In the review of the cultural event Pesta Kesenian Bali 2009 this time, will be appointed on the theme of dance “Leko”. This dance is one of so many Balinese ancient dances which might has already rare to be performed and not much known by Balinese society. Today, Leko dance could be found only at Jembrana, regency at Western area of Bali.
In journey of Leko dance, the dance was come from a sacred art entertainment for the kingdom and noble. Like “Joged Bumbung” dance, Leko dance also using a traditional music “Rindik” to accompany the dance. Rindik is a Balinese traditional music made from bamboo. Leko dancing also involve with a dancer which is taken from the audience, and this dancer known as “Pengibing”. Leko dance using two female dancers while in Joged Bumbung only using one female dancer, this made a different between Leko dance and Joged Bumbung dance.
Leko dance was predictably inspired by “Gandrung” and “Gambuh”, appear in year of 1915 at Pendem village, Jembrana regency. Leko at that time was only a traditional music of “Gerantang” accompaniment with some traditional music device. Then in its evolution, Leko had equipped with a dancers who dance along with a traditional instruments. Leko was a traditional performance tribute to a royal and a king’s family, and a way of villagers to reassure the palace. Leko dance had gone through an upside down existence, where on a colonialism era in Bali, this Leko dance couldn’t perform again, but then raise and still exist until now.
The existence of Leko dance couldn’t detach from a cultural preservation synergy between traditional artists and others related community to protect ancient cultures. Through Bali Art Festival 2009, again Leko dance performance promotes to an audience in purpose of re- introducing this ancient dance for every younger generation. Hopefully, this promotion could lift up again the existence of Leko dance as one of Balinese heritage which deserve to be protect from extinction.
Quick Source : Bali Post (Saturday, 27 June 2009)
Bali, island surrounded by sense of mystics and has a magnetic attraction, Island of God with so many culture and tradition that still exist until now. Equilibrium between vertical and horizontal nexus already contribute and taking role on every side of Balinese community. What could be a reason why Bali always exists as a traditional community and always has a visitor from modernization flow outside of Bali almost every year? Believe the answer is Balinese community trustworthy to the matter that they always called harmonization relationship between a human and God as a creator, protector, and executor of this universe. This is also became a reason why religion in Bali has a harmonic rhythms with its traditional culture. Hindu community in Bali believe that three avatar of God as a creator, protector, and executor had bring so many phenomenon in life, where one of those is law of nature between good and evil, wrong and right, beauty and beast and many differences in this universe and became appear also in traditional mythology of Bali. One of those is “Barong” that represent in Barong & Rangda Dance, this triumphant dance is very popular not only for Balinese people but also for viewers around the world.
Actually, Barong is a form of Bali pre Hinduism inheritance, being transformed to a figurehead or mask of an animals or ancient human which has magical forces. Mystic of Barong mask came from its wood material which taken on cemetery area. Could be in the year of being created, Barong mask has so many different type, nowadays there are several being known, for example: Barong Ket, Barong Gajah, Barong Asu, Barong Landung, Barong Bangkal, Barong Brutuk, Barong Kedingkling until Barong Sai. Barong character in Balinese mythology is reflected of spirit in a human itself, where in Balinese Hinduism believe that a human has a”guardian sibling” when being born in the nativity process, the guardian elements are blood, placenta, and fetal membrane. All these elements will always protect and guard a human all through the process of life till being reunited again with the universe. Barong as a king of spirit is one of those elements as “guardian sibling” and has a power to protect human from any evil through the interaction process of life.
Performance of Barong & Rangda dance bring us to the reflection of how we suppose to live, good and bad spirit on every human on this universe will always be a substance in law of nature, always existing in all circumstances.