A young Bali Aga girl stands amongst colorful weavings
The Bali Aga are known as the original Balinese people and predate Hinduism in Bali. They are a unique ethnic group that lived on the island of Bali before modern civilization. These original inhabitants of Bali fled imperialistic invaders, eventually finding refuge in the solitude of Bali's remote mountains. Today, only two villages remain, which until recently, were firmly and purposfully shut off from the rest of the world. The main temple in the village dates back to the 10 century AD (833 Caka) but the village itself is said to be much older than the temple.
Two Bali Aga Pendanda (High Priests) enter the ceremonial grounds with thier sacred Kris (swords)
Located just west of Candi Dasa and Amed lie the villages of Tenganan and Trunyan. The Bali Aga produce fine baskets and weavings and a special double weave ikat, called geringsing. These highly sought after artworks are unique to the small region and not available any where else. A true Aga Ikat can take over 5 years to create and they are primarily used in religious ceremonies.
The Tenganan’s provide a look into early Bali but the society has very strict rules. It can be dangerous for outsiders and is not recommended without an experienced guide. Please contact us directly for assistance when attempting to visit this interesting but possibly dangerous area.
There are only 600 Bali Aga families in Tenganan, and locals are forbidden to marry people from outside of the village. If they do, their family is banished from the village for life.
Young Bali Aga girls look on in thier ceremonial dress as the ceremony is about to begin
A beautiful young Bali Aga girl smiles as she is lead to the ceremonyAlso the Bali Aga culture practices an ancient ritual known as mekare kare, which is a ritual blood sacrifice. Stay tuned for more on this rite and photos from the fighting ceremony.
An elder Bali Aga woman watches intently from her doorwayHappy and safe travels,
Part 2 of this post has been completed and can be viewed HERE
Here is the list I wish I had 20 years ago when I started traveling the world taking photos. After years of leading photography tours to Bali and Indonesia, I have had the pleasure (and sheer frustration) of using a myriad of gear, gadgets, cameras, clothing and more. Here I breakdown those that have made the cut and saved me time after time.
A quick disclaimer. I am in no way affiliated with any of these products. I have searched high and low to find the best, most durable, handiest products I could find at the best value and provided them here for you. I encourage you to use the links provided below for items you are interested in. It is easiest to right click and open in a new window or tab so you still have the window with the blog post open. In the new tab or window you can get more information and pricing. If you like what you see, simply click “Add To Cart”. I greatly appreciate you using the links to purchase directly from the blog as I get a tiny percent to help keep the blog alive. I have selected items at the best prices and all are through Amazon so you can trust the seller. Thank you for supporting us! If you want to browse The Balifornian Store at Amazon please click HERE.
I will not cover cameras and lenses, as that is a whole other blog post (and perhaps tome). I will convey a humorous story I heard the other day from the Morro Bay Photo Group illustrating the importance of the artist behind the camera and not so much the camera itself. At a dinner party a professional photographer was showing his work and the host was so impressed she said, “My, you must have an amazing camera”. His reply, “The food was incredible this evening, you must have a fantastic oven”.
Prior to any trip, I will start a packing list weeks prior. By now my gear is pretty much set, but there are always new challenges with every adventure- new gear to try, or leave behind (or smash into a thousand pieces). I find a great way to keep track of this list is the Evernote app http://www.evernote.com/ It allows you to make lists, capture photos, use voice notes, etc. to remember things and it sync with your iPhone and computer so you have it anywhere you go (even without an internet connection which is crucial in some remote areas we travel to). Had a great bottle of wine? Too drunk to write down the name? No problem, just take a photo of the label with Evernote and it will not only keep it for you but it can use automatic character recognition to transcribe the label text for you to make it searchable. This is great with CD’s, DVDs, even stuff I find on the web and want to remember.
In fact, the iPhone and its millions of apps have replaced many items in my travel bag like an alarm clock, music player, compass, flashlight, etc. Although, I always carry a spare of the last two just in case.
Its small and it can save your precious equipment from irrecoverable destruction via electricity surges which are a common event in many countries. The cleverly designed unit also includes two USB ports so you can change your phone and other gadgets at the same time. This little guy not only comes in handy in other countries but also in that all to familiar airport hunt for an open outlet. I always chuckle when I see travelers huddled on the floor around one of the few open outlets to charge their laptops and phones during a layover. Become the hero and save the day as you can not only always plug in but allow a couple other people to have access as well. It’s $25 but you can buy it here for only $12!
