You may have noticed that Balinese are not big on planning, well, at least, not as hung up about it as us funny old Westerners. Retirement is a prime example. I hardly know any Balinese who have a retirement plan. They have good reason for this, however.
Due to the strong family system that is the root of the banjar concept (therefore Balinese tradition as we know it today), elders are looked after by the family. It keeps the family closer and eliminates the need for retirement homes, home-help, nursing or hiring baby sitters (always have grandma and grandpa on hand!). Generally this set-up is a win-win situation for the family, unless there are irresolvable conflicts. The only real downside is lack of privacy. This family system that you find in many traditional cultures across the world explains why there is little or no need for retirement planning or saving. Retirement is a time to be enjoyed with the grandchildren in the moment, in the family home.
However, as more and younger Balinese work and live outside their villages and want to have their own houses and privacy, as in the West, families will split. This will affect the traditional family support system and in many cases quite likely perpetuate the need for retirement planning and retirement villages.
In terms of actually planning for death, while they are alive people make sure they foster positive relationships with their community. After all, it is these people who will rally together to wash their body, build the cremation tower and generally help with all the associated rituals when they die. If they don’t get involved in the community when they are alive, chances are no one will help out with the complex and costly cremation rituals; so, in a way, this is part of their life insurance policy!
Vaughan Hatch has immersed himself with Balinese culture, living with locals in Bali since 1997. He speaks fluent Indonesian and Balinese, and is unashamedly addicted to playing gamelan. A linguistic, archaeology and publishing graduate, he works for indOKiwi ‘linguistic and cultural solutions’ in Sanur. Email him on contact@indokiwibali.com or call (0361) 8427030 for further queries.
