Abstract:
Bali has a unique cultural heritage. This cultural heritage has long been under threat from all sides, at least since the invasion of the Majapahit kings of east Java in about the fifteenth century. Dutch colonization early in the twentieth century was followed by the crucial influence of expatriate Europeans, who not only in imported Western ideas and artistic styles but also in encouraged the preservation and maintenance of indigenous arts. Also important was the introduction of modern technologies and materials, along with the beginnings of tourism. The Indonesian state was formed in 1949 and there was a strong emphasis on national as against local identity in the following decades. Annual tourism tops 2.5 million and exerts a major influence on this small island of less than 4 million inhabitants. Meanwhile, the Balinese's own thirst for cultural innovation is a constant driver of change in the arts. In this paper, after briefly reviewing pre-twentieth-century history, I discuss how the Balinese have negotiated the various pressures challenging the preservation of their artistic culture.