Mindset and Heart of Society

STRUGGLE of Iswanto to articulate the movement of care for environment is not easy. However, due to help of his wife, children and residents of Sukunan Village and all parties that care for environmental sustainability, he finally could deliver the Sukunan Environmental Tourism Kampong to be the most visited by tourists and important guests from various agencies and schools.

packages and visit package. For training package, the price is set at IDR 300,000 - IDR 500.000 per package where each package consists of 20 participants. Meanwhile, visit package is sold at IDR 200,000 for 25 people, where every increase of 25 persons is charged additional rate at IDR 100,000. If you are satisfied to see and learn how to manage waste, you can choose other packages provided by Sukunan Village. Among others, you can choose the art package, farming package, ranch package, outbound and so forth. Then, if you want to stay, people of Sukunan is glad to oﬀer their homes as accommodation at IDR 50,000/room/night. According to Endah Suharti, tourists visiting Sukunan Village were not only the locals but also foreign tourists. The average number of visitors per month has reached about 500. “Generally speaking, they are satisfied to visit Sukunan, even some of them spending a night,” said the mother of two children while smiling. For tourists, they generally came from America, Europe, Australia, Africa and so forth. In the meantime, domestic tourists came from all corners of Indonesia.

Various extensions and training programs had been undertaken to achieve the blossoming Sukunan, as well as counseling with seminars, games, songs as well as training for housewives, youth and children. “It poses an endless hard work of Sukunan people who consciously know that preserving environment is truly important,” said the father who is a lecturer of Environmental Health at the Health Polytechnic of Yogyakarta.

Waste Management Procedures

The graduate of master education at Faculty of Medicine, Gadjah Mada University, added that Sukunan could be an inspiration for people of Indonesia who were interested in the eco-friendly waste management. If interested to learn more deeply, Sukunan Village had provided with education and training, ranging from design and construction of the waste management system, environmental education for children, recycling paper and plastic waste, recycling of styrofoam, as well as the making of compost, liquid fertilizer and inoculant or starter.

When full, people take and put the waste into a drum according to their type previously prepared at some points at Sukunan Village. The task of each household has ended until this stage and then the oﬃcer takes the trash in the drum pursuant to their type to be further brought to village provisional landfill (TPS). At this TPS, the waste is packaged and sold, while proceeds of the sale are used to cover the operational costs, while the remaining is saved into the cash of the village.

Husband of Endah Suharti is tireless in serving the public wishing to know more about –eco-friendly waste

Procedure of managing nonorganic waste at Sukunan Village is started from the household, where the waste has to be separated according to their type such as plastic, paper, metal and glass into their own container.

management system. As a result, Sukunan Village has received several awards in provincial level to national level, such as the first winner of National Recycling Program 2004, Clean and Green Yogyakarta Province organized by Unilever in cooperation with the Special Yogyakarta Province, first winner of Sleman Tourism Village and some others. Iswanto hoped that Sukunan Village would be able to open the mindset and heart of community to jointly preserve the environment, especially in the matter of domestic waste.  BTNewspaper/Titah

Meanwhile, management of organic waste like remnants of food, vegetables, side dishes and rice is managed by each household with a barrel or composter. Then, courtyard waste can be composted in a composting tub. Well, if the waste in the barrel and composting tub had turned to compost, it can be harvested, packaged and sold. Handicraft items Similarly, handicrafts made from recycled plastic and styrofoam, such as plastic sachets of drinks, snacks and refills are the main materials of recycled craft units collected from the public, stalls, shops or cafes. In fact, the plastics that we often dispose can be transformed into useful goods after processed by Sukunan-style creations, such as handbag, wallet, hat, newspapers stands, maps and so forth. Meanwhile, recycled products of styrofoam or white cork can be used to produce bricks and pots. Iswanto said that existence of Sukunan Village had become a pioneer in eco-friendly waste management. As sweet fruits of his endless eﬀorts, he could have established many networks scattered in various regions throughout Indonesia. In Yogyakarta itself, there are Merti Bumi Lestari, Jaripolah, Amor and others. Here, Sukunan had inspired the members from throughout Indonesia and they can process the results of their own creation in accordance with their regional background. “In principle, they are the same as Sukunan, namely there are waste sorting, processing and selling,” said Iswanto. Ultimately, Iswanto hoped the presence of independent waste management actions could inspire government to immediately follow it up into a regional law in keeping with the independent waste management system. On that account, the burden of government in managing the waste could be alleviated because people had managed it independently. “In this regard, the rules should be decisive where there should be a reward and punishment,” he said.  BTNewspapers/Titah

No. 12, July 11 - 24, 2011

VII

Consistent with Tri Hita Karana Concept THE HOTEL incorporated in the Starwood Hotel Management is strategically situated in the area of BTDC tourist resort, Nusa Dua. “We have joined in the Tri Hita Karana Awards & Accreditation program two times,” said Nyoman Sugiarta, THK team of the hotel.

