Bali, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Thursday, went through an extensive historical process before becoming one of the country's popular provinces.
The Bali provincial administration has prepared several events to mark the anniversary, including a mass prayer, visits to the graves of past heroes and a flag-hoisting ceremony.
Side events include a flea market at the governor's office complex, pole climbing competitions and an exhibition at the Captain Japa field.
A Cenk Blonk shadow puppet performance and a live music show featuring local and national artists will also be held to entertain the island's residents.
This year's anniversary will also mark the departure of Bali Governor Dewa Beratha. After leading the province for 10 years, the soft-spoken, reclusive politician will hand over his post on Aug. 28 to the outspoken Made Mangku Pastika, who won the island's first direct gubernatorial election in July.
The province's golden anniversary -- and the last anniversary celebration for Dewa Beratha -- have made many Balinese believe an extravagant, over-the-top celebration will take place on the day.
Unfortunately, the celebratory atmosphere was nowhere to be seen at the governor's office in Renon, Denpasar this week. The governor could not be contacted to comment on the celebration and his public relations officer, I Nyoman Puasha Aryana, rejected interview requests.
Head of the province's publication section, Wira Negara, volunteered to provide information on the anniversary, saying the celebration would be a simple affair.
"It's a simple celebration and it won't be so different from previous years' celebrations. After all, it's the substance of the birthday that counts," he said.
Many Balinese were dismayed by this simple approach toward the province's golden anniversary.
Ni Nyoman Wiratni, a mother of two, said Bali's 50th anniversary should be different from past celebrations.
"How about having a traveling flea market that moves around the island's fringe areas. It's not a real flea market if they're having it at the walled and guarded governor's office," she said.
"A market belongs in a public area. Common people like me would not want to go to a market held inside the grounds of the governor's office. Besides, there has been no information disseminated to the public about the event."
Putu Yudiana, from Karangasem, also expressed his disappointment. He said an anniversary did not have to be extravagant, but this year's celebration was too "simplistic for a golden year celebration".
"At least do something big and meaningful, like donating computer software to educational institutions or having some sort of island-wide reading day," Putu said.
"Or, do something more for the health sector, don't just urge public employees to donate blood, organize a free health service instead."
Putu said he would like to see a room dedicated to Bali's history at the anniversary's development exhibition, which would be held from Thursday through the weekend.
"And make it as interesting as possible, don't just put displays up or hang pictures on the wall," he said, adding that many Balinese remained unaware of the island's history.
Historical data states that the first few immigrants who settled in Bali came between 2,500 and 3,000 BC.
The name Balidwipa (the Island of Bali) itself was found on a number of inscriptions, like the Walidwipa in Blanjong inscription, believed to be from 913 BC.
The island was ruled by local kings until the arrival of military expedition from East Java's Majapahit Hindu empire. The expedition annexed the island and installed royal rulers from a Brahmin family in Kediri, East Java. Bali has been ruled by Javanese royalties and their descendants ever since.
With the advent of Islamic kingdoms in Java and the fall of the Majapahit empire, a large number of Hindu scholars, artists, artisans, soldiers and politicians took refugee in Bali. They later played a pivotal role in the renaissance of the Balinese-Hindu religion and culture in Bali.
By the early 20th century, all the kingdoms in Bali had fallen under the Dutch colonial administration.
Mesmerized by the island's unique culture, the foreign ruler did its best to preserve Bali's traditional culture and social structure.
A few days after the country's independence in 1945, I Gusti Ketut Puja arrived in Bali and brought with him the official mandate from the central government to be the governor of the Little Sunda (as Bali was called at the time). Singaraja, a harbor city on the island's northern coast, was designated as the province's capital.
The event marked the official union of the island with the infant Republic of Indonesia. Thirteen years later, on Aug. 14, 1958, the central government passed a law on the establishment of the autonomous Province of Bali. That day was later adopted as the province's official birthday.
Initially, the province comprised eight regencies, with Badung as the seat of the island's administration.
Following rapid development and its increasing importance, Denpasar was designated as an autonomous administrative city in 1978 and the island's capital in 1992. Bali now comprises eight regencies and one municipality.
Bali has seen 10 governors since, including I Gusti Bagus Oka, AAB Sutedja, IG Putu Martha, Soekarmen, IB Mantra, IB Oka and Dewa Made Beratha.
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|