BaliisaprovinceinIndonesia thatisrenownedforitsstunning landscapes,vibrantculture,and uniquetraditions.Oneofthese traditionsinvolvesthenamingof children,whichisdone accordingtotheirbirthorder. TheBalinesepeoplehave distinctnamesforeachorder, withthefirst-bornboysbeing namedWayan,Putu,orGede,
andgirlsbeingnamedNiLuh. Second-bornchildrenarenamed Made,Kadek,orNengah,and third-bornsarenamedNyomanor Komang.Fourth-bornchildrenare namedKetut,andthenaming cyclerepeatsitselffor subsequentchildren,withthe additionofthe"Balik"suffix.
However,GovernorWayan Kosterhasexpressedconcern overthefutureofthistradition,as thenationalstandardforfamily planninginIndonesiaistohave onlytwochildren.Kosterbelieves thatifeveryfamilyhasonlytwo children,thentheunique Balinesenames,especially NyomanandKetut,couldgo extinct,andthiswouldcausethe lossofanessentialaspectofthe Balinesetradition.
Kosterhasproposedafamily planningprogramthatwould encourageparentstohavefour childreninsteadofthenational standardoftwo.Byhavingmore
children,Kosterbelievesthat thetraditionofnamingchildren accordingtotheirbirthorder canbepreserved.Thisprogram willalsohelptomaintainthe populationofBali,whichis alreadybelowthenational average.
AccordingtotheNational StatisticsAgency(BPS)data, Bali'sfertilityratewas2.13in 2010,whichisbelowthe nationalaverageof2.41.This ratemeansthatBali's populationisatriskofdeclining, whichcouldleadtoalossofthe Balinesecultureandtraditions. Byencouragingfamiliestohave morechildren,Kosterhopesto preventthisdeclineand preservetheuniquetraditions ofBali.
Kosteralsobelievesthat imposingthenationaltwo-child familyplanningruleinBali wouldbedetrimentaltothe island'spopulation.Balihasa
populationof4.32millionasof 2020,andKosterarguesthatthe island'spopulationisnotthat manytobeginwith,soreducing itfurthercouldbedisastrous.By encouragingparentstohave morechildren,Kosterhopesto balancetheneedforpopulation growthwhilepreservingthe uniqueBalinesecultureand traditions.
Inconclusion,BaliGovernor WayanKoster'sproposedfamily planningprogramaimsto preservethetraditionofnaming childrenaccordingtotheirbirth orderandmaintainthe populationofBali.Theprogram isdesignedtoencourage parentstohavefourchildren insteadofthenationalstandard oftwo,whichwouldhelpto preservetheuniquecultureand traditionsofBali.Theprogram couldalsohelptobalancethe needforpopulationgrowthwhile ensuringthatBali'spopulation remainssustainable.
