The many unseen inhabitants of Bali - gods, ancestors and demons - are treated by the Balinese as honored guests through the daily presentation of offerings (banten) of every imaginable shape, color and substance. These are first and foremost gifts - expressing gratitude to benevolent spirits, and placating mischievous demons to prevent them from disturbing the harmony of life.


Simple offerings are presented daily as a matter of course, while more elaborate ones are specially produced for specific rituals. After the daily food is prepared, for example, tiny packets are presented to the resident gods of the household before the family eats. Every day, too, the spirits are presented with tiny canang - palm leaf trays containing flowers and betel as a token of hospitality.


Being gifts to higher beings, these offerings must be attractive, and a great deal of time and effort is expended to make them so. Leaves are laboriously cut, plaited and pinned together into decorative shapes (jejaitan). Multi-colored rice flour cookies (jajan) are modeled into tiny sculptures and even into entire scenes which have a deep symbolic significance quite apart from their decorative function. In many ways, therefore, the production of offerings may be regarded as an important traditional art form that still flourishes on Bali.