Bali Echo Magazine Edition 52

men able to attract investment from all overb Indonesia and the rest of the world, to employ hundreds of people and to support promising young local surfers. It was in recognition of Bali's first surfers' achievements and contributions to the development of a Balinese surfing community that the Australian Stephen Palmer helped Wayan Suwenda run. a "Legends" contest in the
early nineties. The purpose of the "Legends" contest was to bring all of Bali's first surfers foreigners as well as locals - together in good will and encourage younger Balinese surfers to respect their elders.

As Suwenda observes, "Many kids don't know their stories, which constitute the history of surfing in Bali. They don't recognize what those first surfers did for them the surf spots they discovered, the techniques they developed, the businesses they stablished
they just rub their hands and go 'Oh, we're so lucky!' If we can't respect our elders and forget all they did for the development of surfing in Bali, then we are cutting off our roots."

Happening Series was held at Pulau Serangan, a favourite surfing spot of local and foreign surfers alike between the months of November and March. Kids from Kuta, Le.gian, ,Sanur, Denpasar, Pulau Serangan and Medewi competed for prize money and goods, while the Serangan vest held their shape and si ze from morning till afternoon. All day pretty girls in uniform wandered around ink nice to lonely boys and giving away stickers and their goods, and lunch and snacks were provided to hungry competitors and organisers, the speakers pumped out punk rock and grunge, and colourful Volcom

flags and banners flapped in the breeze. The presence and good ill of loved and respected older Balinese surfers like de Narmada, Bobby Radiasa, Ketut Menda, Wayan antiasa and Wayan Pica added to the social atmosphere f the occasion, and turned the Grand Final of Volcom's Big Youth Happening Series - already a festival - into a brand celebration of the current condition and ongoing envelopment of surfing in Bali. It is clear then that surfing remains close to the hearts of Bali's first surfers. Indeed, the depth and complexity of these men's relationship with surfing does not escape them.

For Wayan Suwenda, for instance, surfing offers lessons in humility and caring for the environment, and bears an almost religious significance: "When we're in a be, we might be millionaires, we might have nothing -Is all the same, we forget all that. We don't become egoists 'l have everything!' - because we understand that the ocean can take everything from us in a moment. As surfers, we learn level of nature and get a special sense of what it is to live. Surfing is so special to me that I've had waves engraved on the stones of my place of prayer in house." Wayan Gantiyasa's remarks show that surfing can be a means to a livelihood and a person's calling in life. "Surfing has brought me so much," he says. "It has taken me to Japan, Hawaii, Australia. Because of it l have money, a house and car, a shop. l can support my family. And l am happy surfing. l surf every day After taking my two children to school in the morning l surf till midday, Then l take my children home, rest, eat and go surfing again in the evening if l feel like it. Surfing is what l do in life." And Gde Narmada, now aged forty-five, husband and father of three, has come to regard surfing as something like a physical and spiritual necessity. "Surfing is one of the most important things of all to me. The sea gives me something special. If l go to the sea, see it, swim in it, surf in it - l receive so much! If don't see the sea l don't have a complete day. l can get dizzy and nervous. But if l do then it doesn't matter what's going on in the world. l think that as long as I'm alive, l will remain this way. l think l will always live to surf and surf to live."