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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Any Jewelry, post: 304547, member: 2844&quot;]Bali was lucky in the sense that it was not of any interest to colonizers until the second half of the 19th century. Even then, the Dutch only colonized parts of Bali to stop the incessant Balinese slave raids on neighbouring islands, and looting of foreign trade ships en route between the Straits and the Moluccan Spice Islands.</p><p>For centuries Bali had been split between several kingdoms. The kings were descendants of regent dynasties from the time it was a colony of the East Javanese Majapahit empire. After the fall of Majapahit, the regent families became rulers, and often cruel usurpers, of the indigenous Balinese.</p><p>Balinese culture is greatly influenced by Hindu-Javanese culture.</p><p>The island was finally placed under full Dutch colonial rule in 1909, after the violent looting of yet another Chinese ship, which led to yet another diplomatic scandal. The Dutch invasion led to &#039;perang puputan&#039; or mass ritual suicide in several of the royal courts. I will spare you the details, but it is important to mention it to understand why Bali held a privileged position in the Dutch East Indies.</p><p>The &#039;perang puputan&#039; led to a public outcry in The Netherlands. Startled and outraged by what happened, the Dutch set up special projects to support the local population and give a boost to Balinese culture.</p><p>Bali soon became an artist hotspot. Not just because of the stunning landscape, but also because the artists found models of &#039;natural nudity&#039;, as they called it. The colonial funds, and artists from all parts of the world also provided an incentive for the Balinese to appreciate, and focus on, their own artistry.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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