Hedi was our guest speaker on August 26. She is an expert in the Archaeology, Ancient History and Art of South and Southeast Asia. Since 1972 she conducts fieldwork in South East Asia, and visits Bali and Java yearly. In Bali she is engaged in the organization of the Balinese Manuscripts Project. As an Assistant Professor at the University of Leiden she taught performing Arts and Contemporary Art of South East Asia, and of Bali in particular.

Being a Balinese puppeteer herself, Hedi Hinzler has a special interest in Balinese performing arts, and has sponsored, co-initiated and participated in many developments of Balinese music and dance in the Netherlands. She was one of the people behind the organization of the North Bali Cultural Identity Conference held in Singaraja earlier this month.

North Bali has always had its own unique cultural identity. Several art forms were more developed and refined, long before, they developed in the Southern part of Bali. However, the influence of the South Balinese visual and performing arts has become so strong it looks like it is overruling the very specific North Balinese characteristics. There is a group of people that studies North Balinese arts in an effort to show how it is different and unique. The goal is to rediscover the North Balinese art styles. Hopefully the people from North Bali will become aware again of what once made them standing out.

Our club recently purchased a projector to assist guest speakers - and Hedi used it very effectively.