This is a Kecak dance, better known as the
Balinese Monkey Dance. Recently, about 5 thousand people
gathered, some whipping themselves into a trance, at Tanah Lot, Bali,
Indonesia to pray for the return of tourism. That may sound crass and
commercial but tourism is entwined in Bali's spiritual, cultural and
economic life. I have spent a lot of time in Bali over the years and I
miss it. The last time I was there was just after the bombings a couple
of years ago. Farmers, flower growers, artists, performers, were all
devastated both morally and economically by that tragedy.
photos (c) russell johnson
Bali is a mishmosh of Hindu and animist traditions -- an island in an
otherwise Muslim country -- and the monkey dance has elements of the
Ramayana along with something called sanghyang,
an exorcism ritual. It is said be a piece of choreography created in
the 1930 by a local dancer and German artist Walter Spies. In fact,
around that time, artists came from all over the world. You find
tourists incorporated in traditional paintings. One of the clearest
explanations of Bali art, dance and culture can be found in the Mexican
artist Miguel Covarrubias' 1937 book "The Island of Bali.
In the Ramayana tale, monkeys
help Prince Rama fight the evil King Ravana. Sure, the Monkey Dance was
created with a tourist audience in mind. But then art, music and dance
in Bali is nourished by tourism. Without an audience, it would have
withered. Bali is still one of the most inspiring and intriguing
places on earth.
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