Story Behind the Photo

This photo is one of my favorites. Not only because of the content, but because of the event surrounding it. My brother lives in Bali and is married to a local, so I have a half-Balinese niece. The occasion of this photo was her three-month ceremony. It was a typical Balinese ceremony with offerings, music, entertainment, and food for family and friends. I was fascinated by the spread of tools and offerings that were set upon the platform from which the priestess officiated. Everything had its purpose, and was also very finely crafted and beautiful. The priestess had obtained her position when her husband died; she assisted him in his duties as priest for years, and so when he died she simply assumed his role. Here's a photo of the priestess herself, in the midst of the ceremony: