Barong and Rangda

The long shaggy body of the Barong, a lionlike protective spirit, forms a diagonal across this painting of a ritual dance-drama. He twists both head and tail toward the men on one side of him, forming a barrier between them and the hulking presence behind him. This female figure, with bulging eyes, fangs, and a long, lolling tongue, looms over the Barong holding a magic cloth that renders her invisible. She is likely Rangda, a fierce female practitioner of black magic. On the far right, two men turn their kris daggers upon themselves in the face of Rangda’s power.

The Barong and Rangda are central figures in a variety of ritual performances that occur throughout southern Bali. Music and dance do more than just punctuate Balinese ritual life; they can form the core of certain sacrificial offerings.