This belief has positively encouraged the observance of Hindu employees. For example, they routinely perform daily prayers and so do devotees of other religions. Management gives freedom and even facilitates all religious activities in the hotel environment.

When Bali Travel Newspapers met the THK team of St.Regis on Monday (Jun 20), Nyoman Sugiarta distinctly explained about the three aspects of THK that had been implemented in the hotel with an area of 10 hectares. For example, Green Program as implementation of Palemahan concept (harmonious relations to nature) was discernible that every building (bungalow) had a beautifully landscaped private garden. Even, with a total of 123 rooms, this hotel remained to leave a lot of green open spaces.

Spiritually, the hotel area of St. Regis is adjacent to the area of Dalem Penataran Temple at Sawangan and several temples existing before the establishment of the hotel. Therefore, in the field of Parahyangan becoming one of the THK components as embodiment of harmonious relations to God

Then, Pawongan (harmonious relations to fellow humans) as one of the most important aspects in THK implementation is manifested in the form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. One of them is realized by the Starwood Hotels & Resort Management in what the so-called Starwood Care Program. “We always make synergy so as to achieve good results, and we will continue to enhance it in years to come,” said Nyoman. Apparent manifestation of CSR conducted by St. Regis is to provide a variety of contributions on the hotel anniversary. The largest value is contribution extended to the interests of surrounding communities, such as in the form of donation to Sawangan Hamlet, Nusa Dua.

“With so many green open spaces, of course the convenience of tourists staying in hotel will be guaranteed,” he said while adding the hotel was gradually making some improvement to join the Earth Check program which also became a benchmark against the implementation of THK in the Palemahan aspect. “We always pay a great attention to environment, not only the natural environment, but also spiritual environment. It is inspired and driven by the fact there are many locations in hotel area sanctified by the local community,” said Nyoman.

damaged buildings d o of the Orphanage,” h he said.

invisible realm called matur piuning ceremony.

plays an important role in the hotel management. In terms of invisible realm (niskala), the area of St. Regis belongs to a sacred one, so if people want to organize religious ceremonies, they always ask for permission to

Meanwhile, management pays a serious attention to the welfare of employees, especially to any activities undertaken by employees. Donation is given to employees who are getting married, or when they are in condolence. Such a concern has become a maximum concern in appropriate with the capabilities of management. “By doing so, our sense of togetherness among the employees of St. Regis progressively increases, so that their performance is getting more optimal,” said Nyoman.

Other social care is contribution delivered to SDN 4 Benoa primary school. Management gives a sizable portion to the sector of education and also to some orphanages in Denpasar, Badung, and Singaraja. “We provide some units of computer and carry out renovation to some

With so many TTHK activities at The St. S Regis Bali Resort, it i is not mistaken if the t hotel won Gold M Medal in the THK A Awards & Accreditation 2010 held by Foundation of Tri Hita Karana Bali. If this year the hotel can preserve gold medal, then Emerald Awards as a form of Green Hotel reward will be certainly achieved by St. Regis. Hopefully!  BTNewspaper/Krisna

Nyoman Sugiarta:

Tri Hita Karana Will Make Bali More Harmonious NYOMAN SUGIARTA, familiarly called by Nyoman, is Director of Housekeeping of The St. Regis Bali Resort. This Tri Hita Karana (THK) team leader of St. Regis admitted that THK had run synergistically and consistently. The ever improved THK program was the corporate social responsibility (CSR) aside from other programs. Furthermore, Nyoman revealed that management of Starwood Hotels and Resorts had a program called Four Cares, namely Guest Care, Employee Care, Business Care and Community Care. On that account, the Four Cares program was in line with THK values . All of them were then adopted in the implementation of Tri Hita Karana concept in St.Regis. “Everything we do is to keep the values of our Balinese tradition and we synergize them with what we can do,” said the man who is always smiling. According to Nyoman, his party continued to be grateful for what had been programed and successfully implemented. Participation in the THK Awards program organized by the Foundation of Tri Hita Karana Bali was one of the attempts to prove what had been programed could work and given many benefits to the community, including the owner and management. Nyoman hoped that THK Awards as the only one program organized by THK Bali Foundation would aﬀect the Balinese. Thus, Bali would be more harmonious in the future. “Let us start from Bali for a better future with Tri Hita Karana,” said Nyoman.  BTNewspapers/Krisna

