Introducing the Paths to Alangö NFT Collection
“A concerted effort to preserve our heritage is a vital link to our cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational, and economic legacies - all of the things that quite literally make us who we are.” – Steve Berry.
Despite its significance, the creative cultural sector, primarily in the developing world, struggles as the majority of cultural workers earn well below the poverty line. The richness of culture risks being lost as younger generations lose interest in and the ability to carry forward the traditions of their ancestors.
Enter our Paths to Alangö NFT Collection - an innovative initiative using blockchain technology to create cultural heritage NFTs. This first-of-its-kind project aims to protect and elevate the diverse cultural expressions of ancestral communities around the world.
Our collection features the fertile culture of Bali, curated by renowned anthropologist Professor John Stephen Lansing. A set of 11 digital artworks brought to life by 16 Culture Keepers, the Paths to Alangö collection transcends mere ownership of art. It creates a deep connection to an age-old culture and facilitates its preservation and proliferation.
Cultural Heritage NFTs: A New Way of Preserving Culture
Cultural heritage NFTs leverage blockchain technology to preserve and share cultural heritage. They represent ownership or rights to a piece of cultural heritage — be it an artifact, a traditional dance, an ancient recipe, or a time-honored craft. Unique and indivisible, NFTs have deep-rooted significance as they bridge the past and the future, taking you on a journey through a world rich in history, traditions, and captivating rituals.
Our Cultural Heritage NFTs elevate this concept. Each NFT encodes the very soul of the culture it represents, creating a unique connection with the culture and its keepers. By purchasing these NFTs, collectors participate in a revolutionary form of cultural preservation and heritage financing, ensuring the protection and continuation of these beautiful, ancestral traditions.
Why Quantum Temple Chose Bali for Preservation
We chose to focus our inaugural collection on the rich culture of Bali because it represents a compelling intersection of history, religion, art, and community. Despite modern influences and pressures from a growing tourism industry, the Balinese have successfully preserved their unique customs and ceremonies, passing down sacred knowledge and skills through generations.
However, this vibrant culture faces challenges from economic disparity, pressures of modernization, and the environmental impact of mass tourism. The Paths to Alangö NFT collection aims to empower the culture keepers and local communities, turning these ethereal experiences into digital assets, creating a sustainable and equitable source of income for the culture-rich communities of Bali.
The Impact of Paths to Alangö Collection
The impact of the Paths to Alangö collection is already evident. Just a few months into the initial offering, this collection has generated $60.5K of generated impact, providing an economic boost to everyone involved in creating the ethnographic films that this collection features.
The distribution of funds from each sale enables Culture Keepers to continue their vital work and enjoy a more equitable income. In addition, the Filmmakers, Curator, and the Impact Fund also receive a portion of the proceeds, enabling projects in collaboration with ancestral communities, and ensuring the transmission of traditional knowledge to future generations.
Each NFT collector can witness this immediate distribution of funds, fostering a deeper connection with the art they now own and the community it represents. This collection thus represents a new wave of philanthropy and cultural patronage, amplifying the stories of culture keepers and their traditions, rituals, and art forms.
How to Collect a Paths to Alangö NFT
Collecting an NFT from this collection is a straightforward process that begins with immersing yourself in the beautiful narratives of these timeless Balinese traditions. Here’s how you can start your own collection.
Step 1: Connect Your Wallet
Before you can start bidding on these exclusive NFTs, you need to connect your digital wallet. You can do this by simply clicking the "connect" button to connect your crypto wallet with Metamask, Pera Wallet, Trust Wallet, Sui Wallet, or connect by using your email.
Step 2: Complete Your Profile
Once your wallet is connected, you need to validate your account. This process includes completing your profile and verifying your email address. This information is necessary to ensure transparency and protect all parties involved in transactions.
Step 3: Submit an Enquiry
With your account validated, you're now ready to submit your interest for a cultural heritage NFT.
What’s in the Collection
Here is a quick look at each artwork that forms part of the incredible Paths to Alangö NFT collection. Each piece is not only a unique piece of art but a magical portal to the vibrant, time-tested cultural heritage of Bali.
1. On the Full Moon of the Fourth Month: A digital artwork that encapsulates the centuries-old tradition of bathing a sacred stone in the pool of Tirtha Empul every decade on a full moon.
2. Victory of Love: A captivating piece representing the radiant music and dance form of Kebyar, depicting the triumphant composition of I Wayan Beratha.
3. Renewal of the World at Besakih Temple: An upcoming auction showcasing the grandeur of the Besakih Temple, the most celebrated temple in Bali, and the powerful renewal ceremony held on the full moon.
4. A Bell to Create Alangö: This upcoming NFT is a tribute to the ancient art of making genta, a sacred bell, by the master metalsmiths of Bali, the Pande clan.
5. Rediscovering Alangö: An immersive artwork centered around a Balinese high priestess performing a melukat purification, which aids in rediscovering Alangö within oneself.
6. Invitation to Galungan: An artistic portrayal of the festive ten-day period of Galungan, where every family in Bali invites the spirits of their ancestors to feast with them, symbolized through the penjor, bamboo poles adorned with offerings at every house entrance.
7. Jatiluwih, A UNESCO World Heritage: This upcoming NFT celebrates the ancient irrigation system of Bali, revered for its intricate tunnel network that irrigates terraced rice fields. The artwork celebrates the Jatiluwih rice terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
8. A Village Confronts its Demons: This NFT depicts a ritual performance involving a guardian spirit mask. This NFT is not for sale, because the mask becomes sacred through ritual, and cannot be commercialized.
Concluded auctions
9. Royal Topeng: This NFT features I Made Bandem, the most renowned Balinese dancer of his time, performing the royal mask dance. This NFT has supported the Sanggar Seni Makaradhwaja community in Singapadu, Bali, and its proceeds have provided a significant role in funding governance and operations. I Made Bandem, renowned for his expertise in Topeng and dance opera Arja, has had a key role on the Impact Fund board, thereby preserving Balinese culture and providing exclusive access to the cultural heritage site.
10: Journey to the Waterfall at Pura Taman Pecampuhan: This NFT encapsulates Asta's journey of purification as he presents a canang sari (offering of essences) at the confluence of two rivers in the temple Pura Taman Pecampuhan Sala. This has resulted in significant support to the Banjar Dinas Sala community in Abuan, Bangli, Indonesia. It has enabled I Ketut Asta Putra, a prominent figure in the community and an advocate for the Tri Hita Karana philosophy, to lead the Impact Fund board, offering exclusive, community-led experiences at this culturally significant site.
11: Dancing the Bird of Paradise: This NFT captures two young women performing the courtship dance of the Cendrawasih, birds of paradise native to Eastern Indonesia. The NFT's proceeds have strengthened the community's efforts in preserving traditional Balinese art and culture. Additionally, it has allowed culture keepers, Ni Kadek Virna Erikayani and Ni Kadek Dwi Martini, to offer exclusive experiences at this location while contributing to the governance and operations of the Impact Fund.
At Quantum Temple, we invite you to be part of this journey to protect, preserve, and amplify the incredible cultural heritage of Bali, one NFT at a time. Join us as we embark on this path to safeguard the enchanting stories, rituals, and traditions that make up the world’s diverse tapestry of cultural heritage.