Topeng Bali in Balinese Cultural Character

Happiness and sadness is a sense of self-expression which can be reflected from face expression. Mostly, this self-expression holds the role of a face expression which is so important in some activity and could be adjusted by base on scale of need. Not only being a certain fashion trends that a make-up faces are made only for showbiz purposes, but there are times in some ways people can create a makeover on his face with psychological factors support that wants to be disclosed or the mood to be covered, commonly use to describe a noun known as the “Mask”.

Mask is a shape which is generally used to cover a face. Mask at the beginning of its development is used to realize the imaginary form of a person and is usually associated with religious and magical atmosphere and of course with highly creativity power and art creations. Trust in the form of nature deities and forms of real ancestors reflection is often poured into the form of a mask for a complementary means of a deity or ancestor worship ceremonies at that time. The form of the arts was diverse; form of human faces up until animal’s forms, as in most of African, the mask takes the form of an animal because it is believed to be used as a means to communicate with the Gods and ancestors. While in the Asian region the mask was used to give more meaning to the definition of the characters in such colossal epics Mahabharata and Ramayana which is originally from India, then spread to several regions in Southeast Asia including Indonesia, especially Java and Bali. Development of form and masks character in Java and Bali is much influenced by Hindu & Buddhist cultures of India and China. Universally, mask is used to display the expression of a character in a ceremony or in theatrical performances. In a historic development function of the mask and its power been shifted to other purposes such as face shield even for amusement. Masks are not only used on the face of a dancer or mask user, but there are times when the mask is also used in other parts such as body or finger. Other function is a mask often used in festivals, carnival, even to be used in the Halloween event.

Mask called “Topeng” in Indonesia. By the form that commonly used by the mask dancers, Balinese “Topeng Bungkulan” distinguished as a mask form covering the entire face, and “Topeng Sibakan” is a shape of a mask that just cover half part of the face. “Topeng Bungkulan” is usually used in the Balinese theatrical drama using mastermind and sounding with word and song wearing Ancient Balinese language or a language derived from Sanskrit. While “Topeng Sibakan” on the show not wearing mastermind because the wearer can use their own voice.

In Balinese culture, mask usually became the most important part in the mask dance, and having a very close connection with religious ceremonies because it is often staged in the temple or during religious events which is so sacred. Balinese people call the mask as “Tapel”. Dance mask that very associated with religious ceremonies and performed during some religious ceremony is known as “Topeng Pajegan” or “Topeng Wali”. This mask dance is performed by a single dancer and must bring a few roles using different masks in a dance session. Dancing with five or more dancers who wear masks with different characters called “Topeng Panca”. Appearance of several figures from “Topeng Panca” can also be displayed in “Topeng Prembon” Dance. Mask dance performance that perform comedy road stories or folklore of ordinary Balinese people called “Topeng Arja” or “Topeng Bondres”.

Balinese masks are also used to represent the characters with their respective duties and functions, in order to bring a demand in the mask dance. “Topeng Tua” or “Topeng Keras” represent a character of a wise holy man; it is figure “Pangelembar”. Other strata character known as the figure of “Penasar Kelihan” and “Penasar Cenikan”. There is also a figure called “Ratu Dalem” and “Ratu Patih”. There is also a character that figure ordinary people named “Bondres”. But the character which is acted by the mask dancers must also be able to convey the mask character to the audience explicitly or implicitly.

Theatrical masks nevertheless can sometimes be understood only with the help of the voice from a puppeteer. Strong character traits by a mask user will bring the story in amusement role becomes something meaningful to the audience, although sometimes the wearer’s mood is very different from their mask figure played on role. Likewise for humans also, role of character is inherent in each individual and can give a beautiful conclusion that the world is non-different from a mask theater. What role is on performed behind your face mask, is it joy or sorrow?

Movements of Sacred Beauty

Bali Painting - Solo DancerDistance and time in dynamic motion of the universe, build a space for living things to move in pursuing natural movement. Inspiration of natural movement has given participation for the creation of art movements in the human world and poured into a form of popular dance. The art of dance is a form of real information that living things were artistically capitalized in their respective lives. Civilization has taught living things to create communication, either verbally or without words which must be understood by both parties by using non-verbal body movements only. In the art of dance, the dancers must be able to give dance meaning to the recipients, so the audience can interpret the story of the dance movement itself. The scope of the art of dance not only as an entertainment, but has a broad scope in terms of its implementation and usage. In some countries, a dance has been known before the existence of cultural civilization, but maybe only giving a meaning to the application of a religious life of mythology and for healing treatment, up to those reasons even now are still found in some countries and regions, the existence of dance that originated from ancient times are still preserved as one of the cultural heritage of ancestors.

