Bali, Indonesia
Visit Singapadu Village, where you will see the spectacular Barong Dance. Also called the "Kris Dance", the Barong Dance is a pantomime of a fantastic dragon-like holy animal, the Barong, pitched in battle against the witch, Rangda. This is the most violent of Balinese dances and is often used as an exorcism.
Rangda is Queen of the witches, a ruthless child-eater and black magician who brings sickness and death. Some scholars say her origin is Shiva's wife Durga in her evil aspect. Barong, a hairy, eerie, mythical lion, sides with human beings against Rangda to thwart her evil plans.
The Barong is manipulated by two men who take the immense puppet through comic, yet complex, dance movements. The puppet has a beard of human hair, feathers, and bells all over its body.
