Most people know Kuta as hedonistic resort where everything is possible. It is a Phuket-on-Bintang, just about the only place in the archipelago where public displays of drunkenness are tolerated.
The booths and stands, which are the early visitors, hippies and backpackers in the 70s makes welcome way for glitzy shopping malls and 5-star luxury, as Bali is experiencing a tourism boom, after a welcome change the double bombings at the beginning of the 21st century saw the sun and surf seekers look elsewhere for their jollies come.
It has an element of raffish trade on Kuta long ago. While the interior of Bali, with its rice terraces and ritually marked Lifestyle, fought a war of annihilation by war among themselves, Kuta, on the peninsula south of the island was perfectly situated for trade; its easy access to the warm waters of the Indian Ocean on its two flanks it meant was able to take advantage of the winds that closed for months other left less blessed ports.
There was Kuta entrepôt than a trade that first attracted a Danish adventurer, entrepreneur and chancer named Mads Lange. given the violent gang that terrorized the area in the 1850s, it is unlikely Lange, would often lost along with the rest of the small expat economy who have called Kuta home to the famous beach, the surf crashing in or enjoy the famous to see sunset.
their days would have spent to make money, withdraw its evenings to their connections to the sounds of the jungle and the blood clots blocking roars local racket to take solace in their memories of home.
Certainly his connection had everything the 19th century to keep the trader / adventurer happy. In addition to the halls (pendopos) that were used for trade, he held a wine cellar, a music room and a pool table. Then as now, conversation was an essential part in the economy and long lists of its beach residence impress.
Lange was already familiar with not only Bali, but much of the rest of the Dutch East Indies. He had spent several years moving to the neighboring island of Lombok, where he had cosied with Raja, while a business competitor had been to another potentate nearby; Politics and economics are as inseparable from then and now.
he had left his native Denmark when he was just 19 years old, to the east, like so many these days has hoping to make his mark in Asia, was then quite below the European yoke ,
It was in 1834 that he was known to begin in constant, which should be later than Indonesia his business empire. He, along with a Scottish partner with extensive contacts throughout the region, opened a trading post in Ampenan. As a company, he expanded a shipyard opened nearby and Harbourmaster (Shahbandar) from the local raja appointed, a very lucrative position, since it allows him to take a section of customs duties on ships that use the port.
Lombok in those days a volatile place was challenged openly with scrutiny for the various micro-states on the island by the local potentates, Balinese and the Dutch, after that could best serve their interests.
, the Danish businessman supported the wrong Raja and was forced to flee the island, because only 24 hours to close his business and be gone. He jumped on the narrow road to Bali and settled in a small trading post called Kuta down.
The Lesser Sundas the name of the island group is given, which stretch east of Java. When Europeans in the archipelago crashed a bridgehead in the valuable spice trade to get them focused their attention on Sumatra, Java and the Moluccas. But there were still opportunities for qualified entrepreneurs in the smaller islands, including Bali to obtain; especially if you know the language, how long did.
When he restarted in Kuta came with suspected him the local Dutch market place looking for, but a long time it did not matter. He used his contacts to make money, and perhaps one of its outlets was the fact that he was not Dutch! The dominant European power in the region were forced to take a backseat to a long and ultimately realism took over from the colonial dreams of Dutch hegemony and she decided the best thing she could hope for was working with the Dane well entrenched.
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, which uses it as a broker or deal depending on their own needs and desires. But Lange played the game for himself as much as anyone else. He was not a benevolent Westerners seduced by the charm of Bali rice terraces and temples; he was a hard-nosed businessman of his time and include the times, wanted to trade a high after commodity; Balinese slaves. After 19 years in Southeast Asia, Lange took his mind at home often turn, but return was not an easy task. With the Suez Canal still a pipe dream, a trip home meant over the vast Indian Ocean wandering and rounding the Cape of Good Hope; a journey that is not counted in weeks months.
he wrote a last letter to a good friend of his on strips of palm leaves. In it, he referred to his trip to Denmark and he indicated that he may never return, when he said: ". From my return I will not speak" He died shortly before he was to set sail, according to rumors he was poisoned.
Long was known to have two women while he lived in Bali; a modest number in those days. One was Balinese, the other Chinese. With the Chinese woman he had a daughter named Cecilia Catharina who marry a future Sultan of Johor was the, as they say, is another story!
If you are interested to know more about Mads Lange and the early days of Kuta as a place of business Check-out Bali Chronicles of Willard A. Hanna.
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