Ketut Liyer – Visiting with a Balian
By Halle Eavelyn
Did you read “Eat Pray Love”?
Do you want to meet with a famous Balinese Shaman?
Ketut Liyer, thanks to the best-selling book, “Eat Pray Love”, has found himself catapulted to fame and at least some small fortune as the most important Balian on an island of very spiritual people. And earlier this year, Spirit Quest Tours was in Bali for two weeks with a group of 35 American tourists, many of whom had read the book and were hoping to meet Ketut. Luckily, our Balinese guide knew, and where he lived, and I was able to send him over to Ubud to set up an afternoon for our group to see him.
What is a Balian?
The Jakarta Post, Indonesia’s local paper, defines many different types of Balian or holy man. ”[One type of Balian] are called balian tulang or bone setters. There are many other types of balian – shaman or traditional healers. There are the balian uwut, the name originating from urat or muscle, which refers to a masseur who has mastered the traditional knowledge of human anatomy and is capable of healing muscle strains or any other bodily stiffness.
The Balinese also recognize balian ushada (shamans whose traditional medicinal knowledge is based on ancient lontar or papyrus inscriptions) and balian tenung (soothsayers who spiritually heal people affected by black magic). The balian uwut, especially, still play a significant role in traditional Balinese medicine. Despite the fact modern doctors are practicing in rural areas, people still choose to go to balian uwut for help.”
