The civic realm in Bali: a case study of ritual traditions in the Littoral regions

This thesis investigates the civic life of a Balinese community in the
context of ritual activities and traditions taking place in a coastal village,
tracing relationships between ritual itinerary and topography, and
highlighting the tensions and conflicts that have emerged between these
ritual practices and recent developments in tourism. In the context of the
littoral regions of Bali, the concept of the civic realm serves as a broad
framework of the research which focuses on the village of Kuta. The
choice of Kuta Village for this investigation was based on the following
criteria: 1. the historical importance of the village, 2. its significance as a
known tourist destination, and 3. its urban/coastal complexity. In order to
address the relationships between these three criteria, the research
adopted a mixed method approach, incorporating a range of quantitative
and qualitative material. Participants in the research project are all, in
various ways, stakeholders in the future of Kuta Village who are involved
in the usage, monitoring and management of the beaches, including
environmentalists.

From the perspective of an outsider visiting Kuta Village, there seems to
be little evidence of conflict between the local community’s ritual traditions
and tourist activities in both the village and on the beaches. However,
underlying this apparent tranquillity a rather different situation emerges,
which concerns the sometimes conflicting interests of three parties; hotel
companies, the community of environmental supporters, and the
government. This conflict, which is manifested in disputes over claims of
territorial ownership and control, is in danger of leading to long term
negative impacts on the social life and beach environment. Furthermore,
initial investigations of the key issues, arising from this conflict, suggests
that a significant part of the problem is due to a combination of unplanned
tourist development, weak management, ineffective law enforcement and
the effect of beach erosion. Due to these negative impacts, and their
implications on the civic life of the community, this thesis aims to initiate
discussions for a revised planning and design strategy for Kuta Village in
order to achieve a more balanced relationship among ecological needs,
custody of the civic realm and a sustained development in tourism. Such a
strategy aims, ultimately, to improve understanding of the key challenges
facing the town for benefit of practitioners, planners, government bodies
and academia.