What comes to mind when you hear about Bali? An island with a thousand temples, where local culture remains deeply rooted? A province bustling with tourists? Both are certainly true, each with an interesting historical and contextual background that merits further exploration.
On September 14, 2026, staff and students of the Media and Cultural Studies Program, Graduate School, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), departed from Yogyakarta International Airport for Ngurah Rai International Airport to undertake a field course in Bali, accompanied by Mr. Cahyo Triono S. and Mr. Ngurah Badranaya as tour guides.
Upon arriving on the Island of the Gods, the first destination was Museum Pasifika, located in Nusa Dua, South Kuta, approximately half an hour from the airport. The museum showcases a diverse collection of artworks by artists from Indonesia, the West, and the Pacific/Polynesian regions, spanning different periods. Members of the Media and Cultural Studies observed and examined the museum’s art curation, as well as the themes and artistic movements represented in many of the works, ranging from Orientalism and Realism to Expressionism and others.
The second day began with a visit to Tirta Empul Temple in Tampaksiring, which is also located in an area that includes one of the Presidential Palaces. The temple’s main attraction is its public bathing area, fed by a natural spring and used for the melukat ritual, a purification practice for cleansing both body and soul. Although the temple is open to the public, certain areas may not be entered freely by those who are not Balinese Hindus. Following the visit, the Media and Cultural Studies community traveled to Kintamani for lunch at Grand Puncak Sari Restaurant while enjoying the surrounding scenery of Mount Batur.
Next, the Media and Cultural Studies community traveled from Gilimanuk to Melasti Beach in Ungasan to watch a Kecak dance performance based on the epic story of the Ramayana, in which Hanoman is sent by Rama to rescue Dewi Sinta, who has been abducted by Rahwana and taken to Alengka. In addition to enjoying the unique and captivating performance, members of the Media and Cultural Studies community also examined the power relations within Balinese society as represented in the Kecak dance.
The third day marked the highlight of the field course in Bali. Members of the Media and Cultural Studies visited the Bali Institute of the Arts (ISI Bali), where they received a warm welcome at the Film and Television Production (PFTV) Study Program, Faculty of Fine Arts and Design (FSRD), followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two institutions. During the visit, members of the Media and Cultural Studies community and PFTV watched several works produced by PFTV students, including a documentary highlighting the lives of transgender women in Denpasar; a biographical documentary about Abu Bakar, a playwright known as the “Father of Modern Balinese Drama”; the film Cening Nepukin I Kawa; and the documentary Scarecrow, which explores the impact of agricultural land conversion into property development in Ubud.
In addition, a workshop entitled Inclusive Visual Storytelling was held, followed by a tour of the ISI Bali Museum. Through this field course, both parties hope to continue developing a sustainable academic collaboration in the future. The fourth day marked the final day of the Media and Cultural Studies community’s visit to Bali, as the group returned to Yogyakarta with new knowledge and insights into Balinese society and culture.
Contributor: Taufan Atalarik
Photos: Adhani J. Emha