Dusk and Dawn

As the battle against trading in dog meat for consumption continues as it should.  As the push for laws against cruelty go on as they should.  As educational encouragement surrounding protection promotion and preservation rolls on as it does.  Let’s take some time to actually see what is good and positive about life for the Bali Dog.

Dusk and dawn would be the perfect generalized name for Bali Dogs, for it is during these times of the day when they are most active.  In villages and outer ring areas away from built up Bali modernity, Bali people and their dogs mingle at sunrise and sunset.  This gathering is not done for any other purpose than it’s just done, been done that way for, well basically forever.  If you really want to see the dance of dog and people these are the times, especially in the afternoon/evening long shadow duration.  In the fading light, colours are delightfully muted, throwing a scene where dogs and people combine in a complete tapestry of Bali and all her colours.

Here, during those periods, life for dog and people is just a normal cycle of get up and move and get back and relax.  The afternoon shift from hot to evening cool, brings families and dogs onto the streets and roads, setting up a scene to those who are unaware, of what appears to be uncontrolled chaos, nothing could be further from the truthful reality. 

​This is the time when Bali is just doing what it has historically always done, people and dogs doing people and dog stuff together in a parallel dance of separateness.  There are duties and jobs to be done during this period and with generational regularity an expectation of performance is simply adhered to, unspoken yet silently knowing.