Balinese Pray for Cleaner Oceans: Bali

Bali found its own unique way of joining the rest of mankind in celebrating World Environment Day 2007 on June 5th. Tempo Interaktif reports that the residents of West Bali gathered on the beaches near Menjangan Island to participate in a ritualized cleaning of the sea. The devotees, members of the Communication Forum for People Concerned with Coastal Areas (FKMPP), gathered to pray at the shore and toss floral offerings into the surf.

“This was a spiritual complement to efforts to clean our shores and coral reefs, especially from the threat posed by Crown of Thorn Starfish (Acanthaster plancii),” explained the Chairman of FKMPP, Misnawiyanto.

According to members of the Forum, Bali’s protective reefs are being damaged by coral bleaching and the over-population of Crown of Thorn Starfish. The FKMPP blames the rapid rise in the destructive Crown of Thorn Starfish population on climate change which has created conditions favorable to the species’ proliferation.

The ceremony in West Bali on June 5th was a joint effort of the FKMPP, the West Bali National Park and area dive operators as an article in the Bali Discovery explained.