Thanksgiving in Bali
Thanksgiving is, of course, primarily an American holiday. Canada does have a version of it but its not our Thanksgiving. There are perhaps 30,000 expatriates living in Bali from a variety of countries. The estimate is that maybe 10% of this number are Americans. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you out there in Bali!!
The nearest thing the Balinese have to our Thanksgiving is probably their New Years Day- Nyepi Day. It falls on the day following the dark moon of the spring equinox, in March. The streets are quiet and no one goes about their normal activities. No traffic is allowed. People stay home. Love making too is meant to be beyond the pale on this day.
Visitors to the island have no choice but to follow some of these patterns. Airports and bus terminals are closed and local offices keep a tight rein on people venturing outside. There are rites observed both before and after Nyepi Day. The day for the Balinese is a time for reflection and is also known as the ‘Day of Silence’.