Balinese, people of the island of Bali, Indonesia. They differ from other Indonesians in adhering to the Hindu religionUnlike most Indonesians, who practice Islam, the Balinese adhere to Hinduism, though their culture interpretation of it has been heavily influenced by the neighbouring Javanese culture. Their The Balinese language belongs to the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) linguistic language family. In the early 21st century the Balinese numbered roughly three million.

In the traditional Balinese village each extended family lives in its own compound, surrounded a cluster of buildings enclosed by an earthen or stone wallswall. The shady courtyard is usually divided into three sections, containing, respectively, the rice granaries and cattle sheds, the sleeping quarters and kitchen, and the house temple. The living quarters have walls of clay and roofs of thatch or palm leaves. All Typical villages have temples and an assembly hall, usually centrally located on a public square, that also serves as a site for festivals and markets, markets, and other community activities.

Balinese life generally centres upon on religion, which is Hindu Śaivism ( Shaivism ) fused with Buddhism, ancestor cults, and belief in spirits and magiclocal spiritual beliefs. The Balinese believe in reincarnation, and the dead are cremated in order to liberate their souls for the onward journey. Caste practices exist, but, because most of the population belong to the lowest caste, there is little formality among the villagers. As in Java, there are different modes of speech to reflect differences in social rank. High Balinese, for instance, would be used for courtly interaction, middle Balinese would be used between status equals, and low Balinese would be used for everyday communication within the village.
