The portrayal of Balinese as a religious community with many ceremonies, inheriting high artistic talent, is responded critically as a romantic picture as in the tourist guide books. Changes that occurred in Balinese society due to colonialism, Indonesian independence and tourism often loosed of attention. The criticism actually ignores the historical reality that communities in Bali have the power to shift cultural forms that are present along with the presence of a wave of civilizations that once influenced the Balinese people.

Through an ethnographic study of indigenous narratives and practices in large ceremonies held by the Bali Aga community in the village of Tenganan Pegringsingan, this paper intends to show some cultural forms and practices that can be interpreted as community strategies to respond to influences that come from outside. Customs, ceremonies and other cultural forms are narrated as something that occupies such a high, important and sacred position in the community as a strategy to align with cultural or ideological forms that come from outside. Inherited and practiced such a strategy serves to care for sociality and shape the style of society that is considered ideal. Doctrines, ideologies and cultural forms  from the outside are transformed into new forms that ideologically fit to the environment and tipe of the community idealized.

Keywords: Custom, narration, ceremony, civilization, sacred, tactics, transformation.