The Bali Photo Gallery: Rice

Working the Sawa
Young Rice
Skies above, Sawa below
Sawah Rainbow
Newly Planted
Steep Terraces
Terrace2
Green Terraces
Terraces near Tegalalang
Bali Sawa
Scarecrow
Near Tegalalang
In the Fields
The Riches of Bali
Midday Rest
Sawa
Maturing
Along the Road
Reaping under the Volcano
Harvest '93
Harvested Terraces
Rice Straw
End of day
To the Sea
Weighing In
Harvest's Bounty
Rice in the Barn
Goin' Home



Rice Offerings



Balinese farmers are the finest non-mechanical irrigators in the world. The network of terraces and waterways used to flood the terraces and then irrigate the growing rice make the most efficient use of water possible. Water flows from the highest mountains to the sea, diverted from natural streams to the terraces, highest to lowest in order, then on to another set of terraces, and on, until finally it leaves the lowest fields (sawa) and returns to the rivers near the sea.
The organization oflocal communal groups devoted to the construction and maintainance of this system is the heart of Balinese society. The sustanance and wealth derived from rice gave the Balinese power in Indonesia far beyond it's neighbors, and allowed a lifestyle devoting much time to artisanship and worship. The intricate ceremonies and religious life of the Balinese is possible only because of the bounty of the ricefields.

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