Developing Talents #5 ~ Visit an art museum or attend a concert, play, or other cultural event. Share your experience with your family or activity day group.
Our family went for our Bali last year for our yearly family vacation. It was really an amazing trip and we were able to see, learn and experience a lot from the Balinese culture – from ancient and epic works of art, architecture such as temples and age-old rituals, to traditional recipes cuisine and local flea markets, we really love this tropical paradise!
On top of that, I was far way happier and felt the joyous when I came to know about learning and experience a cultural event or an art museum is one of the requirements of the Faith in God program under Developing Talents!
This was such a great opportunity for both Issac and Annabelle to learn others cultures and would get at least a little bit insight into the day-to-day life of Balinese through their arts, architecture, religion and beliefs.
For the Balinese people, dance is more than just an ancient tradition, but an integral part of religious and artistic expression that beings together the community. There are many different types of Balinese dances, and most involve the Balinese version of the Hindu Ramayana epic.
The Pura Uluwatu Kecak Dance is performed in the amphitheatre, where one hundred men [wearing only a loin-cloth each] form rows of circles around a coconut oil lamp in the centre.
First, they move their bodies rhythmically to the left and to the right, chanting the words cak ke-cak ke-cak ke-cak continuously, in slow rhythm. Gradually the rhythm speeds up and in turn, they each lift their hands, trembling, into the air. You won’t forget this experience in a hurry – it’s quite a spectacle!
Another cultural dance that we went is the Barong and Kris Dance. It was equally dramatic and breath taking performance. Barong and Kris Dance is also a traditional dance drama portraying the eternal battle between good and evil from the characters in Bali.
Barong, is a lion-like creature, is the king of all good spirits and is portraying as a fun-loving creature with a red head, covered in tick white fur, wearing gilded jewellery adorned with pieces of mirrors.
Rangda, is a widowed witch and the queen of all evil spirits and portraying as an old woman, with long and unkempt hair, pendulous breasts and claws, and her face is traditionally portrayed with fanged teeth and a long, protruding tongue. Both are equally revered and worshipped amongst the Balinese Hindus as one cannot exist without the other.
Compared with Kecak Dance, the Barong Dance Drama or story would be a bit more longer, and both kids were feeling sleepy in the end of the show. But the Barong costume are far more catch the eyes from the audiences!
After the show, both Issac and Annabelle were rushing up to the stage and wanted to touch the Barong fur, and took photos with the Barong.
One of the gamelan musicians invited us to the back stage where they kept all the costumes and masks used in the dance. We had a chance to put on them and have a few photos taken together.
The costumes and the masks are so uniquely done. Daddy was wearing the Rangda, Issac was wearing the monkey mask and Mummy was wearing a headpiece which is really tight!
Our family enjoyed the cultural dance including both kids. Bali is really another kind of wonders which open our eyes and mind on how great and strong will are their people upholds their culture and traditions!
Our Bali trip indeed was a memorable one and at the same time, able to fulfil one of the Faith in God requirements for both Issac and Annabelle. The Barong really gives Issac an inspiration and he tried to draw out the Barong, and it really looks real… ^^
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