Buleleng Northern Lights

Wayang Wong Tejakula:

The Boisterous Sound Has Disappeared Since the Tusk of Rangda’s Was Cut

In Bali, there are various kinds of puppet theater (wayang) like wayang kulit (puppet made of cow’s leather) and wayang wong (human dance-drama). Wayang wong is estimated to have been created in the fourteenth and fifteenth century. The relief of this human dance-drama can be seen at the Penataran Temple (East Java) founded around this time. In that period, the influence of Javanese culture in Bali was highly extensive. The storylines carried into Wayang Theater was generally the same, namely Mahabharata and Ramayana epics.
In Buleleng, the wayang wong still exists in two villages, namely Tejakula and Banyuatis. The existence of the wayang wong there pertains to religious activity and local customary practice, so its performance is sacralized. Even, the wayang wong in Tejakula is highly sacralized by its residents.
When was wayang wong of Tejakula created? There is no reliable and accurate time. But, in accordance with estimation, this art show is more than 400 years old. The wayang wong continually makes its presentation in Sukawana Village (Bangli), some 25 kilometers from Tejakula Village because Sukawana Village is situated in a mountainous area became the spring source for the people of Tejakula. “Therefore, at every temple festival at Sukawana, our wayang wong was performed,” said Nyoman Tusan, an elder figure of Tejakula Village.
The accessories of wayang wong of Tejakula are well kept at the Village Temple since people believe in the supernatural power of the wayang. Because the wayang is old, the people make its duplicate for performance needs.
In 1976, it was established the wayang wong troupe of Tejakula. This troupe frequently made its presentations in several places throughout Bali and even abroad.
How is the sacredness of wayang wong of Tejakula? According to a villager, on a holiday (sacred day) based on Balinese almanac, often strange things occur in the storage of the wayang. For instance, the people whose house is adjoining the Village Temple on several occasions heard boisterous sounds from inside the storage. Since then these strange sounds have occurred many times and people asked for the advice of a shaman. It was recommended that the tusk of the rangda mask needed cutting. Peculiarly, since the tusk has been cut the boisterous sound was not heard any longer.
The performance of wayang wong in the religious ceremony at the temple was usually carried out twice on two nights. At the last show, especially when the prominent figures like rangda appeared, it was always completed with the ‘slaughter’ of a small chicken. This figure depicted the Kumbakarna, the younger brother of Ravana (evil figure) who struggled against Rama (good figure). This mask is believed to have supernatural powers.
Another miracle is that when the ceremony is taking place at the temple, the players never any rehearsal and they were able to play perfectly. Their character and movement is exactly the same as that of their predecessors. So, from time immemorial up to recent times the storyline and scene composition are always the same and become the point of public interest, as if they never watched wayang wong previously.
(BTN/Supir)