A Brief History of Bali is a vivid depiction of interactions with the Balinese made mainly by Dutchmen from the pen of a clearly meticulous and detailed author Willard Hanna first published in 1976 . The book comes with a new foreword and a couple of closing chapters by Tim Hannigan of [[ASIN:0804844763 Brief History of Indonesia]] fame. This is not a comprehensive history of Bali as it largely covers material clearly gleaned from Dutch archival sources. The pre-Dutch history of Bali is barely touched upon and there are non-European interludes which are glossed over. However, for an account of the European experience in Bali it is a highly readable and enjoyable text.

The work starts with the situation in Bali pre-1800. It is a single chapter but is nice to read the background. The histories of the rajadoms is not hugely detailed.but it sets out the basic starting point for Bali prior to interaction with Europeans.

It is really from the 1800s and early 19800s that most of this history is presented. The early encounters are about the discovering of Bali and the initial interactions between in particular the Dutch and seemingly naive but restive locals. Amusing to read from the very start of European engagement with Bali that there were people so enthused with what they discovered on the island that they chose to stay rather than return to Europe.

The bulk of the text covers the encroaching Dutch and their trade and wars with Balinese rajadoms. The Dutch had already taken hold of much of Java before their Balinese adventures expanded. Clearly Bali was a lower priority for a long time but eventually the Dutch held sway over the entire island. Hanna's work presents the various Dutch officials who made their fortunes and fame on Bali including those who fought with the locals.

The Dutch conquest of Bali is presented in the slow, gradual accumulation it clearly was. The infighting between rajadoms following the collapse of the Dewa Agung's overriding authority shows the almost procession-like approach the Dutch took. The details of early treatise between the Dutch and various Rajas are laid out clearly with the reactions from both sides depicted including oft disappointed overseers in the Netherlands and somewhat bemused locals.

Issues such as salvage of wrecks seems to have been key to the relationship between the Dutch and the Balinese. The locals belief in their rights to salvage run up against the Dutch system of more ordered governance. The alien concept of sovereignty seems to be a source of much confusion between the would-be colonists and those they would come to dominate. The changing times in Europe play out to some extent in the Dutch rule. In particular the abolition of slavery which was a common feature in Bali, especially of debtors, eats into a traditional cultural expression. The more modern European values triumph over a system that had existed for centuries.

War is a common theme throughout the book. The Dutch lead various incursions into Bali. Not all of them successful. The Balinese were on occasion able to repel the invaders but in the long run the colonists were too much for the locals to resist. The rajadoms fall in succession and the horrific puputan seems to have taken place dozens of times.

The role of Lombok crops up on occasion. It is clearly a much less important place but Balinese leadership of its neighbouring island despite the local Sasak population's Muslim faith is given a short assessment.

There are some truly touching anecdotes in Brief History. Chief among them is a chapter dedicated to the biography of Danish trader Mads Lange. The tale of a Danish trader so far from home is fascinating. It is a great insight into what it takes to succeed in the cutthroat world of the 19th century among an alien culture. Mads Lange clearly made his mark during the time he lived on Bali and it is well-worth his chapter.

Hanna's writing continues beyond the Dutch period into the mid 20th century. He has disappointingly little to say about the Japanese occupation. It is a real omission to write a story about Bali and to just gloss over the period when the Dutch were ousted and the Japanese Empire took ownership. Equally there is not a huge amount about the Balinese role in the independence movement - perhaps because in reality Bali played very little role in Indonesia's ultimate independence from the Netherlands.

There is though fascinating insight into the people who began to form some of the Western cultural interaction with Bali from the 1930s. The initial development of a nascent tourist population and the artists who forged what would become the dominant feature of Bali are great to read about.

Hanna has something to say about the Sukarno period but nothing at all about Suharto. He is witheringly critical of Sukarno with attack on the man's character as well as his policies. For some reason Hanna skips over the bloodletting of 1965-66 and his tome ends shortly afterwards.

Tim Hannigan takes up the mantle for the period after 1965. He begins by arraying his oppositionist approach and trying to claim Sukarno was not as bad as Hanna described. Hannigan then undermines his own argument by laying out the devastating effects of Sukarno's incompetence as a leader. The period under Suharto is relative calm imposed by a central authority and sees the development of Bali thanks to tourism.

Hannigan repeatedly describes Bali as a violent place - his oppositional stance against the mantra of Bali being a peaceful idyll. Hannigan's reminder of the violence carries through to the modern era and the terrorist attacks in 2002 and 2005.

Hannigan's key addition to the tale though is his history of tourism development. There are problems of course with what has happened on Bali but the huge boon to the economy is noted and the clear benefit to local people who have been able to rise up to wealth and in some cases power that would never have been afforded to them in centuries past.

The combination of Hanna and Hannigan have come up with a fascinating history well worth reading. It is though the history of the Europeans (including modern Australians) in Bali rather than truly being a history of the Balinese. It is also quite hard work to keep track of the various Balinese leaders as they seem to have adopted remarkably similar names.

As this is not truly the tale of the Balinese themselves it is not the complete picture but it is an accessible and fascinating work in its own right. ( )