Studies on Nusantara architecture often isolate spatial systems and disregard their shared cosmological foundations. This comparative study examines how cosmology shapes spatial planning in the Balinese Tri Mandala (a tripartite spatial hierarchy) and the Javanese Catur Gatra Tunggal (a quadripartite civic order), with a focus on orientation, zoning, and structure. Using an interpretive qualitative approach, the research draws on Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics, Ricoeur’s symbolic hermeneutics, and spatial phenomenology. The findings show that both traditions project cosmology into space through different spatial logics: Bali emphasizes a vertical sacred–profane hierarchy, whereas Java stresses horizontal integration of social, religious, and political domains. Variations in spatial form do not indicate distinct cosmological paradigms but rather different symbolic expressions of comparable ontological concepts. The novelty of this study lies in synthesizing zoning, structure, orientation, and philosophical meaning into a unified analytical model that views architecture as a spatial knowledge system mediating relationships among humans, nature, and transcendence.
Although Barong–Rangda is widely recognized today as a touristic performance linked to Bali’s cultural tourism, its sacred ritual functions continue in Bali, showing that commodification has not erased its religious significance. This article examines the nyambutin ritual, a Balinese Hindu ceremony welcoming newborn babies, focusing on the inclusion of Barong–Rangda performance in a traditional Balinese village. Using ethnographic observation, in-depth interviews, and textual analysis, the study applies semiotic perspectives from Barthes, Eco, and Peirce to interpret the ritual’s symbolic meanings. The findings show that Barong and Rangda represent disciplined and uncontrolled forms of desire, reflecting moral tensions within Balinese cosmology. The performance functions as embodied moral education, introducing ethical values through ritual experience rather than verbal instruction. Sustained by local ritual authority, the tradition continues as religious knowledge transmission while resisting full commodification despite the global circulation of Barong imagery through tourism.
This study is motivated by the importance of revitalizing local values through the construction of myths that can bridge spirituality, education, and the creative economy within the context of conservation and sustainable tourism. The research focuses on how the myths of the Manguni bird and the Bali Starling are constructed and transformed as media for education, conservation, and the creative economy, including challenges encountered. Critical discourse analysis, social construction and eco-biology theory are employed to interpret these phenomena. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and document analysis. The findings reveal that bird mythology in Bali and Minahasa communities both is constructed within local narratives and transformed into a medium for ecological ethics education, creative innovation, and ecotourism development. These findings emphasize the importance of policies that integrate such strategies into the management of ecotourism, and encourage the adoption of a development paradigm rooted in cultural authenticity.
A Deep Learning approach based on mindfulness, meaningfulness, and joy has become a focus of educational transformation in Indonesia; however, integrating this modern concept with local wisdom remains a challenge. This study presents a pedagogical reinterpretation of Kakawin Nilacandra, a Balinese literary work that narrates King Nīlacandra’s spiritual journey toward wisdom, self-control, and ethical leadership through Śiwa-Buddha teachings. Using a qualitative approach, the study employs content analysis and hermeneutic interpretation, supported by triangulation and textual evidence. The findings reveal that Kakawin Nilacandra embodies educational values closely aligned with Deep Learning principles. The reinterpretation identifies three sequential learning stages: self-awareness, self-transformation, and self-internalization. It also demonstrates the text's relevance to teaching modules and its potential application in language, character, history, and citizenship education. These findings highlight how the reinterpretation of local literary wisdom can contribute to culturally grounded pedagogical innovation and support the implementation of Deep Learning in Indonesia.
In response to concerns over the decline of regional languages, the Government of Bali Province has organized the Bulan Bahasa Bali Festival (Balinese Language Month Festival) annually since 2019 to revitalize the Balinese language and encourage its everyday use. This study assesses the festival’s contribution to language maintenance by examining participants’ perceptions, language practices, and the role of government policy. Employing a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, data were collected from 180 participants across Bali through questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Quantitative findings indicate strong awareness and positive attitudes toward the Balinese language, while qualitative findings reveal that language use remains largely situational and concentrated during the festival period. These findings suggest a disparity between positive perceptions and sustained everyday language use. The study posits that the festival serves as an important policy instrument for language maintenance, although its impact on daily linguistic practices remains limited.
