Tourism and Bali

Bhutan Photo Scholarship Entry

Indonesia | Thursday, October 14, 2010 | 5 photos

In the 2007-08 academic year, I traveled to Indonesia to study the music, language, and culture of Bali under the Darmasiswa RI scholarship. This formative experience led me to develop not only my musicianship, but my prowess as a photographer - something I would like to continue to do around the globe.

The photos I took during that year tell a story not only of current Indonesian culture, but of Western culture's influence upon it. My experience as a foreigner in a locale that has been utterly transformed by tourism showed me not only my privileged status, but the effect that privileged people just like myself have. Though I was enthralled by the music and dance of Bali, I knew that the simple fact that I was studying it was changing Balinese culture forever.

These photos tell the story of Indonesian people who have had to deal with these issues as a matter of course. Though they may not constantly be cognizant of the effect of tourism on the archipelago, they nevertheless have to deal with its repercussions on a daily basis.

I believe Bhutan is experiencing the beginnings of this problem. I am interested to document this particular moment of time in Bhutan for this very reason. Photography is the best means to this end, and is something I participate in passionately enough to convey such a situation.