Come Along With Me: Bali - The Barong and Kris Dance

A visit to the island of Bali would not be complete without taking in a traditional Balinese dance performance. At the suggestion of our tour guide/driver, we attended a morning performance of The Barong and Kris Dance, a popular Balinese mythological tale of good versus evil. The costumes and masks were absolutely beautiful and the dancing and storytelling were fantastic. The performance lasted about an hour and I enjoyed every minute of it. The company that put on the performance offered a written translation of the story in several different languages, which helped out tremendously. Below is the text from that translation along with photos and videos that I took during the performance.

I don't know if we just lucked out or what, but I was worried this would be a "cheesy, touristy thing" and it ended up being my favorite during our entire six day stay in Bali!

...and now for the story of ....

THE BARONG AND KRIS DANCE

The Barong play represents as eternal fight between good and evil. Barong (a mythological animal) represents the good spirit and Rangda (a mythological monster) represents an evil one.

THE DANCE STARTS WITH MUSIC OVER TONE

Video - Music Overture

Followed by his friend the monkey, the tiger comes up. Three masked dancers appear, representing men making palm wine in the forest, whose child is killed by the Barong. The three men get angry and attack the Barong which is helped by the monkey. During the fight, the nose of one of the three men is bitten off.

Video - Dance of the Barong

FIRST ACT
Two girl dancers appear, representing the servants of the Rangda, looking for the servants of Dewi Kunti who are on the way to meet their Patih (Prime Minister).

Video - Balinese Dancers

SECOND ACT
The servants of Dewi Kunti come. One of the servants of the Rangda changes into a witch. The witch enters and makes both servants angry. They meet their Patih and go together to Dewi Kunti.

Video - The Witch Chases the King

THIRD ACT
Dewi Kunti and her son, Sadewa come up. Dewi Kunti has promised the Rangda to sacrifice Sadewa. A witch appears and enters Dewi Kunti. She becomes angry and orders the Patih to bring Sadewa into the forest. The Patih also enters and does not have pity on Sadewa. Sadewa is then taken to into a forest and tied to a tree.

Video - Sadewa gets tied to a tree

FOURTH ACT
Unknown by Rangda, Siwa God appears and gives Sadewa immortality. The Rangda appears, ready to kill Sadewa, and eat him up but Sadewa is still alive. She then surrenders and asks him to redeem herself. Sadewa agrees and kills the Randga. The Rangda goes into Heaven.

FIFTH ACT
One of the servants of the Rangda called Kalika comes up before Sadewa and asks him to redeem herself, too. Sadewa refuses. Kalika gets angry and changes herself into a boar and fights Sadewa. The boar can be defeated. She then changes herself into a bird but is defeated again. At last she changes herself into Rangda and Sadewa cannot kill her. In such circumstances, Sadewa decides to then changes himself into a Barong. Still the Rangda seems to be too powerful and the fight is unended. Followers of the Barong appear and help him fight the Rangda.