Rice is a staple food in Bali and it has strong ties to the Balinese culture. The cycle of rice growth pretty much sets the tone for much of the traditional Balinese life. The Balinese community views rice as a gift from God and a symbol of life. For thousands of years, the Balinese people have been growing rice and cultivating the beautiful rice terraces of Bali where three kinds of rice are grown: white rice, black rice and red rice. The white rice is the most common one while the red rice is much rarer and more expensive.
‘Subak’ is a system for growing rice that developed on the island of Bali (Indonesia) over 800 years ago. Water is gathered and distributed to the terraced rice fields; committees of farmers manage the water and the land, bringing members together to make decisions and work communally; and a network of shrines and temples spanning the island and extending to every corner of the rice terraces controls ceremonies, rituals and offerings. Together these elements comprise Subak and together they produce a thing of beauty, diversity and richness that seamlessly integrates the natural and the human, while also producing rice efficiently and sustainably.
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