VIII

No. 12, July 11 - 24, 2011

Australian Woman First Across the Finish Line THREE times charmed, after winning in Bali in 2009 and 2010, Australian Michelle Mitchell was the first athlete across the finish line at the 5th BIZNET Bali International Triathlon on Sunday, June 26, 2011. Her third consecutive victory, Mitchell trimmed 2 minutes oﬀ the “Bali Best” time crossing the finish line in cro 2:27:03 after swimming 2:2 1.5 kilometers in Bali’s Jimbaran Bay, cycling Jim 42.5 42 km through South Bali Ba and the Ungasan Peninsula, and runPe ning 10 km through ni the th village streets of Jimbaran. Ji Pledging to return to Bali in 2012, t Mitchell said local trafM fic fi conditions and Michelle Mitchell the t hills on the bike course made the Olympic distance event Olym especially challenging. Mitchell, who has only competed in triathlon events for three years, has also won amateur titles in Singapore and the Philippines in Ironman events. Second place in the woman’s division went to Michelle Boyes timing 2:40:30 followed by

Kate Emily Robertson, also of Australia with a time of 2:56:49. Leading the men in the Olympic distance competition was David Boyes, Michelle’s husband, who finished 4 minutes after his wife with a time of 2:31:07 to lead the men’s Olympic category. Close on Boye’s heels across the finish h was David Edwards at 2:31:53. The top individual Indonesian men’s finisherr in the Olympic Distance event was Kadri Regar with a time of 2:38. Meanwhile the top Indonesian finisher crossed the finish line at 3:39:16.

Rounding out the day was a 5 km fun run which saw several hundred runners sweep through the village of Jimbaran. The race started shortly after 7 a.m. with the vice-regent of Badung, I Ketut Sudikerta, oﬃcially starting the runners into the surf. As racers covered the various courses, a morning party at tthe beach in Jimbaran took place at

Sprint Distance

The Women running the sprint distance were led by Rachael Gaundry at 1:20:04, followed Englishwoman Ketaurah Hughes at 1:33:18 and Indonesian Caroline Lafeac in third at 1:34:06.

DISCOVERY Kartika Plaza Hotel – Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel is honoured to announce their 5th championship title at this year’s Biznet Bali International Triathlon 2011 which returned to Jimbaran Bay, Bali on the 26th of June 2011. The corporate relay team were the champions in their division, meanwhile in the 5K Run category, Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel won the runner up position.

Welcome to the North-West of Bali Welcome to Matahari Beach Resort & Spa Hidden in an almost unknown part of Bali, our hotel is a perfect place for those seeking a relaxing holiday. Magnus and Parwathi Bauch created together with their team a hotel which echoes a traditional Balinese village.

SUPPLIER ADDRESS : Jl. Danau Tamblingan No. 216, Sanur Denpasar 80228, Bali - Indonesia Phone. +62 (361) 281745 Fax. +62 (361)289549 E-mail : widiani_bali@yahoo.com

Jl. Raya Seririt - Gilimanuk, Ds. Pemuteran, Kec. Gerokgak, Kab. Buleleng - 81155 BALI - INDONESIA, Tel (++ 62) 362 92 312 / 93 435, Fax (++ 62) 362 92 313

The location of the finish line, the Coconut Grove also played host to live music and entertainment throughout the morning with local vendors oﬀering food and drink, merchandise and free massages from Jari Menari.  BTNewspaper/BaliSportsMag/stiﬀchilli.com

Becomes the Champion

Kadri Regar was the top Indonesian men’s finisher in the Olympic-distance race, completing the swim in 32:49, the bike ride in 1:17:13 and the run in 47:58. The top Indonesian women’s finisher had an overall time of 3:39:16. The Sprint Distance event, covering distances roughly half that of the Olympic Category, saw Michael Turnball from the United Kingdom log a time of 1:16:38 followed by German Roman Floesser at 1:18:15. Third place went to Indonesian Mashuri with a time of 1:19:15

the Coconut Grove in front of the Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay.

Similar to the previous year’s event, the race started at the beach area in front of the Four Seasons Resort, Jimbaran Bay, Bali. The starting signal sounded at 7 am setting oﬀ a large number of contestants on a 1.5 km swim through Jimbaran Bay. Others then took over and continued on the bicycle leg of the race on a 42 km ride. The third member competed on a 10 km run through the villages of Jimbaran with the finish line on the beach of the Four Seasons Resort Jimbaran Bay. For this year’s race, Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel and Villas successfully won 2 medals in 2 diﬀerent categories. The corporate relay team of I Wayan Sudarta (swimmer), Dion Efendi (biker) and Samgar Kamlasi (runner) won the 1st place and Jibrael Taebenu grabbed 2nd place in the 5 km ‘fun run’.  BTNewspaper/PR