His bestseller Sekala & Niskala introduced generations of travelers to the fundamentals of Balinese culture. However, many of his other writings remain little known. It seems that no expatriate delved deeper into Balinese culture than Fred B. Eiseman Jr. (1926–2013), who even published the first dictionary of the Balinese language.
When I reached out in 2014 to request an interview with him, I was saddened to learn he had passed away just the year before.
Eiseman published over 30 books on Bali and was a remarkable ambassador for Balinese culture. Today, only one of his books is still being reprinted—his bestseller Sekala and Niskala (The Seen and the Unseen), which refers to the Balinese concepts of the visible (sekala) and invisible (niskala) worlds that coexist. Another of his titles, Fruits of Bali, remains available as an e-book.
Most of his books were self-published in small editions, often photocopied by hand and sold in a few local outlets such as Ganesha Bookstore in Ubud.
A wonderful open-source project is now helping preserve the Balinese language, which began with 10,000 words from Eiseman’s dictionary: basabali.org. This inspiring initiative continues to add content from Eiseman’s work and is expanding its reach.
Back in 2015, I attempted to compile a chronological list of Eiseman’s works (see below), using my private archive and international library search tools, identifying 24 titles in total. I also found additional works—mostly collaborations, such as with Patrick de Panthou—through online bookstores.
In 2014/2015, I encouraged his longtime assistant, Linud, who had cared for Eiseman’s original manuscripts after his death in 2013, to help to preserve the legacy of Eiseman by collaboration with the open source project BasaBali inspired by his dictionary. In 2016, Linud entrusted all of Eiseman’s materials to Alissa Stern, founder of basabali.org. Now, Eiseman’s manuscripts, books, and photo archive are housed at Cornell University, USA, and are expected to be digitalized and included in the BasaBali Wiki Project.
Eiseman Jr. spent many decades in his second home, Bali, but his remarkable biography reveals a curious explorer with interests far beyond the island.
Born in Missouri—Mark Twain’s home state—in 1926, Eiseman developed an early passion for nature and indigenous cultures. At age 11, he visited the Grand Canyon for the first time in 1937. By 12, he was already joining Prairie Trek Expeditions in the American Southwest during his school holidays.
During wartime, he completed his studies and became a highly respected science teacher in the 1950s, teaching earth science, chemistry, and physics. He also published on these subjects and received a national teaching award in 1959. During his school breaks, he continued exploring the Grand Canyon, eventually becoming a skilled river guide and a close friend of both Hopi and Navajo communities.
He first came to Bali in the 1970s—and ended up spending nearly the rest of his life there.
Fred B. Eiseman Jr. passed away on April 6, 2013, in Arizona. His ashes were returned to Bali.
Video-interview with Fred B. Eiseman i on vimeo March 20, 1996
Works by Fred B. Eiseman Jr.
(compiled 2015 by Joo Peter)
Bali : wood carvings and trees
a guide to the wood carvings of Bali with discussions of the types of woods used and the trees from which these woods come
Fred B Eiseman, Margaret H Eiseman
Den Pasar, Bali, Indonesia : Fred B. Eiseman, Jr., 1987
Bali : Sekala, and Niskala
Fred Eiseman, 1988
Scottsdale, Ariz. (13025 East Mountain View Road, Scottsdale, Ariz. 85259) : F.B. Eiseman
Fruits of Bali
Fred B Eiseman, Jr.; Margaret H Eiseman, Berkeley : Periplus Editions, 1988
Flowers of Bali
Fred B Eiseman, Jr.; Margaret H Eiseman, Berkeley : Periplus Editions, 1988
Woodcarvings of Bali
Fred B Eiseman, Jr.; Margaret H Eiseman, Berkeley : Periplus Editions, 1988
Bali, Sekala and Niskala
Fred B Eiseman; Margaret H Eiseman Berkeley, Calif. : Periplus Editions, 1989-1990
Bali: Sekala and Niskala / 2. Essays on society, tradition, and craft.
Fred B Eiseman; Berkeley, Calif. : Periplus Editions, 1990
Tulisan Bali : a layman’s guide to Balinese script
Fred B Eiseman, Jimbaran, 1995
2nd Edition Scottsdale, 1999
The Story of Jimbaran
Fred B Eiseman, Jimbaran Bali, 1996
Punyan-punyanan : Plants of the Jimbaran area Bali
Fred B Eiseman, Jimbaran, Bali, 1997
Dadaaran Bali : foods that Balinese people eat
publisher: Jimbaran, Bali,1998
Ulat-ulatan : traditional basketry in Bali
Bangkok, Thailand : White Lotus Press, 1999
Balinese calendars
Scottsdale, 1999
Jimbaran, Bali, 2000
Usada Bali – A living Drug Store at Kubu Beach
written for Ritz-Carlton Bali, Jimbaran, 2000 (not listed in worldCat)
Nyledét Jimbaran – Glimpses of everyday Life in a village in South Bali
Jimbaran, Bali, 2001
Usada Bali : traditional medicine in the Jimbaran area, South Bali
Jimbaran, Bali, 2001
Reinventing Bali : the island of peace
Wayan Darsana, I pseud. van Fred B. Eiseman (Jr.); Bali Tourism Authority (Denpasar)
Bali Tourism Authority, Denpasar, 2002
42 p. : ill., krt. ; 21 cm.
