Secret Bali

Book excerpt: As Bali changes from a sleepy agriculturally- based island living its culture on a daily basis, to a dynamic tourism-based resort replacing the traditional with modern and Balinese culture with Western lifestyle, I decided that we needed to record as much as possible for the future. Who better to turn to than the exceptionally talented Jill Gocher whose ability to capture life beautifully with her camera is outstanding. The result, in the pages of this book, is Bali away from the tourist track where life continues as it has for centuries. But even this has another side, another aspect: the myths and legends that underlie so much of Balinese culture. For this we turned to immensely talented historian, art critic and art custodian Jean Couteau, who has been regularly writing on aspects of Balinese culture and belief in NOW! Bali. So this marvellous combination of talents came together to create “Secret Bali”, to bring the “seen” and the “unseen” elements of Balinese life together in these pages.