ARJA, Balinese Opera, Bali, Indonesia. Part 2.
This section introduces the prince Jaya Pangus and has some other male characters. ARJA was originally an all male performance with women’s parts also being played by men. Possibly as late as the 1950’s women began to take part also and by the seventies they were well established in the genre. Until recently there have still been all male ARJA groups.
In this section Jaya Pangus’s manservant supplies some comic moments. He suffers from facial distortion which is a device often used in Balinese maskmaking and slapstick. He also walks and talks a “bit funny”.
Kang Chin Wee meets with her servant. The child of Jaya Pangus and Dewi Danau enters. Suddenly Kang Chin Wee arrives on the scene. She asks Jaya Pangus about this “other” woman. Pangus suggests that his two wives might live together with him in harmony forever.
The wives reaction is slightly different. A fight ensues in which the women are intent on killing each other but the Spirit of the Lake (Bhatara) intervenes. He separates the women and establishes that Jaya Pangus and Dewi Danau misled him when they were married as they stated there was no impediment to their marriage.
As a punishment the Bhatara decides he will turn Jaya Pangus and Kang Chin Wee into tall puppets known in Bali as Barong Landung. These puppets live forever and never die.….to be continued…in Part 3.
21 сен 2024