Dance means a body movement in time with the music and used to show expression, social interaction, spiritual expression and an entertainment show. Expression of the body and face movements of dancers able to give meaning to a soul of dances. Expression in dance can also be used as a forum for public social interaction to a connoisseur of art. A dance can also display a particular spiritual expression which is really spiritually purified. Speaking of spiritual issues and dances, once again will be introduced how to see art and spiritual so unified in the blood and breath of life of the Balinese society. Cultural heritage from prehistoric times until it was introduced civilization in Bali by the newcomers seemed increasingly makes Bali so well known. Art and spiritual life of the Balinese people are not separated from the norms and the preservation of its entire cultural heritage. In addition to spatial layout, motion was always filled with the values of art and high culture and usually closely related to religion Hindu community in Bali, art and culture originated from God, dedicated and shall return to the glory of the Creator.

When relation between the spatial structure of all forms of religious art and culture is a sacred thing, and dance forms called “Tarian Wali” such as Berutuk dance, Rejang dance, Sang Hyang Dedari dance, Baris Gede dance. Dance usually using sacred infrastructure and Temple as a place to perform, at least the dancers who dancing must still virgin or must obtain prior purification procession known as “Pasupati”, this sacred procession could maintain vertical relation between human with the Creator, so the dance included in this “Tarian Wali” contain magical powers. Tarian Wali is sacred offerings of the dancers to God with the firm notes that the dance is not perform commercially. Unlike the other categories of Balinese dance, some dances are includes into “Bebali”, they are Gambuh, Topeng Pajegan, Wayang Wong. This dance is perform at Temple and could also be shown to the public outside of religious environment, of course, magic sense is still guarded. Dance intended as a show for the public area classified into dance called “Balih-balihan”, such as Legong dance, Parwa, Arja, Joged, and dances with modern choreography. Many kinds of Balinese dances classified in three categories and all of this dance is not easy for dancers to be able to master it and to hold the high proficiency level in the expression of magic and religy, body movements that has to be adjust to the pace and rhythm of music and soul of this art is not easy to learn and needs special training. Time and strata or levels must pass from an early age. One or two years is not the time required for a dancer to be able to understand every movement of Balinese dance in expressing the soul of the art and it is not an understable things in a short time, but it may take from an early age until reach ten years even more . Basic level, an intermediate (Madya) and full stratum (Purna) is the strata for a dancer to successfully assuming the power of art and culture of Balinese dance. The beauty of motion in the sacred task of maintaining the relationship with God and in the preservation of this cultural heritage is taken locally by various efforts including the existence of special schools where conservation and development of Balinese dances taking place, there are also many dance workshops which provides early instruction on how to master Balinese dance.

High dedication in keeping the arts and cultural heritage of Bali is expected to become the beauty and harmony in dynamic motion of Balinese people. Space and time in beauty of movement will bring you for joining the magical sense of art and culture in Balinese dance.

BALI PAINTING AS A CULTURES REFLECTION

Bali Painting - Solo DancerA process of drawing something in a flat form using paint or ink is called a painting. Have a closer meaning with aesthetic and art makes a painting as an object fully contain with creativity implementation. A painting can represent someone imaginer feeling to amused art curator or a person who loves painting or just to eyes sight seeing. Naturalism and representative is a way of painting creativity, these two themes can be a painter narrative act to pour a story of everything at their painting.

Firstly, a history of painting is detected through cave paintings which were found in several countries such as in French, Spain, Portugal, China, Australia, India etc. Cave painting is a reflection of life in prehistoric era and will be a record for modern era. When a man start to recognizing a cultures, then painting development is not just using cave wall as media to paint but its already use other media; canvas, fabric, board etc. Natural color from a charcoal and limestone are also turning to a modern media use such as paint or ink which is vary in type. Spiritual motif giving a big influences for all development history of a painting in both Western and Eastern country, other motifs also derive from painter creativity.Painting - Trio Dancer

