https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iylMdPNR_iY

The post The School Band appeared first on Green School Bali.

Discussions in the Grade 9 Jalan Jalan class began with issues of the river pollution and culminated in looking at ways in which we might improve the situation. We focused on the question of how the Ayung Watershed could be restored.

At the back of the bus on the way to the headwaters, it became very clear that to fully understand the river, we needed to understand its role in Balinese culture and religion. Pak Soma worked diligently to make contact with representatives from the local Banjar.

A meeting was arranged to ask the banjar how the river fits into the Balinese world, and
how we can live more in harmony with it? The conversation turned to rubbish and tree
planting.

The next thing we knew there came an offer from the King Of Sibang to visit the school.

He told the students there was a demon that lived in the river. She has a palace, but we cannot see it.
The demon will do anything for the King of Sibang.

We asked him how we could live more in harmony with the river? Could we help plant bamboo by the river?

The king said he had arranged trash pickup and tree plantings with his students in the recent past but was concerned about bamboo. He was amenable to planting on landslides especially upriver where more areas are available for planting.

The next step is to propose a regional meeting to set up communication channels to find places to plant and come up with seedlings. The government has offered a grant for tree planting, and the Banjar has been trying to map where trees could go.

The Banjar has drafted, and is in the process of passing a rule, that makes dumping in the river a fineable offense. They hope to propose a similar change at the regional level. Every Saturday a government program in Bandung sees students pick up rubbish. On average 300 tons of rubbish every month from schools in the region. The amount is shrinking and they suspect this means the situation is getting better.

For building the relationship and looking for more areas where we can work together, Grade 9 decided we should have a followup meeting with the king to identify any areas where we can work with them. The class would like to see where planting could happen and how they can we help.

The post The King and Us appeared first on Green School Bali.

Learn this 3-part system as the path forward to improving your productive soils:

1. Composting made easy: Trust Nature’s Bio-vital system
2. Making soil pro-biotic: Soil microbiology made simple
3. Making cost effective bio-fertilizers

Skills you will Learn:

Who should attend:

More about Paul Taylor
Paul was raised on an organic farm and has been working with sustainable soil management for more than 30 years. Paul demystifies the complex sciences of soil microbiology and plant nutrition to bring you a cutting edge system of sustainable soil management. Find out more about him here.

Join us for 5 days of intensive gardening! Discounts are available for bookings before April 1st and for those booking in groups. We are also offering scholarships for Indonesians who can speak English for the full course, and a FREE 1-day workshop in Indonesian for locals. For more info on scholarships and discounts email kul@kulkulfarm.com. For bookings click here. 

The Kul Kul Farm
The farm is located 3 mins walk from Green School. It is being set up as a learning farm and education centre to bring established teachers and professionals like Paul to contribute and share their knowledge and expertise with our ever growing visitors, community and students. Learn more about the farm here.

The post New Kul Kul Farm appeared first on Green School Bali.

On 23rd of March, Milan Reznichek (Grade 7) and Gede Witsen (Grade 8) won the Bali Traditional Archery Competition hosted by the government of Denpasar.

Milan (Grade 7) and Gede (Grade 8) Won the Competition

Pak Putu Witsen, our Mepantigan and Mepanah Bali teacher had regularly trained eight Green School students every Thursday after school and Saturday at the Mepantigan yurt, Batu Bulan.

The Head of Denpasar City opened the competition and archery athletes from the entire Bali joined in. Around 30 participants competed at that time. Scroll down to see more pictures from the competition.

Green School’s curriculum has been more enriched with Balinese culture studies as we commit to put emphasis on local wisdom. Our students are so lucky to be able to experience such valuable knowledge.

Sebuah prestasi yang membanggakan dari siswa “Mepanah Bali” Green School. Pada tanggal 23 Maret 2015, dua siswa Green School Milan (kelas 7) dan Gede (kelas 8) memenangkan sayembara Mepanah Tradisional Bali yang diselenggarakan dalam rangka ulang tahun kota Denpasar.

