RELIGION
Some
of the TOP Hotels in Bali
Bali's
most famous and crowded resort is Kuta beach, a six-kilometre
sweep of golden sand, with plenty of accommodation,
shops and nightlife. Nearby Sanur is much quieter, but
most backpackers prefer the beaches of peaceful east-coast
Candi Dasa and traveller-oriented Lovina on the north
coast. The island's other major destination is the cultural
centre of Ubud , a still charming but undeniably commercialized
overgrown village, where traditional dances are staged
every night of the week and the streets are full of
arts-and-crafts galleries.
Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa : The Nusa Dua
Beach Hotel & Spa is a luxury property strategically
located only 15 kilometers away from the... Nusa Dua
Aston Bali Resort & Spa : The Aston
Bali Resort and Spa is a luxury hotel located on the
waterfront facing golden sandy beaches... Tanjung Benoa
Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel : Sanur
Paradise Plaza Hotel is situated in the coastal village
of Sanur, an ideal location from which to explore...
Sanur
Sanur Paradise Plaza Suites : The Sanur
Paradise Plaza Suites is located in Sanur Village just
two kilometers from the Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel....Grand
Bali Beach Hotel also is a nice hotel in Sanur.
Swiss Belhotel Bali Aga : The Swiss
Belhotel Bali Aga is a deluxe property strategically
located only 20 kilometers northeast from the Ngurah
Rai... Nusa Dua
Grand Hyatt Bali Hotels located in
Nusa Dua and The Oberoi Bali located
in Seminyak, Maya Ubud located in Ubud,
The Alilia Ubud, Chedi, Hard
Rock Hotel Bali located in Kuta beach, Melia
Bali located in Nusa Dua and Padma
Bali located in Kuta
Bataks
are basically animists with a veneer of education and
Christianity covering very complex and sophisticated
beliefs. The local pastor is likely to play the drums
in a 2-day ritual to keep away Christian-type devils.
Their religions are roughly divided: the northern groups
are animists, the central groups are Christians (around
Lake Toba), while those of the south are mostly Muslims
(the Mandailing group is the strongest Muslim). The
Bataks today are the largest Protestant group in the
east. Out of 3 million, about 2 million are Christian.
They were first converted by a fearless German missionary,
Nommensen, who arrived in 1861 with only a bible and
a violin. Nommensen delivered the death sentence on
the old religion when he persuaded the Dutch East Indies
government to prohibit the collective sacrificial celebrations
(bius) and the playing of Batak musical instruments,
wiping out at one blow their whole 'pagan' world. Today,
regardless of their nbminal faith, half the population
still believes in spirits of dead ancestors, sacred
trees, stones and places (parsinumbuhan), and in a Hindu-like
panthenon of higher deities (begu). Since decisions
must be inspired and sanctioned by ancestors, elders
still sit on ancestral stone chairs for communal meetings.
Bataks have an elaborate mythology and cosmology. Tondi
(soul stuff) determines contentment, temporal wealth
and power; at death it departs to dwell in another organism.
Male priests and wizards (datu), skilled in sorcery
and in the use of natural poisons, are also specialists
in occult knowledge and divination, using Hindu zodiac
and magical tables. Spirits of the dead are contacted
through female mediums (sibaso) If you're lucky, you'll
see a funeral. Christian Batak funerals have brass bands'
events: There are a rich variety of male-oriented ceremonies,
feasts, rituals. Even-numbers are traditionally considered
ill-omened and even dangerous, so no feasts or celebrations
are ever held on these days of the month. Odd numbers
are more auspicious, especially the number 7 which is
the number of all the Batak tribes.
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