The Legend of Calon Arang

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

PRAMOEDYA Ananta Toer called her a destroyer of mankind. Calon Arang, a widow who lived in the village of Dirah in the 12th century, spread pestilence throughout the Kingdom of Daha. A clash followed when Prabu Airlangga sent Mpu Baradah to stop the witch.

Over the years Calon Arang has grown into a legend written in more than 30 versions, each with a variation of its own interpretation. Some writers took Calon Arang as a symbol of womens resistance against those in power.

The legend of Calon Arang is more popular in Bali than in its own place of origin in East Java. In the past years theatrical performances based on the legend have turned into a show of magical powers and light humor.

Tempo looks into the different interpretations of the legendin the forms of dance, music and filmand traces its origin in a small village in the East Java district of Kediri.

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SLOWLY the skies over the island of Bali approach midnight. A magical air envelops the dimly-lit Pura Dalem Tegeh Bumi in Denpasar. A man dressed in white arrogantly stands outside the temple, now transformed into a stage for the performance of the dramatari (dance drama) Calon Arang, defiantly shouting in Balinese: Come on, you leak (evil spirits), dont be shy! Repeatedly the man let out that he was not afraid of pengleakan, the practitioners of

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