If you really want to do something, there are always people who are willing to walk that path with you, supporting you to achieve your goals. It is my dream that Kaura Bali and the Manggis village will continue to be those willing partners. Together, we have already achieved so much and with the drive of the incredible people here we can do more.
When I talk about the people of Kaura, it is a very wide community. From the employees to the Manggis villagers, the farmers who manage the rice and the land, the students who visit, and the women of the Bakung Asri who create the artisan crafts. We are proud that 98% of the people at Kaura are from the Manggis village. This creates a different feel working in a community where the people have ownership of it.
The Manggis people are so genuine in their interactions. When guests visit for a day and night, they get a different type of connection.
It is a welcome to their home, not their hotel. When they greet people, it is genuine, warm, and with pride. That authenticity can’t be faked. Even though some of them do not speak English very well, the way they want to share their stories, history, spirit and culture is fascinating. Everyone is made to feel welcome.
Let me introduce you to three wonderful people whose stories reflect their powerful transformation in personal growth, leadership, or entrepreneurial spirit. These are the type of people that make me believe so deeply in the future of Kaura Manggis Bali.
Supada is a responsible, bright young man from the village. He works in the F&B team providing the welcome service of drinks and towel, and a storyteller when greeting our guests. He delivers an excellent service for guests and has learnt English on the job.
He’s a young Gen Z but carries the wisdom of someone much older. He lost his father when he was young, and so, his mother was the farmer and breadwinner as well as mum to him and sister. She made sure they got the highest education. By Balinese tradition, Supada inherited the ceremonial and family responsibilities typically held by the male head of the household. While his peers were playing after school, he was preparing family offerings, learning the rituals, and stepping into a role far beyond his years. Supada works hard and is very grateful to be working for Kaura so he can stay in the village, be a part of his community and take care of his mum and sister.
From the first time I saw him to now, he has changed a lot. He is super keen to learn and develop himself. He knows who he wants to be and where he wants to go. His outstanding progress and contribution to Kaura have been recognised by being enrolled into our leadership training programme. His future could be so bright, he has every potential to be a future GM from the village!
Though Gusti Angga leads our landscaping team, taking care of all the flowers and gardens, his greatest impact on Kaura is his role as the creative leader of the Megenjekan.
Megenjekan is a traditional Balinese performance of music, song, and dance that has ancient origins, born from post-harvest village gatherings. Today, the performances are more for regular entertainment in the village. There is no specific song or dance; they develop their shows by performing traditional cultural songs and creating their own local music and dances.
At Kaura it is Gusti who creates the songs, melodies, music and then trains the Kaura team to be able to Megenjekan. He finds inspiration from his family. As a child, he toured with his aunts and uncles, all renowned singers and dancers, across Bali and other regions around Indonesia. He loved performing the Megenjekan and has become an expert with Indonesian instruments and musical styles.
Now, he channels Balinese Megenjekan traditions and his family heritage into Kaura. He leads rehearsals in the Community Hub every afternoon before they put on the show for the audience in the evening. The vibe in the village is different in the afternoons as guests often join just to listen and learn.
When Gusti goes into the Hub for training and rehearsal, I see him switch into a different person. His passion for Megenjekan comes through even more than his love for his gardens. In his music, it’s like watching a spirit awaken. His artistry isn’t just skill, it’s his inheritance, and he’s passing it on.
When I first met Ibu Sari, she was a housewife and part-time worker in the fields during the rice harvest. She had graduated from middle school, got married and spent most of her life raising the children. When a Women’s Farmer group was organised, she had become its secretary. Then the leader left, and she took that job. Since then, she has transformed the administration, structure, and the organising of the people beyond our wildest dreams.
Ibu Sari is very open-minded, eager to learn something new and always keen to develop herself. When a workshop by the Ministry of SMEs offered the chance to study and connect with other people about entrepreneurship, Ibu Sari immediately said, “OK, I want to go!” So, both of us drove our scooters down the mountain to be part of that program. There we had the idea for making and selling a locally handmade body butter.
When we returned to the village, there were many negative voices who said it wouldn’t work. Patriarchy is prevalent in the village and Balinese life. All opportunities flow to the boys and men. They are the ones who are supposed to continue the family tree, and the whole village works this way. This is driven into the women’s psyche. They stay in the cocoon of having a safe life, of getting married, doing whatever their husband asks, and raising the children. So, women cannot see beyond household jobs. They are blocked from trying new things.
Because of strong and inspirational women like Ibu Sari, those attitudes are slowly changing. Families are becoming more open-minded. Children are being treated equally, and more women are putting their hands up to try new things and take new opportunities.
And the Body Butter? That has been developed and is being successfully produced and sold by the Bakung Asri Women’s group. Ibu Sari continues to be a true inspiration to the village.
Sometimes, people in the village say they feel they’re less worthy because of where they live or their lack of higher education. My hope is that every person in Manggis begins to see the full potential in their land and themselves. They have so much life experience. They hold the local wisdom, traditional knowledge, heritage and cultural stories. I want them as a community to be proud of it and guard it for future generations.
I want that pride to be communicated to their guests, to show them how wonderful and life-affirming it is to live in this beautiful area.
We hope to welcome you to Kaura Bali very soon!
Sintya.
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