The significance of this mythology arises from its
explicit proposition concerning the context, objective and the number of the
performers. Based on this mythological foundation, a dalang is responsible for
purifying, edifying and enlightening an audience through his verbal and comic
creativities and improvisation. Maintaining this original function helps to
keep Wayang theatre distinct from other performing-arts genres.
In this myth, seven artists are involved in the
performance: one dalang, two assistants and four musicians. This is still the
normal size of a troupe of Wayang Kulit Parwa in south Bali, from the Jembrana
regency in the west to the Karangasem regency in the east. A number of other myths
exist, but they all deal with the same central notion that performance has the
power to pacify demons and return the divine to its beneficent form. In other
words, a specific purpose of purification is inherent in Wayang Kulit and in
some other sacred performance forms. The Balinese believe that a dangerous
lower spirit can be transformed into a favourable divine spirit through the
performance of Wayang. Holy water, which the dalang creates at the end of the
performance, is a sign of the washing away of the evil – a tangible sign of the
desired inner process which the characters in each of the stories achieve
release them from domination by lower instincts.
In fact, exorcisms are still common in Bali in many
situations, as belief in evil spirits and purification is widespread. In Hindu
Panca-Sradha belief, the universe is seen as occupied by all kinds of spirits,
from extremely good to evil. These spirits affect the lives of human beings and
prompt them to do good or ill. As Freudian psychology sees the unconscious
split into three parts – super ego, ego and id – similarly Balinese spirits are
divided into three functions (Triguna): Satwam (essentially, heart-based
truth), Rajah (thought-based motive) and Tamah (emotion-based decision). Both
Western psychology and Balinese conceptions of the spirit world see the human
being as vulnerable to numerous unconscious motives. In order to win favour
from spirits, humans need to appease them by offering the best treatment
possible. For the Balinese, art is the best product of a human being and thus
becomes the ideal antidote to evil. The philosophical purpose of Wayang, by
using music, song, dance and narrative, is to exorcise the demonic, showing us
first what it looks like and then returning it into its divine form. Unlike
most of the West where God is dead, Bali is an island where spirits of good and
evil are very much alive and performances are frequently interrelated with them
in one way or another.
Many different forms of Wayang are in Bali today, such
as Wayang Ramayana, Wayang Wong (a dance-drama genre in which the dancers speak
and emulate puppets), Wayang Gambuh (based mainly on the Panji cycle of
stories), Wayang Kulit Calonarang (focused on witchcraft and black magic),
Wayang Cupak and Wayang Kulit Sasak (based on Muslim stories) and some new and
experimental versions. These relatively new artistic explorations and
experimentations (mainly explored at ISI Denpasar Institute rather than in
villages), involve a wide range of puppet shapes and sizes (ranging from less
than 0.3 metres to 2 metres tall), many different lighting devices, from
traditional simple torches through to modern, elaborate lighting equipment that
produces special effects. Scenic backgrounds and settings are variously
featured through lighting, pictures and moving backgrounds like a diorama.
Video projection is also being explored as technology increases in availability
and decreases in cost. In place of the traditional leather Wayang puppets, the
performance may use plastic versions of these puppets with new designs and
characters, newly created rod puppets and human actors and actresses. Although
the themes and contents generally remain traditional, the forms have been
carefully and extensively developed. In Wayang, as in so much of Balinese
culture, little tension exists between those who wish to preserve and those who
innovate. In fact, often the younger custodians of tradition are those who also
innovate according to the appropriateness of the performance time, place and
circumstance.
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