The Calonarang by Tenzin Choedhen

What is Calonarang?

tchoedhen2003_ — 2023-10-24 00:06:54 UTC

The Calonarang is a Balinese "ritualistic dance drama that serves as a way of driving off negative powers in a community."(48 of textbook). The two main characters in this dance drama is Rangda (a black magic witch) and Barong Ket (a lion like creature). The people of Bali believe that good and evil must coexist. The Calonarang dance represents the balance between good and evil. The best way to achieve that balance is to perform this dance in dangerous places. The Balinese believe that when performed in places like crossroads and graveyards, the "supernatural evil entities are met on their own turf." (49 of textbook)

What is the plot?

tchoedhen2003_ — 2023-10-24 01:00:50 UTC

The dance drama follows "an ancient Hindu-Javanese story."(50 of textbook). There is a widow Rangda, who is the Calonarang, an evil witch. She is enraged that no one wants to marry her daughter. Due to this, she and her leyaks (other witches) wreck havoc among the villages. Before Rangda could cause more damage, Barong Ket (the protector) arrives to stop them. In most endings, Barong Ket is successful in fighting off Rangda and protecting the village.

Rangda

tchoedhen2003_ — 2023-10-24 01:11:38 UTC

Rangda is regarded as the incarnation of evil. The mask has "bulging eyes, long tusks, and red tongue extending down to the waist" as seen in the photo. Unlike Barong, "She is dangerous and destructive." She posses the power to make people fall into a trance. She uses this power to make the kris dancers stab them selfs with their own dagger referred to as ngoerek. (Barong, Rangda, and Calonarang)

Barong Ket

tchoedhen2003_ — 2023-10-24 01:11:50 UTC

Barong resembles a lion and is a mixture of various animals. Barong is "a manifestation of virtue." He protects the village from evil. Across Bali, each village has their own version of Barong. There are two male dancers inside the Barong who have to be coordinated with each other to perform such fast movements. (Barong, Rangda, and Calonarang)

China/Lion Dance

tchoedhen2003_ — 2023-10-24 01:12:10 UTC

China has had significant influence on Bali. For example, the mask of the Barong Ket has its origins in Chinese Lion Dance. And just like the Lion Dance, on New Year's Day, the Barong Ket parades throughout the village to steer evil spirts off to the graveyard and ocean. (49 of textbook)

Beliefs

tchoedhen2003_ — 2023-10-24 01:35:47 UTC

The Balinese's belief in balance is shown throughout the story and the performance. The witch Rangda representing evil while Barong Ket, representing the good. They all understand that the "struggle between good and evil will never be over." (50 of textbook). However, they try their best to fight off against the evil by performing the Calonarang.

India/Hinduism

tchoedhen2003_ — 2023-10-24 02:28:32 UTC

The influence of India is strongly present in Balinese culture and dance. For example, the evil witch Rangda "is associated with the legendary figure of Calonarang, leyaks (witches), and the Hindu deity Durga." And as I mentioned before, the Calonarang performance takes heavy inspiration off of ancient Hindu-Javanese story. (The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance)

tchoedhen2003_ — 2023-10-24 03:20:02 UTC