REOG, a ‘magnifique’ magical dance

Reog is an Indonesian traditional mask dance where the dancers carry a very heavy, ornamented tiger head with peacock feathers  in wide winged. This dance depicts a fight between a tiger and two noblemen on horseback. These masks are almost 50 kg heavy, worn by one man (called warok) by biting the wood inside the mask. It is impossible to normal teeth, that’s why all waroks are on trance conditions when dancing with this big heavy mask.

 

Keris, the symbol of glory

The most famous pusaka or heirloom for Javanese people is keris. In the old days, keris was owned by almost everyone in the society and mostly used as weapons.  A man was not considered as a real man if he has no keris. Keris, considered sacred and contains specific magical powers, is highly valued, treated and respected with special care.

A keris or kris is a special knife, a double-edged assymetrical stabbing weapon originating in Java which is used in a close range combat. It has spread its influence far beyond its initial beginnings to Bali, Lombok, Kalimantan, and even to Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Mindanao. From a stabbing weapon it has developed into a social status symbol and a symbol of manhood. According to Javanese keris lore, the development of keris can be assumed to take a parallel course with the kingdoms of Java. Unfortunately myth and fact are also intertwined that it is sometimes difficult to separate the two. 

Bali, the Isle of Gods

Western travellers and scholars have long been fascinated with the island of Bali, its picturesque landscapes, and the richness of its music and arts practiced every day by ordinary people. They have been especially amazed by the fact that from daybreak the air in the island is filled with the sounds of complicated orchestral music requiring many hours of concentrated rehearsal.

The English playwright Noel Coward, visiting Bali together with Charlie Chaplin in the 1930s, said: “There is far too much music in Bali. …