To the privileged millions who have
had the good fortune to visit its exotic shores, and
for millions of others who have been enthralled by
photos, paintings, films, books and performances of
its unique and intricate musical, dance and ritual
culture, the word BALI conjures images of idyllic
palm-lined beaches for bathers, surfers and divers;
cloud-enshrouded volcanic mountains; jaw-droopingly
beautiful panoramas of intricately-layered rice field
terraces; the tantalizing strains of metallic and
wooden gamelan orchestras; a population of gorgeous,
smiling and welcoming people delighted to share their
special island with you; an enormous array of attractions
and accommodations, from tiny back-alley losmen (guesthouses)
to some of the world’s most elegant hotels;
a hedonistic panoply of sumptuous food and drink,
beachside massage, adventure outings, extreme water
sports, and about any other kind of entertainment
you can think (except snow-skiing ;-); a deeply grateful
and religious people who worship daily at thousands
of street-corner Hindu shrines and monumental, ornate
temples, all bedecked in colorful, lavish fruit and
floral offerings of devotion; and a culture steeped
in its own ritual and cultural life perhaps more than
any other place on the planet. This is no mean feat,
considering that Bali is one mere island dot of Hindu
ancestry surrounded by an Indonesian archipelago of
thousands of small and large islands where Islam is
the predominant religion. (Now admit it: was that
the longest single sentence you’ve ever read,
outside of James Joyce?)
Still, even with all the tremendous
advantages above, the characteristic which perhaps
impresses me most about Bali is that it boasts, by
a long shot, the highest proportion in the world of
artisans who make their living from their crafts.
Villages become known for producing a certain type
or style of craft, and the quality and quantity of
handcrafted goods available on the island is simply
staggering to the first-time visitor. But, as the
tragic bombing of October 12, 2002, demonstrated,
even the paradise of Bali is not immune from senseless
terrorist acts which attempt to divide, separate and
engender hatred and destruction in a world where the
vast majority of us are steadfastly devoted to peace,
mutual cultural understanding, creation and love.
The bombing in the heart of Kuta tourist district
naturally stopped the Bali tourism industry in its
tracks, and along with it, the livelihoods of most
of the island’s thousands of gifted artisans.
This circumstance has spawned a vision for myself—a
lover of Balinese people, art and culture—and
my business partner, Ngurah Narendra—a local
expert in the tourism industry—to attempt to
bring at least a small fraction of the work of some
of Bali’s finest artists to you via the Internet,
which no terrorist act can prevent from linking the
world’s peoples through commerce, social and
cultural exchange of information and insight.
We sincerely hope you will enjoy
browsing through the product offerings on our website,
which will increase with time as we grow; so bookmark
us and stop by from time to time. Meet the artisans,
all of whom are Bali-raised and artistically trained.
And if you see something that pleases you, we hope
you’ll inquire further or place an order with
us. Prices have been set by the artists themselves.
We are simply trying to extend their audiences abroad
to customer markets they would otherwise not have
access to. Thank you very much.
