BEING A BALINESE
Page 2 of 4
There are two main organizations that all Balinese are members into.
The origins of these organizations can be traced back a few centuries and has become very
strongly ingrained in Balinese life.
Subak is the first one, and it refers to a non-profit organization of
farmers within a certain area. Its main objective is to cooperatively increase the production of rice as
much as possible. The subaks decide the time of rice planting, the harvesting time, and the
varieties of paddy should be planted. Every Balinese who possesses a rice field (= sawah, in bahasa) must
join the subak in his area.
Another important communal organization for Balinese is what they call Banjar.
All married males must join this banjar, which each village usually has at least one. Bale
banjar is the place where the members of one banjar gather regularly to discuss and to
organize many communal issues.
