In the era of digital sharing and viral content, a recent video depicting a seemingly foreign tour guide at Bali’s picturesque Tanah Lot area has sparked online controversy.
The viral video last week depicts a Caucasian male wearing an udeng (Balinese traditional head piece), red polo shirt and red kain (traditional cloth to be worn like a sarong) acting as a tour guide to several travelers in the tourist area.
Controversies surrounding foreigners making money illegally on the Island of Gods have been a subject for discussion especially in the past few years.
In a twist, however, it was later confirmed that the Caucasian man is, in fact, an Indonesian citizen.
Denpasar Immigration Office Head Tedy Riyandi said in a media statement over the weekend that the man’s name is Alessandro Tanganelli, previously an Italian citizen but later became an Indonesian citizen.
Tedy later added that after inquiries with the Bali Tourist Guides Association (HPI), it has also been verified that Tanganelli has a legit tour guide license.
“The tour guide initially presumed to be a foreign citizen is named Alessandro Tanganelli. He is now an Indonesian citizen and holds a legitimate tour guide license endorsed by HPI,” Tedy said.
Tanganelli’s wife, Indah Yuli Puspitasari, told Suara Bali separately in a phone interview that her husband has officially become an Indonesian citizen since 2021. The pair runs a travel agency that has obtained an official nod from the Association of The Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA).
Cases of foreign individuals making money illegally in Bali perhaps exacerbated the viral video and the controversies that came along with it.
Tedy expressed regret about the viral video, especially the lack of further clarifications with his office before spreading the clip. Nonetheless, he expressed gratitude because the public actively participated in monitoring the presence of foreigners in Bali.
“We thank the community for actively contributing in providing information about the activities and presence of foreigners in Bali,” he concluded.
As discussions surrounding the video’s implications persist, the official clarification by the Immigration Office assumes significance in presenting a comprehensive view and reinforcing the importance of accurate and balanced information dissemination in the age of viral content.
