Gorgeous photos David! The last one is my favorite. How fortunate you were to attend this festival.

Thanks Barbara, that said, I still wanna go back next year to fully photograph this festival with proper gear. Fascinating event if you ask me. Hopefully we can time our travels and possibly meet up there?

very nice photograph about bali 🙂

Thank you Prananta 🙂

Wow–such beautiful costumes. It looks like you had a fantastic time!

Such rich and diverse culture. Realistically, I assume not all of costumes are traditionally accurate, but the diverse forms, fabrics, shapes, patterns, head gears are enough to show uniqueness in each tribe. Fascinating.

gorgeous, gorgeous!! love those headdresses…i wonder how heavy they are…

If ever the word breath taking was appropriate: this is the occasion. And I'm in awe of your photographic skills.

Love the headdresses, the colors and regal-ness… gorgeous!

Great collection of photos David. The make-up, outfits, and hairdos are extremely elaborate. It's also great to hear that the crowd consisted of a lot of locals.

Beautiful photos, David! I haven't been to Bali in ages – now I feel like going back!

Michael – Thanks and yes, I did. Was totally unaware of this festival until they told me last minute. Now I want to go back for next year.

Olee – I have to agree with you on this but I need to study the cultures to know which is the original. However, it was indeed fascinating.

Jen – In the hot afternoon, they must have been heavy, hot and sweaty. Most importantly, they looked their best and were cheerful.

Inka – Thank you so much. I'm sure if you were there, you'd have a field day. I had to go through 1000s of pictures to select some of them here.

Jade – Thanks, when the sun hit the costumes and headdresses, the colours stood out like a sore thumb which made photographing them a wonder!

Mark – Lets hope next year it remains the same. I am really curious on what the theme will be.

Sophie – Thanks and it's held around 9-11th June. So, if you're heading there next year, let me know.

Amazing and vivid colored photos! Love the colors and the decorations on the people! I too wonder how hot it must be for them to be wearing all that makeup and costumes!

Amazing photos! Those headdresses are so elaborate! Aren't they heavy and uncomfortable for the poor girls?

Cantik-cantik semua.
Bali adalah Bali
Saludos

Thank you Shirlene, Laura and Gildo. Simply amazing ain't it. Watch for my next post, Part 2 which focuses on the men in costumes.

Bali is one of my favorite places on earth. I love the culture, i love their tradition 🙂

amazing pics i really love these pics

Very nice pictures and costumes!

Stunning photographs! Such rich cultures there. How did you come to know about this festival? and how do you usually travel to bali? via holiday packages?

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It is Great and very rare Costume available in other country Only In Bali You will find very huge something strange and different from other

Dear pal, thank you for praising my country. I am Indonesian and would like to share some information. I think the festival you watched in Bali was showcasing Hindu culture tribes since Toraja people in Sulawesi are known as Hindu devotees like Balinese. To simplify the administration, Indonesian government acknowledges 33 provinces meaning there are 33 principal ethnic groups. But if we talk about all existing tribes in Indonesia, there are around 400 regional groups scattering in Indonesian archipelago. From the Islam influenced Aceh and Malay related tribes in Sumatra, Javanese which comprises around 10 tribes, the Dayaks in Borneo, Bugis, Toraja, etc. in Sulawesi, Portuguese influenced Ambon, and Aborigenal culture in Papua. A festival dedicated to ALL tribes living in Indonesia with one representative respectively walking in a line will be roughly 200 meters long.

Hindu Bali culture is living culture. The traditionality is always grow and enriched by Balinese themselves. So do with Thai, Khmer, Lao, ect. In Thailand and Cambodia, dresses and headgears are reinvented based on their ancient cultures. Healthy traditional cultures are always develop in spite of local senses. Great photos btw! 🙂