CSB2

The masks you have seen from Bali fall into two categories, those that are employed for the Topeng and those used for ritual and religious performances in which a Rangda and a Barong Ket mask are used. Besides having an entertainment value for those who watch the characters they depict in action, they also serve a practical purpose to the Balinese. Discuss some of the masks and the characters they depict and the way they are employed to serve ritual and religious purposes in Balinese society.

Though not all masks used in Topeng serve a religious purpose, all characters are important in the ritual storytelling and performance. Sidha Karya, the only masked character who makes religious offerings – chanting magic sounds, casting spells, sprinkling holy water and making the tebasan offering. His performance at the end of the improvised stories from the Mahabharata is made of a series of “ritual ceremonies that confer a blessing upon the village” (*Jlantik Goes to Blambangan, 48). The stories told by the secular charactes (Penasar Kelihan, Penasar Cenikan) provide the entertainment followed by the practical offering of ritual to the gods. Almost every moment associated with the Rangda nad Barong Ket seems to have a sacred meaning. Unlike Topeng, where an actor can train to perform – the Rangda is portrayed by a man thought to have magical ties (*film). The performance is entirely ritualistic, with no real resolution. The focus resting on balance between the evil witch, Rangda and the Barong Ket who “protects and preserves humanity” (notes). The ritual begins with a procession of offerings and the masks, men in trance and spectators. The men portraying the Barong Ket (reminiscent of Chinese lion masks) work as a unit, acting towards a common goal of bringing balance (even sprinkling the community with holy water which drenches the beard) united by the demon, even ritualistically stabbing themselves when overcome by Rangda’s control. Their purpose is to exorcise social and mental unrest, allowing for the rebirth of a spirit of community. It seems Rangda becomes a symbol for a common force to be handled by the community. This spirit of cooperation therefore promotes balance in the spirit world and harmonious existence among all involved.

Word Count - 275 without citations, noted *as such.