Barong, the symbol of virtue and good in Balinese mythology.
(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice. These images are scanned from slides taken in 1987)
On one of the first days we were in Bali, our group was taken to an outdoor theater to see a traditional Balinese dance drama that depicted the struggle between Barong and Rangda. The dance represents the eternal battle between good and evil.
Rangda, the symbol of evil.
Barong is a symbol of health and good fortune, while Rangda is a child-eating witch who leads an army of evil witches against the forces of good — Barong.
Queen Dewi Kunti and her stepson, who will be sacrificed to placate the anger of Rangda.
In the version of the story we saw, the stepson of the queen was to be sacrificed to placate the anger of Rangda.
Unti, a minister of Dewi Kunti
The king sent his prime minister to deal with Rangda, although he was unsuccessful. His failure set the stage for the battle between Barong and Rangda.
The dance/drama was definitely interesting and provided a glimpse into traditional Balinese culture.
To see larger versions of these pictures, as well as others from the performance, click HERE.
Senior Moments 