assignment2

Discuss the Blainese masks you ahve seen

The Masks of Topeng are primarily used for entertainment, though this blends into ritual use as much of the entertainment is being proided at the dedication of shrines within family complexes. Since this is a fundamentally sacred act, this could cinceivably be counted as ritual or religious. The masks however, are taken care of with care, though not nearly to the same degree as the masks of the Barong are.

The masks of Rangda and of Barong are seen as intesely sacred items. These are used to perfrom something akin to an excorcism in communities that require or where the local wiches (known as layuks) that are evil in the sense that they are harmful to humans, have gotten out of control. These layuks answer to Rangda, and in the process of the Barong dance, which is performened only by those who feel mentally prepared and are cpable of going into a trance state safely, Rangda is killed. She is opposed by her opposite Barong. The difference in performance between these two, besides the obvious community peace of mind incenties and the religous or ritual significance of excorcism, the Barong is treated very differently in teh preparation phase. Both of the masks are treated as sacred and dangerous. It is considered unsafe for someone who is week or unprepared to touch them, and they are stored with particualr care when not in use.

There is one exception in Balinese theater to this rule: theBondres mask. Considered to be sacred to a lesser degree there is a great deal of care and attention put upon the mask and it is often handed down for several decades form performer to performer.

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Sources Lecture Video on Barong []

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