Sunday, July 27, 2008

The Barong Dance



Basicly the story of Barong dance is a fighting between good and evil. Good represent by Barong and evil represent by Rangda. According to Balinese mythology, the story goes that Rangda, a legendary queen who killed her husband because she was condemned for practicing black magic. After became a widow, she summoned all the evil spirit to come after Erlangga, son of her husband. Rangda and her evil troops were too strong for Erlangga. She casted a spell that made Erlangga’s soldier wanted to kill themselves. They are forced to stab their own keris (traditional Balinese sword) into their own stomachs and chests. To neutralized Rangda’s spell, Erlangga had to ask Barong’s help. Barong casted a spell that made Erlangga’s soldier resistant to the keris. In a Barong dance, somebody can die or seriously injured when performing this scene. Because the dancer are trully stab their own stomach and chess when performing this scene. They went into a trance by Rangda’s spell which casted by a priest. But the priest are also casted a Barong’s spell to made the body of the dancer resistant to the keris. But sometimes the Rangda’s spell are too strong. They may end up hurting themselves with their own keris.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Picture from Royal Ngaben 2008



This picture taken from the royal ngaben 2008 which considered as the greatest Ngaben ceremony ever in Bali. This ceremony held for two royal Ubud family. They are Tjokorda Agung Suyasa and Tjokorda Gde Raka. As we know Ngaben is a cremation ceremony in Bali. The Balinese believe that the death must be dissolved to let the spirit reincarnate.


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