Barong, usually depicting unidentified creatures called keket, appear during celebrations in Bali, Indonesia. For the Balinese, the Barong is a symbol of health and luck, in contrast to the witch Rangda.
In a dance drama involving the famous Keris (heirloom sword) Dance, in which a deeply enthralled performer points a sword at himself but emerges unscathed, Baron confronts Rangda in a magical battle. The Baron is brought to life by two dancers in ornate harnesses.
A human hair beard decorated with frangipani flowers hangs from the character’s mask, where the Baron’s magical powers are said to rest.
What is Barong?
Barong is a mythical figure whose goal is to protect Bali from all kinds of evil spirits. Barong is represented in various forms, including lions, tigers, boars, buffaloes, elephants, and dogs.
Barong emerged as part of Javanese and Balinese culture as people still believed in animistic beliefs. And in Bali, Barong’s character shape is like a mixed animal face, creepy but good character. Barong Bali originated as an evolution of Barong Ponorogo or Reog. It is what King Airlangga brought with him when he fled to Bali to save himself.
Besides Barong Ponorogo, Airlangga also brought other forms of literature, Javanese script and religious ritual occasions. This influence can be seen in Ponorogo baron form, which appears without the peacock crown.
Various Types of Barong
Balinese barong styles are very diverse and differ in both appearance and function. The types of Barong found in Bali are:
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Ket
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Bangkal
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Landung
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Macan
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Gajah
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Asu
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Brutuk
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Lembu
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Kedingkling
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Kambing
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Gagombrangan
Rangda – The Evil Spirits
Rangda is a mythical creature from Bali, with an evil personality who is spoken of by a frightening appearance, often kidnaps and eats small children, and is believed to be an incarnation of Goddess Durga.
He was exiled by the Balinese king of Dharmodayana because he was accused of committing magic against the consort of the two kings. According to legend, he took revenge by killing half the kingdom, which later became his and the property of Dharmodayana`s son, Erlangga.
Also read: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Bali Indonesia
The Barongs and Keris Dance
The Barong and Keris dance is a traditional Balinese dance, Barong is a good character and Rangda is an evil character, and is often shown to tourists as one of the cultural attractions that never ceases to amaze everyone.
First, the Barongs and Keris dance was a religious ritual dances known as Calonarang, which was performed only on ceremonial days and was also performed at various religious ceremonies.
The performance started as a cultural attraction. From the beginning, the evaluation of tourists is very high, and many dance studios have opened this Barong dance performance in various strategic locations. Most of them are found in the area of Batubulan. A super famous dances show that is performed only in the morning.
A story based on the story of the Battle of Baron and the Battle of Rangda in the Calonarang story, which was often performed at religious ceremonies in the past.
The barong can take many forms, but in this dance, it takes the form of the most sacred of the barongs, Barong Keket. Barong Keket is a bizarre creature, half shaggy dog, half lion, in a manner resembling a circus clown horse he is played by two men. The opponent is the witch Rangda.
Location
Most Barong and Keris dance performances are held in Batubulan village in Gianyar, Bali. It is very easy to find as it is located along the main road to Ubud village. One of the famous and popular Barong and Keris performances is the Saha Dewa Barong & Kecak Fire Dance centred on Puseh Temple Street, Batubulan, Gianyar Regency, Bali.
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