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What Indonesia - Bali is all about ?

Dawang-Dawang, the giant demon mask of Tabanan, may perhaps be regarded as a variety of the Barong Landoeng, though apparently celibate. k is carried' about in cases of illness, but otherwise lives in a small temple up a side lane of the village of Bongan, just outside Tabanan. The old priest who watches over it agreed that it might be photographed if offerings were paid for. A plate or two were prepared and carried by women into the inner court, where the Dawang-Dawang is kept in a bali, the great body of canvas and bamboo outside, the mask in a basket. The offerings consisted of flowers--4iibiscus and marigold-rice, eggs, chalk, betel, tortoiseshell, a twenty-five-cent piece, wine and holy water. The giant was dressed before us in the courtyard, in an old faded blue and white check, with a yellow sash.

In his painted red right hand he held between his breasts a black and white sacrificial sword, such as is always carried at ceremonies of exorcism. The mask is red, with huge gold teeth parted in a grin, and gold tusks. A gold line follows the ridge of his great nose and outlines his cheeks and nostrils; he has gold brows and eyelids, several half-circles of gold and red alternating with hair above his eyes, prominent white eyeballs and small glass pupils which five a glittering effect to his stare. Leather flames, gold, red, and black, surround his hibiscus flowers are stuck behind his ears, green foliage dangling from them over his cheeks. A great moustache completely covers his mouth and frames his chin. A bristling wig of sugar palm fibre forms a fringe above his mask, and falls in a point down his back, caught v a gold leather clasp, a dirty white cloth is tied round his neck. He has breasts affixed, with black-painted nipples; he even has red hair under his armpits.

A similar figure, but with extended functions, is Dane Djero Gede, also of the Tabanan neighbourhood, who lives in the temple of Tanah Regat. During a week of cremation festivities at Tabanan he was paraded every day before the palace-gates, doing a light dance step with dangling arms, to the rhythms of the Gong Gede. It is said that his mask is liable to go into trance in the temple quite by itself, and that some one has to be fetched hastily from the fields to carry it, and go where it leads. In the days before the Dutch domination there was, it is said, a great rivalry between the royal houses of Tabanan and Menggwi. Once when there was much illness in Menggwi, Dane Djero Gede was carried there to exorcize it. But the raja of Menggwi said, 'This is a good opportunity to kill the good. spirit of Tabanan,' and he ordered his people to seize it and trample it to pieces.

 

 

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