23.
Kecak, Fire and Trance Dance
The link tells a short story from the Ramayana; the legend
of Rangda, the evil, child-eating
goddess whose statue we saw at Tirta Empul (the Holy Spring Water Temple).
Here is another short
blip about Barong, the king of the
spirits who engages in a never-ending fight with the Demon Queen, Rangda which
represents the battle between good and evil.
Finally, a story about Bandung. There are many other legends of battles, betrayals, love and passion.
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| Entrance to the Pura Dalem |
Our pick up was supposed to have been at 5.30
PM to go the Pura Dalem stage or temple in Ubud. Exact times in Bali are a suggestion;
nobody gets bent out of shape if something is not done on time. Time is more
relaxed and smiles are important. The dance performance we wanted to see started
at 7.30 PM and was not that far from where we stayed, so we waited for a bit,
but at 5.45 PM we started walking towards where we had to go, not sure exactly
where this Pura Dalem Temple was.
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| Guardians of the Temple Entrance |
While walking, we decided to just take a taxi, and
then we knew for sure we would get to the right place. So we agreed to a price
of 30,000 Rupiah and got into the taxi. It was a winner for the taxi. He drove
us down the street, to the end of our street and made a left and there we were,
at the Pura Dalem Temple. Bummer, but who knew?
I have difficulty writing about the performance
that night. Was it a dance, or play or a show we saw that evening? The program
spells out: “Kecak Ramayana and Fire Trance Dance”.
So what is Kecak, what is Ramayana? I get the Fire dance… but after seeing the Kecak Dance
display… I did not understand anything.
I loved it, though.
Start of the Kecak Dance
Let’s start with Kecak. The word indicates a
dance of chanting people who believe they are monkeys; monkeys as in the famous
Hindu stories named after the hero Hanuman. (Ramayana Epic is what this long,
very long story is called). I know; I
don’t know anything about these stories or this Indian Epic either. I am fairly
sure neither do you. What we saw as a theme of the Dance was just a small slice
of the whole Saga.
Just know that this small encounter with the
‘heroes’ of this epic is important to Hindus, not so much to my Western mind.
But the story is not that important. I was awed by the ‘newness’ of this performance even though in Bali, this Kecak Dance is a very, very old tradition. I just never knew about it.
But the story is not that important. I was awed by the ‘newness’ of this performance even though in Bali, this Kecak Dance is a very, very old tradition. I just never knew about it.
Check Out the "Monkey" in the Middle at the Back - Especially in the Close-Up. He Is Really Into It!
As for the Dance, the actual performance of the
monkeys and the actors was very good! Their
waving arms indicate fire and wind. The words
chak….chak…. (monkey sounds) which
they repeated over and over again sounded like a chant.
The Monkey General Sugriwa With His Army
They were into it!
The Mighty Bird, Garuda Arrives to Help the Good Guys
It was a wonderful insight into a culture I know nothing about.
The Evil King Is Slain By a Magic Arrow
The Fire and Trance Dance was a bit weird, though.
Fire and Trance Dance
At the start, the chanting of the ‘monkeys’, the
drums, the ‘music’ gave the whole stage a rhythmic ambiance.
The Dancer circled the lit fire a few times and
then kicking a bit, he walked through the fire. He kind of pushed the hot coals
apart, spread them out using his feet, while holding on to the hobby horse.
OUCH!
Helpers with improvised ‘brooms’ pushed the hot
coals back together and again the Dancer walked over the hot coals, through the
coals, and pushed them apart again with his feet.
Bare Feet!
Watch This One to the End
The Dancer had nothing on his lower legs and
feet, he just, like in a trance, walked through the hot burning fire.
Hmmm, no I would not do that. I know when you watch the video I took it
seems like a bit of an act, but I was right there… this man walked through
fire.
At the end of his ordeal, he kind of collapsed,
sat there, focused someplace in to the distance.
I Was As Glad As the Dancer That It Was Over
Was this a performance? Was it a dance? Was it a show, a gig? YOU need to see it, though.
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| His Poor Feet |
It’s awesome!
But the clincher of this night was that it was a
prayer to Sanghyang; the highest deity of the Bali religion. The purpose of the Fire Dance is to protect society against evil forces and epidemics. The “trance” was
more of a goal to be achieved, rather than a fact to witness. The Kecak Dance
is a ritual; the Fire Dance is a ritual. This was not a play in a theater, but
a sermon of believers in a temple. I was just a witness to it… yet…. Bravo to
the people who showed me what their belief system is like. Bravo to the way
they revere their gods.
I highly suggest you see it once in YOUR life time.
