SUBAK – the unique Balinese Rice Farming Culture - designated UNESCO World Heritage

Combining sacred traditional values and a highly organized system, Subak, the unique Balinese rice farming culture has been designated as World’s Heritage by UNESCO, stated Deputy Minister for Education and Culture Wiendu Nuryanti on Monday 21 May 2012. According to the Deputy Minister, the decision will be made official at the UNESCO Summit in St.Petersburg, Russia on 20 June 2012.

“This is truly good news for Indonesia, the interesting Subak farming culture of Bali , under the title Bali Cultural Landscape ,  a manifestation of the Balinese Tri Hita Karana philosophy, has been listed as  World’s Heritage by UNESCO” wrote Wiendu in her message as reported by republika.co.id. Wiendu added that the recognition has been achieved after a long process that took 12 years.

The Subak Cultural Landscape system of the island of Bali is an outstanding manifestation of unique Balinese cosmological doctrine. It is tangible reflection of the original Balinese ideas and beliefs which are essentially rooted in the Tri Hita Karana concept, namely the awareness that human beings need to always maintain harmonious relationship between Man and God, Man and fellow humans , and between Mand and Nature in one’s daily life. Such a particular concept is in fact evident in the Balinese creative genius and unique cultural traditions resulting from the long human interaction, especially between the Balinese and the Hindu culture.  All the cluster sites of the Cultural Landscape also directly demonstrate the capability of the Balinese to make their unique cosmological doctrines a reality, practiced in their daily life through spatial planning and land use (cultural landscape), settlement arrangements, architecture, ceremonies and rituals, art, as well as social organization. Indeed the implementation of the concept has evidently generated a beautiful cultural landscape.

More on Bali Cultural Landscape in UNESCO, available at: http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5100/

Source: republika.co.id, whc.unesco.org web:indonesia.travel

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