A product I discovered recently and really love is the iStabalizer
Its $30 and is a great mini tripod not only for the iPhone but will fit any camera phone or small camera. I used to use the gorillapod tripod but now it forces you to use its cumbersome iPhone case and is not usable with other gadgets. The best part about it is the flexible strong legs that can wrap around many objects to secure the tripod in many otherwise impossible positions. Wrap it to a fence, sign post, even your rear-view mirror for a great time lapse of your travels. Another cool feature is the mount unscrews ant fits right into your full size tripod when needed. I love to set it up and do a time-lapse as I set up my big boy gear for a more formal shoot. They also manufacture a cool video steady cam for $99 but that might be a bit much for iPhone style video shooting. You can buy the tripod here.
Speaking of time-lapse, if you have not tried it yet, do it right away. Its fun, provides great additional coverage and is so easy to do. There are many apps out there but I like iTime Lapse best. It’s free and has some good options. Here is sample of one I created
Thankfully, these days most electronics will work in most countries. The safe voltage required for my iPhone, Canon battery chargers, Mac Book Pro, etc. is found in most destinations so a bulky, expensive and heavy converter is normally not required as it was many years ago. Now a simple, lightweight and inexpesive adapter is all you need. Simply search the web for the outlet configuration and order the proper adapter. Just be sure you do this before you leave as it is often times very hard to find in country and if you can locate it, it will be 500% more expensive. Most electronics are now universal but check the manufactures web site to be sure.
Pockets, pockets, pockets. I love me some pockets. The leader in ‘modern pocket technology’ as I call them is - www.scottevest.com They offer some great travel pants with tons of storage space and some nifty pockets that even the most skilled pickpocket (or David Blaine) can’t penetrate. They also offer a fleece jacket with zip off sleeves that can accommodate an iPad, water bottle and tons of other gear. It even comes with a lens cleaner shammy. The company sponsors people to do an around the world trip with no luggage, only using the pockets in their products. While that may be a bit extreme, it can offset some of the ridiculous additional costs the airlines shove down our throats for luggage. The downside of course is the more pockets you have, the more places you need to check so work out a system to remember where your stuff is stashed. I commonly carry pens, lens cleaners, model releases, water, etc.
Bali can get hot so I recommend wicking shirts with lots of pockets like those from North Face but you can find great deals on these at the discount stores.
My backpack is a TamracAero Series Speed Pack.Great photographers travel gear by Tamrac It fits my 17 inch MacBook Pro, some gear, a couple lenses (even a 220-400 beast), but the coolest part is the quick access pocket that allows you to get to your camera in seconds without even taking the pack fully off. This allows me to catch shots that I would otherwise have missed. It also features weatherproof zippers so the rain or splashing waves wont get in and ruin your gear. I love it and you can get yours here. Its not fully waterproof so I also carry a rain cover like this one
In the back I always stash some granola bars, a headlamp, carabineers, etc. I use a carabineer to clip my Leatherman multi-tool to the front of my pack, not inside, so I always have it handy for many uses including protection. Obviously you can’t bring it on the plane so remember to always put it in your checked gear so it doesn’t get confiscated or get you locked up in the pokey. Purchase yours HERE
Camera gear and lenses are very expensive and heavy so you may want to look into renting gear specific for the type of adventure you are embarking upon. In some countries you can even rent the cameras, lenses and equipment there so you don't need to lug them back and forth (also saving you some money on those bogus luggage fees).
Of course I also travel with an external hard drive. Lacie makes good rugged drives that are known thier reliability. Here is a link to purchase. I also like Western Digital's drives but they are not as good for traveling. www.wdc.com I also carry a card reader, extra batteries, polarizing filter, etc.
A good final tip is too make your expensive gear look as crappy as you can. Some people are attached to their labels and brands but I don't want to stand out and be a target. I use a sharpie to cover up labels, brand names, etc. I also switch out my Canon neck strap for an aftermarket one. It’s more comfortable too.
I hope these tips and tips are helpful and please share your thoughts below. I would love to hear from you. Do you have any gear you cant live without?
Come join us on one of our Photography tours and learn even more tips, trick and ideas. Please check out some of our tours and we specialize in fully custom tours to see exactly what YOU want.
We have lead teams of documentary filmmakers and amateur and professional photographers from all over the world. We know many secret spots that most people never see and we have special access to help make the trip as unique as possible.
