Bamboo in Balinese Life

Bamboo, called tiing by Balinese is an indispensable part of Balinese culture. In Bali bamboo is not grown within the house compound. Balinese believe that if the bamboo sprouts by itself within a house compound it is allowed to remain, but its growth is discouraged by indirect means. Such is the magic bamboo that only old people may tackle the dangerous job of digging it out and only in certain days that work concerning bamboo may be safely undertaken. But the Balinese life and culture would have develop along different lines had bamboo not existed on the island.