The Real Home of the Boogie Man (photo)

In Southeast Asia the term is commonly used to refer to the ethnic group The Bugis and Buganese pirates, who were (and to some extent, still are) ruthless seafarers from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi (formerly known as Celebes).

Sulawesi is the home of the age old frightening myth of the "boogie man" propagated in the 15th century by the English to promote negative views of their rivals, the Buginese, who battled the marauding English, Dutch and other Europeans who were trying to obtain strategic control of the lucrative spice trade. In colonial times, cloves for example, coveted by dentists for their anesthetic properties, were more expensive than gold. The cloves only grew on the small ‘spice islands' of Sulawesi. This was also home to many other spices that were desirable the world over.

Sulawesi and its incredible funerary practices in Tana Toraja is the subject of an upcoming Balifornian documentary. 

Photo Copyright 2010 Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog ~ Michael Doliveck

Our Adventure Photo Safaris ~ Are you a photographer or just love 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.

Do you have some great images from your Indonesian travels you would like to share? Want to submit your photo for the Balifornian Tour and Travel Blog Photo of the Day?  Please send your JPEG, location and description to photo@balifornian.com  Files must be under 500 kb.

Happy travels! Salamat Jalan!

Michael and Maryam ~

Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog ~ You're best source for news and information on Bali and Indonesia.

Bali's Ecotourism Network

Balifornian Tours works with several organizations to give back to the island, remain sustainable, lower our impact and build environmental and cultural awareness and respect.  Please contact us to learn more and see how we can incorporate this into your own tour.  Most of our tours contain elements of ecotourism and charity.  We encourage you to bring donations of clothing, children's toys, tools, etc to donate to impoverished villages in Bali and throughout Indonesia.  We want your tour to be as rewarding and memorable as possible. Bali Village Ecotourism Network- from ecotourism baliwww.com

Mass tourism, and bombing has struck Bali. This tropical island paradise has changed rapidly. It is not only slowly destroying the environment, but also weathering a down turn in the economy. Since 2002 Village Ecotourism Network (VEN) was launched to respond the situations that happen unexpectedly.  We take part to empower the villages and contribute to below objectives. It is such an honor to work together and in collaboration with Wisnu Foundation, the oldest NGO in Bali that is concerned about Nature and Environment.  Ecotourism is about connecting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel.  This means that those who implement and participate in responsible tourism activities should follow the following ecotourism principles: • Minimize impact.  • Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect.  • Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts.  • Provide direct financial benefits for conservation.  • Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people.  • Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate.   Sustainable travel is:  "Tourism that meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and  enhancing the environment for the future."  So, please help us by taking part in this program. No matter what you contribute, it means a lot to BALI before it is too late.  If you have further questions, please feel free to contact us by using the form below. We will come back to you with prompt reply. Map of Bali Village Ecotourism Network, please click to get more information