When culture began to touch Bali, especially in ancient of Hinduism era, painting is being introduced as an art. Proved that in Bali’s Sanskrit is a form of hand painting brushed at a stone, most of these painting are depiction of Kingdom or spiritual leader on that year, so their movement and their history could be detected on Bali’s heritage. First Bali’s painting was found at Kemasan (Klungkung regency) as form of a puppet painting, this painting was purposes as a gift to procession of proposing King’s Banyuwangi (a region in Eastern Java) daughter. First puppet painting is being inspired by stories of Ramayana epic. Simple character of painting combined with natural media giving a new era in Balinese painting. Then painting was developed and began spreading to other places until founded some painting style in accordance of a place where it began to make. Kemasan, Batuan, Ubud are native region in painting style and be direction style to Bali’s painter on their painting. Uniformity style of two dimension painting is also affected by traditional Bali’s culture of ancient Hinduism.

Painting - Old Lady SmileSince inclusion of Western culture in Bali’s life in year 1926 and 1928, Bali began to introduce with painting in three dimension look. This style had been brought by Walter Spies and Rudolf Bonnet. Lighting, coloring, and arrangement of space in Bali’s painting are begun to modernize. Painting object orientation is lead to become freedom choice in a painting. Effort in earning standard and quality of Bali’s paintings is about to find its way.

How far does standard and quality being developed? We could find the answer by exhibited on Bali’s paintings.

BALINESE DECORATIVE DOUBLE DOOR

Natural Door - DEWI KADRU - Sraya Bali Style Original DesignConnection between inside and outside world is very common known as “door”. Has a meaning as a flat movable barrier that is fitted into and closes the entrance to a building, room, cupboard, car, etc., door is a primary function in all building interior. Besides protecting a privacy of other inside interior, generally door is the first building interior that touched by a human to enter the advance world.

Design and use of the door was first discovered at the ancient Egypt tomb. In general, door has many variety of types depends on its shape, mechanism, function, and even on a culture of what region where it’s founded. Because door became a part of a building then it has a component that has to proper with design interior of the house. Attached at the doorway, a door must have a hinges to connect a doorway with the door, so the door can move freely when opened and closed. The door has several components such as light and air ventilation (top rail), door handle and key as middle rail, and supported bottom panel as a bottom rail. Along with development era and modernization, technology of door’s design already modified to meet a demand of human who want simple design for an easier life. But infrequently, still there is ancient design hunted to meet with the esthetic of home beauty and interior building.

Bali a place where always keep the harmonization between culture and modernization also has a concept in building architecture and interior design. Mentioned on several Hindu Sanskrit that universally conceptual of “Tri Hita Karana” and “Tri Mandala” always apply in developing a building as well as in the interior design, these universal concept can’t separated with Balinese community and still applied until now. Tri Mandala is a concept of a house geographical landscape divides into Main Mandala (a sacred landscape), Madya Mandala (a residential landscape), and Nista Mandala (a landscape of disposal area; e.g. toilet). The door is an equipment to separated these three area and be a bridge to harmonized them. Tri Hita Karana is a concept to emphasize a relationship between a human with God, with a Man, and with the Environment. Door which attached and be a part of “Penyengker” is also an application of Tri Hita Karana concept, shows a relationship between a human and the non biotic Environment. Wood material and its natural color is a form of relationship between human and biotic Environment. The door carving and decoration is the form of spiritual dealing between human and God as a creator of Universe.

Everything which is explained Balinese decorative door could providing the answer to a question; why Bali always contain of cultural and Mystical touch on every details? A comprehension of Bali’s decorative door will turn to be useless if you never touch the carved panel as a sensation taste of Balinese culture, and be prepared to the unique greatness of Bali interior inside.

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Valmiki’s Sanskrit at Pura Dalem Ubud, Gianyar

pura-dalem-ubud-gianyar-regencyAs far as foot will go, as far as eyes will see, as much as ears will hear, a God’s story will being still a heavenly rumors to be settle in a collaboration of every human being culture. Created by Valmiki (being known as Baghawan Walmiki in Balinese community), Ramayana Epic is not just an ordinary fairy-tale to be read for a young Balinese but what is written inside is an tremendous Sanskrit epic belong to heavenly God. Inside, when this chain of Sanskrit being open, a beautifully words will bouncing and bring a reflection of devotion, loyalty, worship, and a learning library for all ethical human being and a leader conducts their self at all times. Performing many characters from angel till demon, this epic could give wide sight to understand a humanitarian side of the world. A Valmiki Sanskrit poem that always whisper around this mother land by twin son of Rama’s will bring human being to know Rama, the main character of the epic. Continue reading