Pemendakan – June 1
Translating to “welcoming,” Pemendakan is a welcoming
procession for the deities. Festivities are held starting from the
Sakenan temple to Denpasar, to Pura Sakenan in Serangan Island, south of
Denpasar, in the afternoon. There are also temple anniversary
celebrations held on the day at: Pura Datem Pauman Bhujangga in Penatih
village, east of Denpasar; Pura Alas Arum in Batur village, district of
Kintamani, Bangli regency; Pura Batuaji, Ubung Tengah village, west of
Denpasar; Pura Dalem Buleleng, downtown of Singaraja; and Pura Dalem
Jagaraga village, district of Sawan, Buleleng regency. No matter where
you go to get a glimpse of the ceremonies taking place, you can be sure
to be impressed with the usual displays of colorful offerings,
ceremonial clothes, Balinese prayer services, and entrancing gamelan
music Bali is famed for.
June 8 – Ngerebong
One of the most well-known religious ceremonies in the world
– worshippers gather at the royal temple in the Kesiman village, east
of Denpasar, for a day-long communion between the Hindu gods, nature,
and humankind. Starting with rituals to summon Hindu spirits back to
earth, the festivities escalate until they work themselves into a mass
trance. Wearing elaborate costumes to invoke the gods and escape their
bodies, groups of the temple adherents in trance stab
themselves with the “keris” dagger in
their necks and chests, without drawing even a drop of blood. In the
day a cockfight is held for “Tabuh Rah” ritual (blood shedding) to
please underworld spirits during the ceremony. The ceremony is more than
100 years old, and takes place every 210 days – the length of a
traditional Balinese year.
June 11 – July 9 – Bali Arts Festival
Balinese culture is well-known worldwide for its rich arts
& crafts traditions – and for a whole month, the arts scene comes
alive with special showcases at the Bali Arts Festival – or as known
traditionally, Pesta Kesenian Bali. Centered at the Bali Arts Center in
Denpasar, visitors can view daily performance of dance and music along
countless exhibitions featuring both contemporary and traditional shows
of local creativity and talent. A real grassroots affair, the festival
is organized with villages selecting performers to send to regional
selection committees – the chosen carrying on to dazzle festival
attendees with their special shows of the beauty of Balinese cultural
arts.
June 12-13 – Fifa World Cup Brazil
The heat is getting intense around the globe as the biggest
sports event of the year draws near. Known as soccer to some, and
football to others around the world – regardless of what you call it,
few team sports have been able to arouse the masses into such massive
displays of support and competitive spirit than the focus of the World
Cup, this year taking place in Brazil. It’s a showdown of the world’s
best players that’s bound to draw groups of cheering fans everywhere –
and you can be sure that there are plenty of venues around the island
here catering to those supporting their favorite teams. Whether in Kuta,
Seminyak, Sanur, or elsewhere – be on the lookout for the buzz of
“oohs” and “aahs” coming from TV-lined bars and restaurants along the
main tourist strips, and head on in for a Bintang while watching another
special round of sports history in action.
June 21 – Summer/Winter Solstice
It’s that day when one season moves into another… For many,
known as Summer Solstice – the 21st welcomes the warm summer months in
the northern hemisphere; meanwhile, the day welcomes the colder months
of the year, bringing in winter in the south. While Bali may technically
be in the southern hemisphere, fear not the Winter Solstice – for we’re
thankfully close enough to the equator to escape the cold and maintain
our sun & warmth year-round.
June 27 – Younger Next Year Asia Summit
Those into cultivating their health may share in some
special excitement, as some of the greats of the fitness and wellness
world gather at the Pan Pacific Nirwana Bali for he Younger Next Year
Asia Summit. Featuring Chris Crowley, author of the New York Best-Seller
“Younger Next Year,” global celebrity fitness coach and host of The
Biggest Loser – most popular TV show in Australia – Shannan Ponton, and a
host of other wellness heavyweights – attendees of the summit can hear
world-class speakers talking on subjects ranging from future-proofing
your brain to the latest in stem cell therapy alongside exhibition
booths featuring informative and interesting health products and
services for you to discover. A must-attend for anyone taking a keen
interest in the well-being of both themselves and others.
June 21 – Summer/Winter Solstice
It’s that day when one season moves into another… For many,
known as Summer Solstice – the 21st welcomes the warm summer months in
the northern hemisphere; meanwhile, the day welcomes the colder months
of the year, bringing in winter in the south. While Bali may technically
be in the southern hemisphere, fear not the Winter Solstice – for we’re
thankfully close enough to the equator to escape the cold and maintain
our sun & warmth year-round.
