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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.

The Topeng and Rangda performances both deal with good and evil and the balance between the two. In Topeng performances there are many masks and dances, but the most important and sacred mask is the Sidha Karya mask, which is recognizable by the massive teeth (Farley class lecture). The Sidha Karya represents both good an evil and is the character that performs the rituals at the end of a Topeng performance. He has a light side and a dark side, but no clear distinction between the two. In the Rangda and Barong Ket performance the two main characters are also neither strictly good nor evil, and the balance between the two is even more prevalent than in the Topeng. The Rangda is a Witch who has many evil students. She represents the evil in all of us must only be worn by special individuals. During the performance men go into a trance and try to stab themselves as a symbolic death and rebirth. The Barang Ket is a demon normally depicted as a Lion who protects the village from evil. He is actually considered a more important mask than the Rangda and villagers can be trained to dance with the Barong. (Rangda Mask Movie) The lines of good and evil are blurred because the village protector is a lion and is dangerous. The performance also has no clear victor, reinforcing the balance between good and evil. Both performances have an aspect of entertainment and allow for tourists to see some unique performances, but they are more centralized around the ritualistic and religious aspects of the performances.

Dr. Farley lectures Class notes In-Class Movie

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