Yummy or Stinky? A ‘Nosey’ Around the Smells of Bali
I remember that the first time I arrived in Bali in 1991, hopping off the plane the first thing that hit me was a gush of smells: an odd hodgepodge of aromas, a tropical concoction unlike any other I had inhaled before. And it wasn’t until having lived on the island for a few months that I really realised what this peculiar perfume was composed of.
Its fragrant component was fruity and calming; a blend of Indonesian clove cigarettes and incense sticks. Its not so fragrant component reeked of the side of Bali that concerns us all: festering rubbish, daily burn-offs, vehicle pollution, and an island of chain-smokers. One that as a resident you’ll come across on a regular basis is that putrid rubbish stench that hones in on your nostril cavities as you pass Pesanggaran on the bypass between Kuta and Sanur. Another is the wretch-worthy odour is that of some animal that has died in your roof – this one lingers around for weeks!
The Balinese put smells in specific categories.There are only really two commonly used words for sweet smells, for example: miik and nyangluh. Miik means nice or fragrant for things you don’t eat; the word that you would use to describe fresh flowers, shampoo, soap or laundered clothes. Nyangluh is the best word to use when talking about food; for example, the smell of freshly baked bread or a cake, and also coconuts.
There are quite a few words for stinky smells. Apek is the smell of old socks, foul body odour, or dirty washing. Singir is the urine smell (visit pretty much any local toilet for a good whiff of this one). Bengu means rotten and is used to describe something that has gone off, or as an unpleasant smell about it. Pengit/bangke is the vile bottom smell, the stench of festering rubbish, blocked drains, dog droppings, a dead ‘something’, and animal pens. And mangkug is the smell of someone who hasn’t washed their genitals properly! Mmmmm…
