This Saturday, 17th May, 2008, Tumpek Wayang, one of my favorite Agama Hindu Bali Holydays honors, respects and celebrates Wayang Kulit shadow play. On this day the Dalang, (shadow artists) display their Wayang (shadow characters) and place offerings around the characters, Gamelan instruments, and other objects (the screen, lamp, etc) used in shadow performances.

About 15 hours after this ritual occurs on Bali, especially in the Banjar Babakan community of Sukawati, it happens again in a tiny section of California, in the Banjar Mission Hills community of Los Angeles, where devoted students of Wayang and Gamelan reside. Since we are unable to find flowers like cempaka or ylang2, or snacks like jajan kampung, we must substitute. Desa, kala, patra - a teacher once told me - do what you can depending on where you are, when it is, and what you can obtain, something like - it’s the thought that counts!

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When the bomb went off in Kuta last October, the reactions were mainly those of grief, horror and surprise. After the first few weeks of emergency care, it was time to try and figure out how to help those affected heal–on all levels: emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually and economically. The Bali Relief efforts have been enormous–an outpouring of medications (80 percent of them outdated, I’m told), medical support, and money came onto this tiny island. After all the fanfare, and the extravanga free concerts with the big name stars, a number of us wondered what else could be done.

Cody Schwaiko of YKIP (Yayasan Kemanusian Ibu Pertiwi, which was initially established to assist the bomb victims) asked me if I knew a dalang (shadow puppeteer) who could create a story about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that could be taken into the villages, particularly in and around Kuta.

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When a grand ceremony is held, the performance of Wayang Lemah is obligatory. As its name suggest Wayang Lemah is always performed in the daylight (“wayang” means “puppet” and “lemah” means “day”) and is usually performed as long as the high priest officiates the ceremony. Wayang Lemah is an exorcistic play, it is performed primarily for invisible audiences: the spirit, divinities and the demons, it is a part of ceremony which functions to ensure the success of a ceremony and obviously not an entertainment for mortals.

The stage for Wayang Lemah is simpler than the spectacular Wayang Peteng (Night Shadow Puppet) since it does not need a screen and wick lamp and there will be no shadow. Wayang Lemah stage consists of three young, cut banana trunks for placing the puppet during the play (the pointed handle of the puppet can easily stuck into soft banana trunks), on either side of long banana trunk, which runs across and forms the actual stage, two big branches of evergreen dapdap tree had been pushed vertically through the banana trunk into the ground; at top they branched out in three directions symbolizing Hindu trinity.

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Banana (”biu” in Balinese) in Balinese life is a non-substitutable part, that have merged into the Balinese daily life and become a necessity whether for ceremonial purpose or secular one. Banana in Bali is usually grown on the backyard of the house or crowded the backyard, as a matter of fact.

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English maybe satisfied with a general word “banana” for all species banana but Balinese prefer to do something in complicated way, and with Banana, Balinese language coins a word for each species of Banana. There is red one, called biu udang, meaning ”shrimp banana.” There are delicious tiny ones, no longer than the length of your finger, called milk bananas, biu susu. Biu kate plants are dwarfs but the fruit is normal size. Biu gadang is still quite green when ripe and ready to eat. Biu mas is of a deep golden color. Biu kayu is long and skinny. Biu dak sangket resembles a hook. Biu raja, king banana is as big as banana that are sell in supermarket or maybe it is.

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Saturday, March 24, 2007, Balinese-Hindu follower will celebrate the sacred Tumpek Wayang day. The Tumpek Wayang takes its name from the name of week of its occasion. It is celebrated every 210 days, in the 27^th week of Balinese Pawukon cycle (a cycle consist of 30 weeks).

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