New Money for a New World
Page 39
457 Michel Picard, Bali: Cultural Tourism and Touristic Culture (Singapore: Archipelago Press, 1996), p. 138.
458 Clifford Geertz and Hildred Geertz, Kinship in Bali (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987) and Carol Warren, Adat and Dinas: Balinese Communities in the Indonesian State (Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press, 1993).
459 Agung and Purwita, Pemantapan Adat Dalam Menunjang Usaha-Usaha Pembangunan (Denpasar: Majelis Pembina Lembaga Ada, 1983), p. 18.
460 Fred B. Eiseman, Bali Sekala and Niskala: Essays on Society, Tradition and Craft, Volume II (Berkeley: Periplus Editions, Inc., 1989), p. 74.
461 Geertz and Geertz, Kinship in Bali.
462 Pak Ketut Suartana, personal interview, Klian Banjar Sambahan, North Ubud Banjar, Ubud Kaja (30 July 2002).
463 Pak Wayan Suecha, personal interview, Klian Banjar Kelod–Ubud (6 August 2002).
464 The study of the Balinese dual-currency system was part of a four-month research project performed by Bernard Lietaer and Stephen Demeulenaere in 2002 on the economics of Banjars in the area of Ubud, the “cultural capital” of Bali. Any quotations without specific references in this chapter come from field notes from interviews during this research. For published results see: Bernard Lietaer and Stephen Demeulenaere, “Sustaining Cultural Vitality in a Globalizing World: the Balinese Example,” International Journal for Social Economics (September 2003).
465 In most cases, enough people can be found to contribute the time needed to complete an activity. Therefore, such contributions do not even have to be recorded. In those Banjars, however, whose members have less time available, or if complaints are logged about the lack of contribution by others, time contributions are recorded by the Klian Banjar. Those who cannot contribute their share of time are asked to send a substitute person, to whom they then “owe” a similar service. If neither option is possible, they must pay a charge of between 5,000 and 10,000 Rupiah for each time block missed. Nevertheless, substitutions in Rupiah can only be partial and conditional. They are not acceptable as a systematic way to avoid service to and personal participation in the Banjar.
466 Geertz and Geertz, Kinship in Bali.
467 Kepeng is etymologically related to the word chip or fragment. This is likely a reference to the traditional square hole in the middle of each Uang Kepeng coin. See: S. Hassan and J. Echols, Kamus Indonesia-Inggris (PT Gramedia, Jakarta, Indonesia, 2004).
468 Ida Bagus Sidemen, “Nilai Historis Uang Kepeng” (Historical Value of Uang Kepeng), (Denpasar, Bali: Larasan-Sejarah, 2002). The oldest Uang Kepeng coins found in Bali were minted by the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618-909 CE). Other types of trading coins and brass gongs have been discovered in Bali, some of which originate from the Dong Son culture of Vietnam in the 4th century CE.
469 Ida Bagus Sidemen, “Nilai Historis Uang Kepeng” (Historical Value of Uang Kepeng), (Denpasar, Bali: Larasan-Sejarah, 2002). The oldest Uang Kepeng coins found in Bali were minted by the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618-909 CE). Other types of trading coins and brass gongs have been discovered in Bali, some of which originate from the Dong Son culture of Vietnam in the 4th century CE
470 Ida Bagus Sidemen, “Nilai Historis Uang Kepeng” (Historical Value of Uang Kepeng), (Denpasar, Bali: Larasan-Sejarah, 2002). The oldest Uang Kepeng coins found in Bali were minted by the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618-909 CE). Other types of trading coins and brass gongs have been discovered in Bali, some of which originate from the Dong Son culture of Vietnam in the 4th century CE
471 De Kat Angelino, Arnold Dirk Adriaan. (1930) Staatkundig beleid en bestuurszorg in Nederlandsch-Indie. Gravenhage: Nijhoff.
472 M.Covarrubias, Island of Bali, (First edition: New York: Knopff 1937), (republished: Singapore: Periplus, 1998).
473 Personal communication between Stephen DeMeulenaere and the authors (May 2007).
474 Technically, the Uang Kepeng is still a yang currency, given that it was not created by the Balinese themselves but imported into Bali from abroad (i.e. the Chinese merchants). But it can be considered as a “weak yang” currency compared to conventional national moneys such as the Rupiah, because of its lack of or weak enforcement of the interest feature. Therefore, strictly speaking, what has happened since the 1950s in Bali is the gradual replacement of the dual currency system of Uang Kepeng and the Banjar time currency (a dual currency system consisting of a weak yang complementing a strong yin) to a Rupiah and Banjar time currency (a dual currency system consisting of a strong yang complementing strong yin). However, such a shift seems to have had a sufficient effect to contribute to some changes in the social behavior patterns among the Balinese. Obviously, we do not claim that the shift towards a more yang currency by itself is the only cause for the gradual degradation of the yin-yang balance in Balinese society. Other factors mentioned in the text, and changes such as the introduction of commercial television in the local language, also play contributing roles. As with all social changes, we are dealing with complex mutually reinforcing processes, in which even subtle monetary changes can play a non-negligible role.
475 With Nyoman Bahuha, Klian Banjar of Banjar Kaja in Ubud (2 August 2002).
476 Francine Brinkgreve and David Stuart-Fox, Offerings: The Ritual Art of Bali (Singapore: Select Books, 1992), p. 199-219.
477 Bali: A Traveller’s Companion (Singapore: Editions Didier Millet Pte Ltd., 1995), p. 57.
478 Miguel Covarrubias, Island of Bali (New York: Alfred Knopf, 1946), p. 359.
479 Miguel Covarrubias, Island of Bali (New York: Alfred Knopf, 1946), p. 361.
480 Bernard Lietaer, “A World in Balance,” Reflections: Journal of the Organizational Learning Society (Summer 2003).
481 Viebeke L. Asana, “Now We Move Forward!” See:
482 On 8 November 2008 three Islamist militants were sentenced to death and executed in an Indonesian prison for their involvement in the 2002 bombing. Source:
483 “Berfungsi Religius: Uang Kepeng Perlu Diproduksi Kembali” (Religious Function: Uang Kepeng Needs to be Produced Again), The Bali Post (23 December 2003). See:
/balipostcetak/2003/12/23/b4.htm>; also “Keberadaan ‘Pis Bolong’ di Bali: Dulu Uang Kartal, Sekarang Sarana Budaya” (The History of Pis Bolong [Uang Kepeng] in Bali, Formerly a medium of Exchange, Today a Medium of Culture) The Bali Post 10 January 2004.