Prepared by :

NYOMAN RUDANAMember of The House of Regional Representatives

of The Republic of Indonesia –Representing Baliwww.senatorrudana.com

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyoman_Rudanawww.adonisrama.wordpress.com ( weblog )

www.museumrudana.comwww.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_Rudana

Email; :adonisrama@yahoo.com, rudana@senatorrudana.com

Prrpared for the UN Climate Change Conference in Nusa Dua, Bali,3 – 14 December 2007

TRI HITA KARANA , THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND NATURE PRESERVATION IN UBUD, BALI

I. INTRODUCTION

Climate change is the hot issue these days and we might heard, read and see it on

TV. Media are filled with numbers, data, statistics and photographed relaleted to

climate change. In the developing countries such as Indonesia, the awareness

might still at a superficial level for most people. We are still focusing on domestic

issues , such as the oil price, unstable currencies, high rates of unemployments,

natural disasters etc and somehow people don't pay enough attention that the

world they are living needs their attention to survive.

We are all aware of the massive destruction caused by climate change, from the

melting ice in the North Pole, wider spread of vector based diseases such as

Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever ( DHF ) and malaria, deforestation up to dryness and

natural disasters such as hurricanes, tsunamis, and floods.

Bali, where now becomes the center of attention of the world due The UN Climate

Change Conference ( COP 13 / MOP 5 Meeting ) in Nusa Dua, Bali 3 – 14

December 2007 has been awarded as The World Best Island of 2006 by Travel and

Leisure magazine, voted by 760,000 readers and The Most Favorite Destination

2006 voted by readers of PATA Premier Partner TIME Magazine. Eventhough these

awards are so honourable, Bali is suffering from the negative impact of

industrialization of the tourism industries, which have been focused on the

infrastructure development, without accompanying by planned sustainability

development. What Bali is facing today is the destruction of some parts of its

nature, land conversion from rice fields, plantations to hotels and resorts, sea

shore abrasion, destruction of the coral reefs, not to mention high pollutant caused

by motorized vehicles. Many of the investment are financed by non Balinese that

have no deep rooted connection with the land of Bali itself. To avoid further

negative impacts and maintaining being the best island in the world for many years

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to come, Balinese do their best in maintaining their culture which is tightly related

with Balinese Hindu philosophy.

Rather than juggling with numbers, statistics that have been presented by the

experts, this paper will present another point of view referring to the climate

change issue, from the ancient wisdom of Balinese, Tri Hita Karana, and how the

Balinese people apply it in the modern world.

II. TRI HITA KARANA AND NATURE PRESERVATION

I. TRI HITA KARANA PHILOSOPHY.

Tri Hita Karana is an ancient Balinese philosophy meaning three causes to

prosperity. Tri means three, Hita means prosper, Karana means cause. Porsperity

can be achieved from the harmonious relationship between : human beings with

God ( Parahyangan ) , human being with their fellow men ( Pawongan ), and human

beings with nature or environment ( Palemahan ) The concept can be applied from

the smallest level. People must live in harmony with God, by presenting proper

offerings ( for Balinese ) or do as taught by their religions or beliefes, have a

peaceful relationship with their families and neighbours, take care of nature in

their surrounding environment or backyard. Trihita Karana can be brought in

much bigger scale, on which it reflects the harmony between men and God, be

responsible in doing business and having peace relationship with others ( stop the

war ) and taking care of our planet, which is the purpose of this Climate Change

meeting, toward sustainability development. For government officials,

environment can be translated into the area of their authorities, from regional

levels ( for example province for the governor ) up to the country itself for the

President.

Tri Hita Karana concept has a deep meaning of what lies beyond the harmony. It’s

the ownership of human beings towards their relationship with the 3 elements

mentioned above. If we take ownership of this planet, we will stop fighting to each

other and take part in preserving the nature by develop our countries with a

concept of sustainable development. From ownership comes responsibility.

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Industrialization has caused individualism that many will start questioning, why

me, when they are faced with responsibility. Tri Hita Karana has a different

concept of Why Not Me. Every body should take part in doing what they can,

either big or small scales, in keeping harmonious living with others.

