Island of Bali

Front Cover
Tuttle Publishing, May 26, 2015 - Social Science - 480 pages
Island of Bali is now available with a foreword by Professor Adrian Vickers which puts the book into context for a modern audience.

First published in 1937, Island of Bali is still regarded by many as the most authoritative text on Bali and its fascinating people. Included is a wealth of information on the daily life, art, customs and religion of this magical "Island of the Gods." In the author's own words it presents a "bird's-eye view of Balinese life and culture."

Miguel Covarrubias, the author, was a noted painter and caricaturist as well as a student of anthropology. He lived in Bali for a total of three years in the early 1930s, and today his account is as fresh and insightful as it was when it was originally published. Introducing the island with a survey of hits history, geography and social structure, Covarrubias goes on to present a captivating picture of Balinese art, music and drama. Religion, witchcraft, death and cremation are also covered.

Island of Bali will appeal to anyone with interest in this unique island, from general Eat, Pray, Love readers to serious anthropologist alike. Complementing the text are 90 drawings by Covarrubias and countless others by Balinese artists. Also included are 114 half-tone photographs, and five full-color paintings by the author.
 

Contents

1 The Island
1
2 The People
9
3 The Community
33
4 Rice Work and Wealth
59
5 Everyday Life in Bali
74
6 The Family
101
7 Art and the Artist
135
8 The Drama
187
9 Rites and Festival
236
10 Witchcraft
289
11 Death and Cremation
325
PART III
353
12 Modern Bali and the Future
354
ALBUM OF PHOTOGRAPHS
366
Bibliography
437
Index
443

PART II
235

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About the author (2015)

Adrian Vickers (born 1958) is an Australian writer and historian. He received his BA and PhD from the University of Sydney. He holds a personal chair in Southeast Asian Studies and is director of the Asian Studies Program at the University of Sydney. His first book was published in 1986, The Desiring Prince; A Study of the Kidung Malat. He and Julia Martinez are co-authors of The Pearl Frontier: Indonesian Labor and Indigenous Encounters in Australia's Northern Trading Network, the winner of the 2016 Chief Minister's Northern Territory History Book Award. and the winner of the 2016 Queensland Literary Award for History.

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