Black and White magic

[JAMIE]

Dear Westerns in Bali, My name is Fatima Ferentinos and am the BIGSIS of your newly inticed Indo fan which I truly am grateful. It's not like I was telling about too many place in Asia since I have had pernament residence in Bali since April 1974 and saw the first police come to a social banyar society which I had the pleasure of residing in Tampksiring on the road to Gunung Kawi to study ivory carving with a priest/master carver the full Ramayana Story for the President at that time. Don't even want to enter into politics since I am a social anthropologist who has devoted her life to the saving of their culture through the handcrafts. I have so far introduced myself as much as you need to know now except that I had the first western child in Bali after the Dutch reign and I speak Balinese and have been telling my adorable younger brother, Jamie about bali for all these years and only because of you all he is now going to come there but there's only one problem, I want him to come now and not later. So boys and girls please help me and I can be a Horn of Plenty to you with all of my 30 plus years of residence in Bali. My home is in Seminyak and am presently visiting my brother for Thanksgiving in N.J. which is a rare treat since I think the last time was about twenty years ago. I also have another brother Jerry who has come and needs to come to get a Indonesian wife since he thinks he is ugly and they think he looks like Donald Sutherland in Bali. He was just there in May and needed some introductions to nice Indonesian girls since I don't know any presently, I know one of you must know me or have seen me riding my bike in Kuta with my long blonde hair or identifying the dead at the Sanglala morgue, when we had the first Bomb at my favorite local hangout the infamous SARI CLUB. I have to admit something before I go any farther I lost my first time with this introduction so I AM NOT SO ARTICULATE AS I WOULD LIKE TO BE. Write back and ask me anything you want about Bali Trivia since I am a open book with great understanding their are people whose destiny is to come to Bali like myself and enjoy and respect you time every morning with the birds waking you up and get to see the true joy the Indonesian live their cultural full lives.
in the other email i wrote and lost i commented on the quiet of the days after the islamic fasting period when the islands was mainly Balinese and expats. I also commemented on how in 80's tourists came and then told their friends about it which brought 10 more with each making villas and changing thousands of dollars with their newly estabilished Balinese partner. All the black and white magic and the witch doctors and the Bagongs and Rangdas and the Leyaks which roamed the villages to protect and scare. Talk to me about when we used kerosene lanterns and there was only salty fish and sweet potatoes to eat in Kuta with lots of chili' to curb their appetites. Or teaching the first offering girls to be pembantu's. Or when Nusa Dusa was a scary beach with even spookier temples falling off the shores.....more at a latter date

[Git]

Dear Jamie
Yes black and white magic does exist in Indonesia,this is why my family departed when i was 3yrs old.I was then forbidden to return by my father,not untill his death i made my way back to Indonesia (bali).My mother wrote a book about all this and was also forbidden to speak about it untill my fathers death the book was published for all to read.
But these are the reasons i have always returned over and over the mystical/spiritual etherics of the Indonesian culture are like no other on this giant planet.
What a tourist see's on the surface is only the tip of the 'iceberg' of what lays underneath.
Many have said my family is way to supersticious,is it that or is it being aware of 'other realms that exist around us'. Many dont believe/dont want to believe,but when you live in Indonesia (bali) your made aware of this daily.
Gina Tyler

[Roy]

Gina writes:

What a tourist see's on the surface is only the tip of the 'iceberg' of what lays underneath. Many have said my family is way to supersticious,is it that or is it being aware of 'other realms that exist around us'. Many dont believe/dont want to believe,but when you live in Indonesia (bali) your made aware of this daily.

Gina, that is absolutely, 100% totally TRUE! I've wanted to say this myself on many occasions but I felt that some participants here would only find that as irrefutable evidence that I need to be committed. Thank you for having the courage to say what really needed to be said.

I’ve always believed that Bali is a living, breathing entity all by herself. The aspects of the niskala, (the unseen) need to be taken just as seriously as the sekala, (the seen). Every expat I have known who didn’t “make it” here totally failed in understanding and embracing this essential truth of Bali. The fact is Gina, only a very small number of regular participants on this forum understand this. The other irrefutable fact is that neither you, me, Bert, Robbie, or anyone else could EVER explain these essential aspects of Bali.

[Git]

Dear Roy
yes so true,the 'other forms' of energy do exist in all of Indonesia,in bali in my oppinion it's the most balanced perhaps due to all the ceremonial 'giving thanks' to the millions of gods that hover. Yes now you can include me in that saying'oh gina is always so supersticious,always comming up with the strainge answers for everything'..........
I have been labeled a bit strainge in my outlook even by my own husband(American Indian Navajo) , but when you are born in indonesia and have deep family roots there it does not just 'go away'.
Some of my favorite books were writen on this subject Roy,but i'm sure you have read them already. But for you others interested in the other side of Indonesia (bali,Java) here are a list of the books;
Bali Sekala and Niskala
Part one and part two
by Fred B. Eiseman jr.
(essays on religion,ritual and art..........essays on society tradition,and craft)
The Magus of Java
(teachings of an authentic taoist immortal) by Kosta Danaos
Mysticism in Java by Neils Mulder
Gina Tyler

[JAMIE]

GUYS MY SISTER WENT TO VISIT OTHER FAMILY IN THE NYC AREA , WHEN SHE RETURNS IM SURE SHE'LL WANT TO ADD TO THIS STRING..THX JAMIE

[Bert Vierstra]

Have her register under her own name.. plz