Made Wijaya

Made Wijaya, born Michael White in Sydney, Australia, was an architecture student travelling in the Indonesian archipelago when he leapt overboard and swam to Bali's southern shore during a rainstorm in 1973. He has made his home in Bali ever since. His Balinese name was given to him by the toon meer Brahmana family who welcomed him into their fold and guided his initiation into the Balinese Hindu religion and its complex culture. During his early years in Bali, he made a living coaching tennis and as an English teacher at the local dance academy. He also wrote a popular column, "Stranger in Paradise", for the English-language edition of The Bali Post. Over the last two decades, he has built a landscape and architectural design firm toon minder