Bapak Putu Witsen, guru Mepantigan Green School telah melatih delapan siswa Green School secara teratur setiap Kamis sepulang sekolah dan Sabtu di pondok mepantigan Batubulan. Sayembara ini dibuka oleh Bapak Walikota Denpasar dan diikuti oleh atlet panah seluruh Bali. Sekitar 30 peserta turut andil dalam sayembara ini.

The post GS Students Won the Bali Traditional Archery Competition appeared first on Green School Bali.

15.15pm may be last bell of the day  for Green School students but 15.15pm is long before Green School closes its doors for the night.

Every afternoon, once the international students have left their classrooms, Balinese children come to Green School to partake in a program called Kul Kul Connection. The program is offered free and began as a way to strengthen ties with the community that surrounds the school. It was not long before it became one of the main support networks  for the Green School Local Scholars, who are the Balinese families whose children have scholarships at the school. Eighteen months ago, Pak Soma, who teaches Indonesian at GS, introduced after school English lessons  to the local community children. Over night the Kul Kul Connection classes were teaching to over 100 students.

Students are divided into classes suited for their level and age,  and spend an hour with their English teacher, usually in groups of around ten. The classes are run by volunteers made up of teachers and dedicated parents and funded by Kul Kul connection donations and raised funds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXWTGxvXOQ0

Bamboo News Magazine met three of them last Monday afternoon. They are in the beginners class and were very willing to introduce themselves to the Bamboo News community:

“My name is Indah. I am from —– . I am eleven year old. My hobby is rowing. My favourite food is hamburger. My favourite drink is lemon juice.”

“My name is Putri. I am eleven years old. I am from ———–. My favourite colour is purple. My favourite food is pizza. My favourite drink is pop ice.”

“My name is Eka. I am from ———–. My favourite food pizza. My favourite colour pink. Thank you.”

According to Tim Fijal, Green School Head of Admissions, and one of the key founders of Kul Kul Connection, says the program has become an important part of the culture at Green School.

“When when I first came to the school I understood that respecting the Balinese who live in and around the school was one of our main values.  I wanted to see more of a connection between our international and surrounding communities, ” says Tim.

This connection has massive potential not only for the learning opportunities for them but our international kids and the adult members of our community, he says.

It is so gratifying to see the Balinese waiting to pick up their kids and expressing gratitude for allowing their children this opportunity.

It really is great to be offering something of value to the local community.

Emma Titley is one of the staff who work at GS’s student village and has become a key facilitator and teacher within the program.

“The kids are not only getting English lessons but are also being exposed to learning about sustainability,” she says.

“The Balinese kids are becoming real stewards of their own local environment, which they see being rapidly depleted by the development of their island.”

The good will works both ways too with locals teaching the international parents and teachers Bahasa Indonesia with the Race to 300 language exchange program.

Emma is also instrumental in raising funds to pay for teachers to take part in the Kul Kul Connection classes.

“It is a constant need but it is so rewarding getting to know the locals in this way, “she says.

Please contact emma.titley@greenschool.org if you would like to volunteer your services to the Kul Kul Connection.

The post Kul Kul Connection: Meet The Students appeared first on Green School Bali.

“Where does the meat we eat come from?” is a question that is being asked more and more frequently by consumers all around the world. However, a second question of the same importance still remains largely unspoken of. “How is the meat we eat killed?” seems to not breach people’s conversations and inquiries to the same extent as the question of where and how an animal is raised. At Green School, though, this is not the case. Our high school science class has spent the past few weeks investigating these two questions in regards to the differences and similarities between western and local Balinese practices.

