The family has a wider interpretation than that common in the West, embracing descendants of the same father, grandfather or even greatgrandfather. All members of the family worship common ancestors at the family shrine which each household maintains. Not only does each household have its own shrine but each village has three main temples.

There is the Pura Puseh, located in northward, to the direction of sacred Mt. Agung, where God reside, dedicated to the founding ancestor of the village, Pura Desa, in the middle of the village, where activity of the village takes place, and the Pura Dalem, the temple for the dead, located in southward to the direction of the sea, in the village graveyard.

A village, or a desa, is made up of families with a shared ancestor. The family compounds are walled courtyards containing living quarters, barns and the household shrine and usually line either side of a wide avenue. In the center of each village is a square, a busy focal point.

Around the square will be a market, a colourful display of the lush produce of the island, the cockfighting arena, and temples: in fact, all the important elements of the community life. A giant Banyan, the sacred tree of the Hindus, is often also found in the square.

The men of the village tackle the heavy work and look after the ricefield, except during harvest time when the women and older children join in to help.

Most of the population involved in the cultivation of rice, being happy to share the equally in the work load as in the profits. No man actually owns his own piece of land but instead each works his appointed section, participates in the temple ceremonies, when the agricultural deities are called upon to bless the crops, and in this way enough rice is produced for everyone. The whole operation is supervised by the elected headman who hold regular meetings, or subak, to discuss projects, which are put to the vote.

The headmen themselves do not recieve additional remuneration or favours but view their work as a duty to the community, taking the pride in the responsiblity and sharing in the harvest like everyone else.

The land provides most of their needs, so there is a litle labour for wages and money is only need for a few items like salts, medecine and luxuries.

As in Western society, the women do the domestic chores, but they also raise pigs and chikens and run the village markets. The arts and crafts for which Bali is so famous are the work of men, with the exception of weaving of cloth which is traditionally a female pursuit.

They are a hardworking race with unsophisticated material requirements, working compatibly together for the benefit of the community. And yet there is a serenity and peace, a deep contentment and joie-de-vivre about them, which justifies the envy of their Western counterparts.