Traditional Balinese stories : satua Bali kuna
Jimbaran Bali, 2002
Dugas pidan : the way things were : everyday life in Jimbaran, a village in South Bali, from Dutch times to the present
Jimbaran Bali, 2004
Scottsdale,2004
Babantenan offerings and their role in the daily lives & thoughts of the people of Jimbaran, Bali
(other title: Offerings : and their role in the daily lives & thoughts of the people of Jimbaran, Bali = Babantenan)
Jimbaran Bali, 2005
Kakaputan : wrapping & packaging things in Jimbaran, Bali
Jimbaran Bali, 2006
Paribasa Bali – Playing with words in Bali
Jimbaran 2006 (not listed in worldCat)
Things I wish someone had told me when I first came to Bali
Jimbaran Bali, 2007
Guide to the common fishes of Jimbaran Bay & Bali Strait
Jimbaran, 2007, not listed in worldCat
Dictionary English-Balinese
Jimbaran, Bali, 2008
Traditional Balinese tools in the Jimbaran area, South Bali = Prabot Bali tatamian
Jimbaran, Bali
Palalyan : traditional Balinese games in the Jimbaran area, South Bali
Jimbaran Bali, 2009
How Balinese people express ideas = Nyatuwayang pakeneh anak Bali
Jimbaran Bali, 2010
Bali Niskala : the intangible world of Jimbaran, Bali
Jimbaran Bali, 2010
About the publishers
Eiseman published five books with Periplus between 1988-1990, together with his wife Margaret.
Since 1995, Eiseman mainly self-published books as hand-made copies in small numbers.
Besides that, he had a major publication with White Lotus Press in Bangkok 1999 (Ulat-ulatan : traditional basketry in Bali).
For other publishers, also see special collaborations below.
Special Collaborations
Eiseman is mentioned as co-author/contributor in other books, especially in a book about Bali by Patrick de Panthou, which seems to have been republished many times by different publishers and a variety of titles. All five titles below seem to be based on the same travel book, which Eiseman developed with partners and had been published in English, French and German.
Bali
Patrick de Panthou, Fred B Eiseman and others
Editions du Pacifique (1978) french version
Times Ed. Singapore(1988)
Hachette (1989)
edition weltkultur (1996)
Bali (Travel Bugs)
Patrick de Panthou, Fred B Eiseman
Hungry Minds Inc (1993)
Bali – the emerald island
Patrick de Panthou, Fred B Eiseman
McGraw-Hill Contemporary (2001)
Bali and Lombok
Fred B Eiseman, Singapore, MPH Pub, Sun Tree Pub, 1992
Suntree Guides, Bali und Lombok (German language )
Fred Eiseman Jr., contributors Leonard Lueras, Kunang Helmi Picard, Morten Strange, GEO Center, München, 1997
Online
Cockfighting in Bali
https://gtte.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/tajen-taji-rules-and-overview-of-bali-indonesia-cockfighting/
This text might be included in one of the books above.
Other works
Eka dasa rudra slides, 1979
Slides taken for a National Geographic magazine article.
ca. 10,000 slides (151 slide boxes)
Cornell University Library, Ithaca, NY 14853 United States
(as listed on worldCat)
Bali Celebrates a Festival of Faith
article for National Geographic, 1980
Music
Kecak : a Balinese music drama.
Fred B Eiseman; David Lewiston; I Gusti Putu Putra; Kecak Ganda Sari.
New York, NY : Bridge Records, 1990, CD-Rom
orchestra Kecak Ganda Sari conducted by I Gusti Putu Putra
Other topics than Bali
Eiseman Jr. published also on different topics besides Bali, these publications are not listed here.
Also, Eiseman had a special photo archive on Great Canyon river rafting. Eiseman Jr came from Arizona and was passionate about the Great Canyon. He served as river guide for a while and made many boat tours on the river. See also Fred Eiseman Collection below.
Fred Eiseman Collection
Short Biography:
http://astro.cornell.edu/research/eiseman/Fred_B_Eiseman_brief_bio..html
more biographical informations:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/azcentral/obituary.aspx?n=fred-b-eiseman&pid=165157047