The exploration was undertaken for students to appreciate and discriminate where meat comes from, as well as “to understand the process between taking care of animals to putting them on your plate” as science teacher Jackie Pye outlines. Throughout the course of the lessons, the science lab has had its fair share of challenging conversations, including some deep personal reflections and ethical debates. To mark the closure of the project, students then undertook the killing of a pig on school property, guided by the traditional Balinese pig killing methods. Read student Becca Stine’s story here

Historically, pigs were only killed for special occasions in Bali, such as a wedding or as part of a special offering at certain ceremonies. Nowadays, the consumption of pork is more widespread (one only has to notice the many Babi Guling restaurants on the side of the road to notice this), the method of killing, however, is still steeped in tradition and customs. The Green school head of kitchen, Ibu Kadek, explains how the knowledge regarding pig slaughter is passed through the generations in a family, and how only those in possession of the information are allowed to kill pigs. Moreover, this act is a man’s job, often carried out very early in the morning so that the pork can be ready for consumption as day breaks. She goes further into detail, pointing out that it is still special own a pig because of the large quantity of meat that they provide. The actual killing also follows a special method. First, a prayer blessing the pig is said, followed by the spearing of the pig’s main artery in its neck. Then, the waiting for the blood to drain begins, after which the pig’s skin is peeled off, the body is opened and the intestines are removed. Once these steps have been completed, the meat of the pig can be carved, prepared, and either sold or consumed.

Seeing that in Bali the method of spearing a pig to kill it is the only one used on the whole island, students followed this technique in their own killing of a Green School Pig. They blessed the pig, they speared the pig, and they consumed the pig, making ribs and Vietnamese spring rolls for lunch. However, there was deviation from tradition too. Jackie Pye, the teacher, articulates why. “We did not do the slaughter to learn about Balinese culture per se but observed some of the traditions as this is the only way to do it on Bali. This slaughter was not done under Balinese “code”. It was a quick version done on property so that we wouldn’t have to adhere to strict Balinese offerings as well as slaughter times. In fact women are not allowed to participate in this activity off site and there are other customs that we did not follow.”

Bamboo News Magazine interviewed a number of students before the killing took place. The students were mainly nervous, some a little excited, and very interested to witness (and for some, partake in) the killing. Once reconnecting with the students after the event, it was thought-provoking to hear their comments. One student, Luba Bauer, said “maybe it was better to have a pig enjoy its life instead of fear” in reference to life in a Balinese backyard in contrast to how a pig would feel in a western style factory farm. Another student commented on how the Balinese killing method may seem more brutal than the hygienic western equivalent, but if it can be justified by every day leading up to its death as being a good day (as compared to one lived in fear) perhaps it is, ultimately, the more humane option.

All in all, our high school students can now confidently say they know both where the meat that we eat comes from, and how it is killed. But more than this, the natural, holistic, student-centered approach that Green School employs has allowed them to understand a crucial aspect of our beings and sense of existence. Some tough questions were posed. And our students seem to have found some percipient answers.

The post A pig’s life in Bali appeared first on Green School Bali.

Being part of the Green School Visual Arts team, I find myself in the wonderful position of having the opportunity to develop a curriculum that is very much influenced by our geographical location. In doing so I draw my inspiration from the very rich cultural and artistic features that abound in celebrations and festivals, and as a part of everyday customs on the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia. The High School curriculum is unique – all classes are taught in six week blocks – 24 hours of intense instruction which allows for concentrated study in a particular area. Students are responsible for selecting their classes, and in doing so, have ownership to choose subjects that best suit their needs and interests.

One of the classes available in high school is a class called “Kesenian Indonesia” (Artists of Indonesia). This unique cultural sustainability program provides the opportunity for students to learn traditional arts and crafts from local artists while forging links with the Balinese community. We have been fortunate to have several “Artist in Residence” workshops this year including traditional Shadow Theater with Pak Wayan, Kite Making with Pak Ida Bagus (Prince of Badung regency), Recycled Art with Pak Made, and bamboo wood carving with Pak Yok.

In our current High School block, students in the Kesenian Indonesia class are learning about the traditional craft of Batik. Two times a week, our class embarks on a 20 minute walk through the village of Sibang to our Batik workshop. This class is taught entirely in Indonesian – an authentic language immersion for students of all abilities. A recent article “A Culture of Sustainability Through Art” explains the importance of cultural understanding as one of the four pillars of sustainability.

