Tukang Terang (Rain Man)

Monday, December 25th, 2006 by ablteam

When rainy season finally comes, there should be rain everyday in Bali. The service of a rain man (tukang terang) is in high demand, since many traditional or secular events are held outdoor and a sudden down pour of rain will be a great problem.

The traditional rain man of Bali is someone who has strong magical powers that enable him to move the rain from one place to another. The magical power is obtained by observing a strict self-purification and adherence to spiritual processes. Talent and a family line of rain man are also important requirements for obtaining this magical power.
The ability of the rain man is not just moving the rain from one place to another but also in making the rain.

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Wayang Wong

Monday, December 11th, 2006 by ablteam

The term Wayang Wong comes from the two words wayang meaning shadow and wong meaning man. Wayang Wong, which translates to shadow men, is a human dramatization of the Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet) show, wherein the dancers imitate the jerky movements of the puppets. Wayang Wong is one of several Balinese performance art forms which meld dance, drama and music. In Bali, there are two kinds of Wayang Wong, Wayang Wong Parwa which adapts stories from the Mahabharata for the stage, and Wayang Wong Ramayana, which takes stories from the Ramayana.