Bali Echo Magazine Edition 52 | Wayang Wong Tejakula

WAYANG WONG RAMAYANA
Wayang wong is one of several Balinese performance art forms which melds dance, drama and music. Unlike the wayang kulit (shadow puppet), in which leather puppets are manipulated by a dalang behind a screen, wayang wong is performed by actors on a stage. in Bali, there are two kinds of wayang wong wayang wong parwa which adapts stories from the Mahabharata for the stage, and wayang wong Ramayana, which takes stories from the Ramayana.

In wayang wong parwa, all actors, except for the clowns, do not wear masks. In wayang wong Ramayana, all the actors are masked. Wayang wong Ramayana is generally known just as wayang wong, hereas the wayang wong parwa is usually referred to as parwa. According to the Rector of the Yogyakarta-based Indonesian Arts Institute, Prof. Dr Made Bandem, the Balinese wayang wong enveloped out of masked performances which existed in Bali prior to the arrival

of Hinduism when masks were used as a tool with which to communicate with the ancestors. The masks used to communicate with the ancestors could only be shown in public on certain days, or at religious rituals. In former times, the dancers would adorn themselves with bark and their dance was a way of thanking the ancestors for protecting thern from plague. Wayang wong is believed to have emerged around the time of the Waturenggong regime, between 1460-1550. The language used in wayang wong is Balinese or Kawi (a form of old Javanese) noble characters use Kawi and the clowns use Balinese. The Balinese have been acquainted with the

Ramayana,the Indian epic which is the source of the wayang wong stories, for centuries. But the version of the Ramayana with which the Balinese are most intimate is the Kekawin Ramayana which came to the island via Java. "Although Balinese have access to other, more authentically Indian versions, the Kekawin Ramayana is the version most Balinese identify with the epic", asserted Bandem.

The Old Javanese version of Kekawin Ramayana is a free translation and adaptation of a Sanskrit poem from India, the Rawana Vadha by Bhatti, written in the 6th century The text was translated into Balinese and recorded on lontar palms, several hundred years ago. Parts of the poem are frequently translated and recited at important religious rituals on Bali, for the text is thought to contain some salient moral messages. Coincidentally, perhaps, the wayang wong has served as a medium for the preservation of the Ramayana, for today it remains as the only dance-drama form which performs the Ramayana, which tells of the war between Rahwana's giant troops, and Rama's army of monkeys. Rahwana kidnaps Sita, Rama's wife and takes her to his kingdom, Alengka. But in the end Rahwana is overcome by Rama, assisted by his army of monkeys; and their king, Hanoman.

CONTINUITY
Why is it that the Tejakula wayang wong has been so resilient? The Tejakula troupe is renowned as one of the island's most unique, and there are four main ways in which the Tejakula wayang wong differs from that of other areas. Firstly, in Tejakula, the style of wayang wong performance is classical, for its basic dance steps are the same as the dance steps for the gambuh the most refined and complex of Balinese dance

dramas.Thus, the Tejakula wayang wong is a popular subject of research among scholars, both Indonesian and foreign, of performance art. and his forces, the preparation for war, the I meeting between Rahwana and his troops, and finally, the war itself. And that's all. The audience knows off by heart, scene by scene, what going to happen. But that goes not seem to deter them from turning up to watch the show every time there's a religious festival. Usually, wayang wong dancers are descended from generations of dancers, and usually experience the urge to become active in the troupe as a higher calling. By day, their vocations are varied - some are guides, some traders, some teachers, and the like. Some dancers however are not descended from dancers, but have taken a vow to help strengthen the troupe if they attain their I ideals. Once their ideals are attained, to be true to their vow, they turn to the troupe.

SACRED MASKS
There are 72 sacred masks in the Tejakula troupe. The three main characters' masks Wibisana, Rama and Laksamana were donated by the king of Bangli sometime this at Batur temple. Apparently, eager to test Hanoman's magical powers, the king built a two meter high hurdle and ordered Hanoman to jump, it. Extraordinarily, Hanoman succeeded in the task. The king was so impressed that he donated the three masks to the troupe. The troupe's other masks date back to the 18th century, and remain in pristine condition. This is believed to be due to both the excellent quality of the wood from which they are made and the fact that the masks regularly undergo ritual cleansing, and have so for centuries. Special rituals accompany the use of the
masks at every performance. In the morning, the performers pray in the temple to ask God to protect them while they arc performing. The masks are taken out, offerings are spread around, and the performers are ritually cleansed. The masks are sprinkled with water, and distributed to the performers. Then the performers hang the masks from an orange tree. At first glance, the masks