Green School is a school where our students (and staff) thrive. There is nothing more rewarding than working in a beautiful environment in which students are motivated by a love of learning and not simply an academic grade. As educators, we know that it is our influence that can shape a student’s attitude about school and learning – attitudes that can influence a student’s success in life. When the students we teach feel confident, competent and accepted as learners, it is then that we know we have made a difference.

Yours sincerely,
Ibu Jen Buchanan
Arts Teacher

The post GS Visual Art: Kesenian Indonesia Class appeared first on Green School Bali.

Here in Bali, GreenCamp is fortunate to be surrounded by a Balinese culture that is full of generosity and the spirit of giving. Not only in Bali – yet throughout the Indonesian archipelago – the tradition of generously giving one’s time to a community’s shared social or environmental cause is common. In Bahasa Indonesia, “kerja bakti” literally translates to “work done in the spirit of devotion,” and another term, “gotong royong,” speaks to the Indonesian tradition of working together towards a common cause.

GreenCamp Gardeners at Work

Often, “gotong royong” can be a simple task yet one that requires many hands in order to be done well, such as cleaning up garbage from a riverbank or hiking path. It can also be a more complicated task – like erecting a bamboo building! Here at GreenCamp, “kerja bakti” is part of all of our lives, and we are fortunate to be enriched with experiences gained from working together (often at tasks we might not normally do on our own) because of it.

There truly is something to be said for the value of learning through experience, as well as the value of giving to others. If you, like many, are inspired by the spirit of giving this season and are exploring ways of giving eco-conscious gifts that carry genuine meaning with them, consider an out-of-the-ordinary experience at GreenCamp as a gift for someone you love.

We have grown our offerings this past year and are enthusiastic about several of our offerings for next summer – perhaps one of these Camps or Courses may be a meaningful fit for you or yours:

Completely unique in the world of sustainable building & design, GreenCamp is proud to announce our third Bamboo U Course for adults from July 28th – Aug 3rd, 2015. This 7 day residential course will be led by GreenCamp with technical workshops delivered by expert craftsmen from Ibuku- the design firm spearheading bamboo building and design.

The course has a great balance of hands-on workshops and theory, and has received rave reviews from participants joining us from around the world.

A summer camp like no other, especially for young people interested in adventure, culture, and Indonesia’s amazing marine & terrestrial biodiversity. The South Sulawesi Sustainability Journey from GreenCamp is a truly special seaside camp open only to a small group of 12 young adventurers, ages 13 – 15. Led by expert facilitators, this is a carefully crafted one-of-a-kind journey from Bali to Sulawesi.

We hope that one of these offerings might be a good fit for those of you that are, like us, exploring how our traditions of giving to others this season can be done in ways that will enhance the life experiences of those we gift to.

Check out our website or email.

The post GreenCamp Gift appeared first on Green School Bali.

Read more about the Biogas Cowboy

The post Meet The Biogas Cowboy From Bangil appeared first on Green School Bali.

Gika tells us how her introduction to TED came about

I was training to be a Barista at FREAK Coffee when I was in 11th grade. In 2012, FREAK was one of TEDxUbud’s partners and we served coffee for 300 people. It was my first TEDx event.

I was amazed by how well organised the event was and I happened to be sharing my thoughts with my then boss, Asher Yaron. He connected me with Daniela Burr.

One summer, Daniela came to the coffee shop during my shift and asked if I wanted to volunteer as the Head of Communication for TEDxUbud 2013.

I communicated with the attendees and ended up on the TEDx stage performing part of the Legong Kraton dance. I felt quite famous afterwards.

I graduated from Green School in 2013 and I came back to TEDxUbud as the Entertainment Liaison.

I had the chance to share my dance again on a TEDxUbud big screen this year, dancing slowly like the film recording of me by Soma Helmi.

Click here to read about what last year’s graduate scholar, Alicia, is doing since leaving Green School

The post Look At Our Local Scholar Now appeared first on Green School Bali.