The concept, along with Tat Wam Asi, means that everybody in the world is of one

principle brotherhood, You are Me and I am You, is the principle of Balinese

philosophy applied in their everyday lives.

II. UBUD REGION, THE PRESERVED NATURE

Ubud is a town in central Bali, in the district of Gianyar, considered the arts and

culture center of the island. It has no sea shore and it is famous for the unique rice

terraces that are still managed under the traditional irrigation system of subak.

Ubud gets it name from the Balinese word ubad (medicine), and it has a population

of about 8,000 people. Now it is becoming difficult to distinguish the town itself

from the villages that once surrounded it. Its located 35 km north east from the

Ngurah Rai International Airport and lies 200 – 300 km above the sea level, with

the mountaineous area that makes Ubud cooler than other areas in Bali.

Ubud people make a living from farming, tourism in general, and producing art

works, from paintings to sculpting, that makes Ubud is famous for being the

central for art communities in Bali.

III. TRIHITA KARANA IN UBUD

The tranquil life makes Ubud people are able maintaining their traditional rituals

and along with their prosperity, their offerings becomes better in quality and

temples or pura have been renovated.

Ubud people has a deep rooted believe to preserve their homeland, eventhough in

many cases industrialization goes beyond their control. But they take ownership of

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their land, knowing that the land is an asset and they get benefit from it. Also, as

art is the heart and soul of Ubud people, they tend to appreciate beauty beyond

their sights and appreciate different cultures brought by foreigners.

The landscape becomes the objects of many good quality paintings. As people start to see the

benefit of the land for their prosperity, they start bring better quality of offerings to God,

temples or pura have been renovated and they preserve environment as well. They preserve

terrace rices and the environment, to fulfill domestic need for food. This beauty

landscape then invites tourists to come to Ubud. Ecotourism then grows, so is

the art industries. The law of attraction works naturally. Good deeds earn good

results.

Ubud people might clearly know what global warming, climate change and green house gasses

are all about, but they do what they belief. For Balinese, Bali is not just a place to live, but it’s a

place that connects them to their God and nature.

IV GOVERNMENT ROLES IN PROMOTING BALI TOURISM.

Goverment plays important role in promoting Bali tourism industry. Policies on Bali

tourism are based on poverty alleviation, not merely from the investors' point of

view. Policies are link with the sustainable development, creating sustainable

tourism which is based on Tri Hita Karana philosophy.

Minister of Cultural and Tourism Mr Jero Wacik launched Bali is My Life tagline of

promotion on 12 November 2006, designed to be a part of Bali tourism identity

abroad. This is a campaign came about from a Ministry of Culture and Tourism

and Bali Tourism Board initiative. The essence of the Bali is My Life campaign for

the Balinese is to embrace their individual and unique roles in the vibrant life of

the island. It is also to reassert Bali as a destination of choice for international

travelers to experience Bali more than just being tourists.

The UN Climate Change Conference 3 – 14 December 2007 in Bali cannot be

separated from the Indonesian government effort to ensure the world that Bali is

safe and suitable for this very important meeting.

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V. CONCLUSION

Preserving nature will only take into action by taking ownership, rather than just

obligation. Ownership comes from the deep rooted belief of Trihita Karana,

alongside with Tat Wam Asi philosophy, that makes them be responsible to take

care of their surroundings.

Conquering climate change is basically conquering the human egos. Human beings

should placed at the center of attention since they are the main cause of the nature

destruction.

REFERENCES

1. Babad Bali : http://www.babadbali.com/canangsari/trihitakarana.htm

2. English Wikipedia on Ubud.

3. Bali Tourism Board website : http://www.bali-tourism-board.com for Map of

Bali

4. Wisatanet.com, by Iman. 3 May 2007 ( source : www.depbudpar). Sustainable

Development as the Foundation for Developing Tourism

5. Wisatanet.com, by Iman. 10 June 2007. ( soruce : media-indonesia.com )

Cultural Inheritance Founded Bali Tourism

6. Wisatanet.com, by Widya. 1 August 2007 ( source : Bisnis Indonesia ). The

World's Best 2006 : Bali is The Best Island in The World.

7. Kcbtours.com, 22 Nov 2007 : Best island in The World by Time Magazine

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