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Secrets of Bali by Jonathan Copeland with
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Balinese Barongs come in many forms, but the most common is like a baroque Chinese lion, the Barong Ket, with big eyes and clacking jaws. It is one of the most sacred masks in Bali and probably every village has at least one. The Barong is accompanied by a Balinese gamelan orchestra. The Barong protects the village from harmful influences. It parades the streets every Galungan festival, dancing in front of houses and shops, warding off evil. The Balinese bow in reverence. It does the same just before Nyepi, at the time of the Balinese New Year. Two men are inside: one operates the wooden head and lower movable jaw, and the other holds up the back and arched tail. The men have no special qualifications as long as they belong to the same banjar as the barong, but they need to be very strong as the whole Barong Ket costume weighs about 85 kilos (187 pounds). The front, especially, is heavy and the dancer will need to be relieved during long processions. They are the highest quality suitable for secular dance performances. They have not been consecrated which would make them suitable only for sacred temple performances. Nor are they tourist items.
To order: make sure pop ups are allowed.
Barong Ket
Tiger Barong
Wild Boar Barong
Elephant Barong
Barong Landung
Balinese Barongs
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San Francisco Arts of Pacific Asia Show, Feb 2008
