Rooster

The Balinese tradition of cockfighting embodies the network of social relationships between kin and village. While the rooster may be bred for agility and strength, his relationship with his master is an intimate one. Hours are spent on grooming, observing and feeding them. Pictured here is a man in Ubud, who holds onto this ancient way of life, even as modernity marches to him steadily.

Brahmin

A Balinese priest at the Tanah Lot temple, which features in the mythology for centuries. High priests are called Brahmins in the Hindu tradition, alluding to a high caste of teachers that are entasked with the protection of sacred learning across generations. The fire of ancestral knowledge burns within them, exuding a powerful glow.

The bell

In a mountain village in Munduk, a priest rings a bell after a purification ceremony to align the mystical forces of the universe. His bell is a symbol - it’s curved body represents Ananda, the deepest satisfaction of the soul. The clapper, or the tongue represents Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom. The melody of the bell illuminates the entwined path of knowledge and happiness.

Canang Sari

Taken in Candidasa the day before Nyepi, the day of silence, the image features the Canang Sari, a heap of daily offerings made by Balinese Hindus. These offerings are made to thank the Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa in praise and prayer. They can be seen in Balinese temples, on the small shrines in houses or as part of a larger offering to the spirits.

Blessing

Bali is the only Hindu-majority province in Indonesia, meaning that most people here convene their lives around ceremonies based on the moon calendar. The moment of blessing in a ceremony is the most moving one for me. The harmony of the hues, the purity of the collective and the softness of the devotion is close to magic.

Baktiyasa

I met Baktiyasa by accident. Working on a book project in North Bali, I went to his house to drop off my laundry with his wife. Behind her, loomed the quiet magnificence of the tattooed hero. Every marking on his body tells a story, a groove in the lifetime of a complex soul.

Jepun

The frangipani flower in this portrait is called jepun in the local dialect. Balinese women tuck it behind their ears before praying. It is considered a natural essence, a harbinger of enlightenment. The flower grows everywhere, which means that this symbol of goodness is available to every woman.