International Journal of Indonesian Studies Volume 1, Issue 3

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN STUDIES SPRING 2016 places of worship and cemeteries have contributed to transforming the town during these occasions. There are now Muslim communities in Banjar Lod Rurung and Pasekan Delodan, located at the southern and northern part of the town centre. This transformation has also led to the development of new laws and a different sense of unity of the village and banjar community. For instance, banjar, as the lowest level local organisation, has faced some difficulties in implementing laws and regulations for new residents who have different religious beliefs and cultural backgrounds to follow the principles of ‘sukha-dukkha’, even in the ritual cremation activities. The different treatments of and particular laws relating to immigrants have resulted in some claims of a degradation of social unity. Intensive migration followed by changes of the law, setting and context of settlement, should be considered in parallel to the significant impacts of tourism development on the island. Related to these pressures is the growing competition between Balinese and nonBalinese members of society in all aspects of life. Non-Balinese residents, particularly from other parts of Indonesia, have traditionally struggled to secure employment, which has given them greater motivation in an increasingly competitive job’s market. The Balinese, on the other hand, may not have the same level of incentive, partly a result of a different philosophy of life guided by Hindu beliefs. Today, Javanese and Lombok labourers have been harvesting rice in southern parts of Bali, whilst agricultural land has decreased rapidly due to reuse of land for tourist facilities and other commercial initiatives (Pringle, 2004:9). Related to issues of economy, fines imposed by non-attendance to ceremonies and competition in the commercial market are other conflictual challenges faced by the Balinese community in achieving a balance between the increasingly strict time management in working environments and the need to conform to traditional religious practice. As government employees those Balinese involved in such ceremonies and festivals may have less resistance than residents employed in commercial organisations, since local government must be seen to respect the local culture and traditions. Indeed, there is growing evidence that private companies are increasingly resistant to allowing their staff to participate in such events, by providing more flexible shifts and periods of works. These challenges sometimes give rise to conflicts in the workplace, in regard to adhering and respecting ceremonial protocols and traditions. The situation is usually more problematic if the owner of a company is not Balinese and does not respect – or understand - the Balinese culture and way of life. As there are many ceremonies that traditionally take place in Bali, this can lead to a negative image of the society, in regard to what is perceive by some as unduly long holiday periods against the increasing priority on commitment to employment and commercial competitiveness. More specific to this investigation, such issues have a bearing on the nature and meaning of a civil society in Bali, and how traditional ceremonial practices can sustain a sense of the civic realm against a backdrop of encroaching commercialization. 18 | P a g e

International Journal of Indonesian Studies Volume 1, Issue 3 | Page 18