LITERARY LANDSCAPES |
INDRA WUSSOW
GONG LAUT
An arts festival in Singaraja on Bali explores the boundaries between art and activism
T
he Indonesian province of Bali is a spectacular
Indonesia welcomed 13.7 million overseas tourists in
tropical getaway. But to some locals, it has
2017 – up from around 2.2 million in 1990. Around one in
become almost unrecognisable over the last 30
three of those (4.5 million) visited Bali. Its fate as one of the
years. Lavish holiday resorts are continuously
world’s most adored packaged paradises was secured in 1963.
popping up across the island, while, unseen by tourists,
Its beginnings were humble, and only three hotels existed on
the Balinese are having huge problems with rubbish. It
the island at the time. But many more would follow. In 1970,
has many locals wondering if maybe tourism has gone
with the construction of Ngurah Rai International Airport,
too far.
the floodgates were opened. The list of tourist hubs has
82 / Creative Feel / November 2018
