Highland Bali Baliaga in Indonesia

The Highland Bali Baliaga have only been reported in Indonesia
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Baliaga are a small people group residing in several remote villages on the island of Bali. They are the original inhabitants of the island and were there long before the 16th century arrival of the people group, we now know as Balinese (who were Javanese Hindus from the Majapahit Kingdom in East Java). The culture, language and religion of the Baliaga differ significantly from that of their Balinese neighbors. Historical evidence shows that there used to be Baliaga villages scattered throughout the island. However, many Baliaga villages have since assimilated into the more dominant Balinese culture, especially those located in less remote parts of the island. There is now a movement among the Baliaga to try to preserve their unique culture and maintain their distinctive identity.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Although they are small in population, the Baliaga maintain a strong sense of cultural identity and still practice unique rituals found nowhere else. For example, there are many burial rituals among the Baliaga. In the village of Trunyan, the inhabitants do not bury their dead underground, but instead put the bodies in bamboo cages and place them under a massive sacred banyan tree located within the village. The fact that there is no stench from the decaying bodies is attributed to the power of ancestral spirits. In another Baliaga village, the bodies of the dead are cremated in mass cremations of 100 or more corpses. These cremations will often take place long after the person has died. Because of the large number of people being cremated at once, it is not unusual to have thousands of friends and family members attend these events.
Another unique aspect of the Baliaga culture is the Banua and Ulu Apad social religious network. Banua are historical geographical areas whose borders usually encompass several Baliaga villages which are clustered around regionally important temples. Traditionally, each Banua is overseen by a council of elders (the Ulu Apad), especially regarding communal decisions and religious ceremonies.


What Are Their Beliefs?

It is difficult to distinguish between the culture and religion of the Baliaga people because these two aspects are so intertwined. Everything about their culture has religious overtones and meaning; from their dances to their music, even to the way they farm. Although they practice the Balinese form of Hinduism, they are also animistic in their belief system. They are like the Balinese in that they worship at family temples, clan temples and at the Balinese sacred temples such as Besakih and Ulu Danu. However, unlike the Balinese, the Baliaga practice a form of ancestor worship and incorporate many animistic beliefs into their religion.


What Are Their Needs?

Because of the relative remoteness of the Baliaga villages, they have not profited as much economically from Bali's famed tourism. Also, since most of their villages are located high in the mountains instead of near the fertile rice fields, they are limited in the kinds of crops they can grow. Their mountain remoteness and lower economic status causes them to be looked down upon by most Balinese.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Highland Bali Baliaga people to have eyes to see and ears to hear the gospel.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to move among them, arranging ways for workers to go to them.
Pray for Highland Bali Baliaga disciples who will make more disciples.


Scripture Prayers for the Baliaga, Highland Bali in Indonesia.


References

IPN, 2011 Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Baliaga, Highland Bali
People Name in Country Baliaga, Highland Bali
Natural Name Highland Bali Baliaga
Pronunciation BAH-lee bah-lee-AH-gah
Alternate Names
Population this Country 63,000
Population all Countries 63,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 20285
ROP3 Code 116015
Country Indonesia
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 42  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Bali Province, widespread throughout entire island, including Penida; to east, Nusa Tenggara Barat Province, Kota Mataram and Lombok Barat regency, west central Lombok island.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Indonesia
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 42  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Bali Province, widespread throughout entire island, including Penida; to east, Nusa Tenggara Barat Province, Kota Mataram and Lombok Barat regency, west central Lombok island..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Map of Baliaga, Highland Bali in Indonesia Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.17 %)
0.17 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.83 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Bali (Indonesia) (63,000 speakers)
Language Code ban   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Highland Bali
Dialect Code 7606   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Bali (Indonesia) (63,000 speakers)
Language Code ban   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Highland Bali
Dialect Code 7606   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Bali (Indonesia)
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Anonymous  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group location: IMB. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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