The Barong and Kris Dance

This is the rough description of The Barong Kris Dance ( a musical play)

The Barong- A play represents an eternal fight between good and evil. Barong (a mythological animal) represents a good spirit and Rangda (a mythological monster) represents an evil one


* Followed by his friend the monkey, the tiger comes up. Three masked-dancers appear representing men making palmwine in the forest, whom child is killed by the tiger. The three men get angry and attack the tiger. Th etiger is helped by the monley. During the fight the nose of one of the three men is bitten off.

First Act

Two girls- dancers appeared, represented the servants of the Rangda, looking for the servants of Dewi Kunti who were on their way to meet their Patih (The Prime Minister).

Second Act

Two servants of Dewi Kunti came in. One of Rangda's servants changed into a witch and entered into both servants bodies to make them angry. They met their Patih and went together to meet Dewi Kunti.

Third Act

Dewi Kunti and her son Sadewa came out. Dewi Kunti had promised to Rangda to sacrifice Sadewa. A witch appeared and enterd into Dewi Kunti's body. She became angry and ordered Patih to bring Sadewa into the forest. The Patih who was also being possesed by a witch has no pity on Sadewa. He followed Dewi Kunti's order and took Sadewa into a forest and tied him up to a tree.

Fourth Act

Unknown by Rangda, Siwa (the God) appeared and blessed Sadewa with immortality. The Rangda appeared getting ready to kill and eat Sadewa, but to his suprise, Sadewa did not die. The Rangda then surrendered himself to Sadewa and asked for his forgiveness. Sadewa forgave him and killed Rangda. The Rangda went into the Heaven.

Fifth Act

One of the Rangda's servants, Kalika came up before Sadewa and asked for his forgiveness too. Sadewa refused to accept it and Kalika was angry and chnaged herself into a boar and fought against Sadewa. The boar was defeated and then Kalika changed herself into a bird but she still lost in the battle. She finally changed herself into Rangda. Sadewa meditated and changed herself into Barong and the continued fighting. The battle seemed to be never ending as both the Rangda and Barong were equally strong. At the end the Barong has won the battle as it was helped by the followers to fight against the evil.