Barong ket (banaspati rajah) |
|
Ref. TB10-07 CONTACT |
Balinese Legend
Indonesia-Bali-Gianyar, contemporary
(L x W x D) : 23x49,5x24 (hors coiffe) - H:49 cm
Pule wood
Human hair, horsehair, stones, cow skin
This sacred mask from Barong has many roles in the Balinese society. It can be played in the Barong and Calonarang danses, used in village ceremonies or for processions, and appear on Hindus temple's altar. Each village keeps its sacred Barong Ket mask at the temple; it regularly gets offerings as it protects the village. The origins of the Barong are far a back in time and quite uncertain. Its origins could be from animist'cults, before Hinduism appeared, when villagers still believed in the supernatural protective power of animals. Barong Ket, also known as Basnapati Rajah, is sometimes described as a combination of a lion and a tiger. He is the most important protection mask of the Barongs and is also the keeper of White Magic, whose eternal ennemy is
Rangda. These two entities embody the universal balance between the Good and the Bad,cherished by the Balinese people.