Part 2 of this series has been completed and can be viewed HERE. You can EMAIL me to get on our mailing list to be notified for future updates.
These photos were taken on our Balifornian Eco-Adventure Tour while in heavy traffic in the heart of "The Big Durian", AKA Jakarta. While we do not condone the poor treatment of these inteligent animals, we felt it was important to share these bizarre images. Street peddlers will set up in high traffic areas where cars must slow to a crawl in a city plagued with dense traffic. These poor monkeys dressed in human clothing will perform various acts such as riding small fake motorcycles, play fake instruments or sometimes forced to sit in human-like positions in an attempt to collect money from passing motorists. Occasionally these unfortunate creatures will be bondaged to assmue these unconfortable positions. We wanted to bring this cruel practice to light and share it with you. We obviously encourage passers by not to donate to these inhumane practices.
Photo of the Day ~ Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog
The wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus)(plural wildebeest, wildebeests or wildebai), also called the gnu, is an antelope of the genus Connochaetes. A full grown wildebeest can be 4 ft 2 in (1.27 m) to 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m) at the shoulder and weigh 265–600 lb (120–270 kg). These guys were seen on our Eco-Adventure Tour in Bogor-Jakarta, Java. Bali, Indonesia 2010.
Are you a photographer or just like to take pictures? Contact us to find out about our special tours for photographers. Take a look at the images in the gallery as they are good examples of the types of images you will be able to create on our tours. The tours are led by Michael, a professor of art and photography as well as some very special guest teachers and pro photographers. Contact us at photo@balifornian.com today for more information.
Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog is an eco-tourist business and as such we go out of our way to make sure you and your family is not only safe but travel in an eco-friendly manner. The hotels, meals and activites are choosen specifically for thier safety and eco-friendly reputation. Please ask us how we can make your vacation the very best it can be.
Here is an article from a guest blogger, Matt Phillips
We thank Matt for his informative and important blog post.
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Asbestos in Bali and Indonesia
Most people are at least marginally aware of the dangers of asbestos, a naturally-occurring mineral often used in insulation and fireproofing materials. Though the substance was banned in the United States in 1977 and in many other countries soon after, some less industrialized nations may still be using it in common construction materials. Asbestos is naturally heat resistant, strong, and durable, and thus is used in areas where extreme temperatures are present – such as pipes, ducts, or boilers – as well as in insulation and roofing materials.
Asbestos is so dangerous because its fibers may become lodged in the lining of the lungs, causing a number of health problems including mesothelioma. Symptoms of mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung, may take between 20 and 50 years to manifest, and are often confused with other, more common lung conditions. Because of this, the cancer is rarely diagnosed until its later stages, making it especially deadly.
Sadly, asbestos use has not been outlawed through much of Asia, and Indonesia still imports the raw mineral from Canada, Brazil, and Russia. While groups like the Indonesian Ban Asbestos Network, or Ina-Ban, are hard at work trying to bar the use of asbestos in construction and other materials, the cheapness and effectiveness of the mineral mean that it is still being used.
While a casual traveler may never encounter asbestos at all in Bali, it pays to be aware of the possible danger. Fortunately, asbestos is generally harmless when intact, but when the material containing it is cut, broken, or damaged, the asbestos fibers can become airborne, and this is when they become dangerous. Travelers should steer clear of any construction sites, as these asbestos-containing materials may be sawed, sanded, or otherwise manipulated in a way that will release the fibers.
Call ahead to ask if your hotel or hostel is undergoing any renovation. If this is the case, you may want to choose another place to stay. If possible, stay in newer, recently constructed buildings. If your room appears to have any damaged or fraying insulation materials, ask to be moved. Though short periods of exposure to low levels of asbestos generally do not have long-term consequences, you can never be too careful when it comes to your health. Mesothelioma symptoms are tragic and painful, but nearly always linked to asbestos exposure, and as such are largely avoidable.
;)
Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 11:47AM 
A young Bali Aga girl stands amongst colorful weavings
Two Bali Aga Pendanda (High Priests) enter the ceremonial grounds with thier sacred Kris (swords)
Young Bali Aga girls look on in thier ceremonial dress as the ceremony is about to begin
A beautiful young Bali Aga girl smiles as she is lead to the ceremonyAlso the Bali Aga culture practices an ancient ritual known as mekare kare, which is a ritual blood sacrifice. Stay tuned for more on this rite and photos from the fighting ceremony.
An elder Bali Aga woman watches intently from her doorwayHappy and safe travels,
