Cultural Ceremonial Reinterpretation for Balinese Christian Believers

Bali community lives in a lively tradition oriented on the beliefs and Hindu culture. Balinese rituals and culture is strongly felt and sustained by all community members as an icon of Balinese community. Bali is not only an island that inhabited by Hindu believers, but also non Hindu believers who highly value the rituals and cultures on personal lives. Acculturation within social and institution structure happen in a group level, but acculturation that involves behavioral changes happened within individual level. This research aims to find out the reinterpretation and assimilation occurs in the religious ceremonial of Christian community in Bali. This research analyzed through qualitative method and depth interview with both Christian and Hindu priests. Cultural reinterpretation that occurs in Balinese Christian society arises because of the adaptation and acculturation of culture. Basically the cultural assimilation that occurs in Balinese Christian community can be seen as a form of preservation of culture and tradition. Bali community lives in living tradition based on Hindu beliefs and culture. Balinese rituals and culture are strongly sustained by all members of the community as an icon of Balinese community. Bali, however, is not an island occupied merely by Hindu believers, but also by non-Hindu believers who also highly value their own rituals and culture. Acculturation is the process of cultural changes resulting from the contact of two different cultural groups with each other (Rudmin, 2003). Social and institutional acculturation happens in a group level, but acculturation that involves behavioral changes occurs within an individual level. This research, using the qualitative method, aims to reinterpret rituals within Balinese Christian community.     Keywords: reinterpretation, culture, Balinese communit