History behind BARONG (The Barong Dance)

A lion like creature is often seen dancing around the streets of Bali(mainly ubud) amongst the gaze of curious tourists. The Barong Dance famous through out the island is a dance depicting the epic battle between good and evil. Barong (The name given to the lion like creature) is a part of Bali mythology and is depicted with a red head with thick white fur. Jewellery and mirrors often adorn the body of this mythical creature.

Barong is the King of spirits and the leader of good. His arch enemy is 'RANGDA', the demon queen and mother of all spirit guarders. According to local mythology, the good spirit is known as 'Banas Pati Raja', who is the fourth 'brother'or spirit child who is said to accompany a child throughout their life. Some people in other countries may know them 'Guardian Angels'. Barong is usually accompanied by two monkeys.

RANGDA (Pic left) as mentioned before is the demon queen and the opposite of Barong. She is said to be an incarnation of 'CALON ARANG', a legendary witch that caused havoc in ancient Java during the reign of "AIRLANGGA" in the 10th century. This story of Calon Arang and Airlangga is of a separate nature and wil be shared later. The Barong dance is said to originate in the Gianyar region (Ubud) where tourists can see this dance. The dance drama shows Barong responding to Rangda's use of magic to control and kill her and restore the balance. A priest usually throws holy water on the Barong as he dances through the streets. The drama opens with Barong in a peaceful atmosphere being teased by two monkeys. (pic)

. The second scene is usually known as the "KERIS DANCE" where the character of Rangda appears and causes havoc using black magic

on male dancers who represent the soldiers of Airlingga. They committ suicide by stabbing themselves with a 'kris' on the orders of Rangda. While this is in progress Barong and the priest use magic on these men which makes them invulnerable to these stabbings. The dance then ends with a face off between Barong and Rangda, where Rangda is made to flee and Barong appears victorius depicting good triumphing over evil. The lion barong is one of five traditional Barongs. In Bali each region of the island has its own protective spirit for its forests and lands. Each Barong for each region is modeled after a different animal. They are: Barong Ket: lion barong, the most common Barong, it is the symbol of a good spirit. Barong Landung: giant barong, the form is similar to Betawi Ondel-ondel Barong Celeng: boar barong Barong Macan: tiger barong Barong Naga: dragon (or serpent) barong

GALUNGAN & KUNINGAN

One of the most religious and recurring festivals and ceremonies observed here in Bali is that of GALUNGAN and KUNINGAN. Galungan is the festival that celebrates the victory of 'Dharma over Adharma'. This is a period when all the ancestral spirits are said to descend on earth. These are the spirits of deceased relatives who have been cremated and they return to their former places of residence. The current occupants of their former homes are then entrusted with the responsibility of being hospitable through the means of Prayers and Offerings. The most significant of these hospitable acts, is the construction and arrangement of bamboo poles which are weighed down by the offerings which are placed at the top of the pole. These poles are known as 'Penjors'

and the picture (below) illustrates a street in a local village that is aligned with such penjors and a single penjor. It really is a remarkable sight to behold.

Galungan is a festival that is observed by the Balinese Hindus and the dates are decided by the 210 day Balinese Calendar. The festival stretches over a period of 10 to 11 days and these days have various names and activities that are to be performed. The festival ends with a day called 'KUNINGAN' which is the day the ancestral spirits return to heaven. Because the Balinese Calendar has 210 days there is the possibilty of having two of these festivals in the same solar year. Galungan itself lasts two days but preparations and activities start well before and run even after the two days. Bear with me as I try and take you through the various days of this special festival. THREE DAYS BEFORE - 'Penyekeban' - a day where bananas are cooked for the offerings TWO DAYS BEFORE - 'Penyajaan' - On this day fried rice cakes are prepared, also known as 'jaja' 1 DAY BEFORE- 'Penampahan' - (sorry vegetarians) but this is the day when pigs and turtles are slaughtered for the feasts. THE FIRST DAY OF GALUNGAN- This day is observed as a preparation for the following day. A great deal of preparations go into this day such as decorating of temples, offerings to Gods, and preparation of food. Men create the 'Penjors' and get the suckling roast pig ready, known as 'Babi Guling". THE SECOND DAY- this is the main day of the celebration and is filled with various different types of ceremonies. Each family will have a ceremony at their temple at home as well as the main village temple that they are a part off. 1 DAY AFTER - 'Manis Galungan' - which means 'Sweet Galungan'. This is the day of celebration and the entire family has loads of fun. Families visit beaches for a swim in the ocean or head out on picnics and various other such activities. Visiting of different members of the family happens on this day. 10 DAYS AFTER - 'Kuningan' - This is the day when the ancestral spirits return to the heavens. This day is filled with prayers, offerings and other such ceremonies. 11 DAYS AFTER - a day of rejoicing and fun for all. The image (above) depicts ladies of the villages all dressed up carrying offerings to the temples. This festival truly is a sight to behold and those visiting Bali should try and time their trips in order to catch a glimpse of this event.