Barong and Rangda Mythology in Bali

Barong is a character in the mythology of Bali. He is the king of the spirits, leader of the hosts of good, and enemy of Rangda in the mythological traditions of Bali. Banas Pati Rajah is the fourth "brother" or spirit child that accompanies a child throughout life. Banas Pati Rajah is the spirit which animates Barong. A protector spirit, he is often represented by a lion, and traditional performances of his struggles against Rangda are popular parts of Balinese culture. The Barong is often portraited with two monkeys.

Barong

Rangda according to traditional Balinese mythology is the demon queen in a monster form. Rangda leads an army of evil witches against the leader of the forces of good - Barong. The ancient Balinese community was a place where some of them learning the black magic (this legend is similar with other part of the world), they can change their form of human into animal (monkey or dog) and also can hear other people with their spell. The leak spirit enabled people to turn into fireballs, animals or strange creatures with fangs, a protruding tongue and dangling breasts. This creature could fly above roof tops, suck the blood of adults and kidnap babies. The Balinese call them “Leak”. At the recent time (21 century) we still can found one, but this is very rare.

Rangda

Hearing the word of “Leak” for Balinese people is very frightening, particularly to have the chance to see the existence of this creature. Leak is a kind of developing black magic in Bali. Because the occult science is very startling and very terrifying hence not everyone can learn. The occultism requires training and high discipline in order to obtain the desired results. Bali people call it “Aja Wera” because it’s secret science which only those who are selected can learn this magical science. Initially, this knowledge was used for positive things. However, in the next period it is used for negative things such as to make other people sick or suffer even ended by death. In Bali people who learn this occult science of the Leak will deport out of the community.

In Bali tradition there are people who work as a shaman or traditional healer, whose obliged to learn the science, in addition to study the causes of the sickness as well as to fortify themselves from the magical attack. People usually ask the shaman to cure their pain or sickness. People will search for shaman with a very sinister form shaped like animals with sharp canine, clouds, birds, or a coal fire. For a shaman who does not have enough knowledge possibly get ill or even died. Bali mentions the death of people like that with the term we called “Kalah di peteng” or loser in the night war.

The opposite of the Leak or Rangda is Barong. This creature even though has a beast face, but it has the pure heart of white side (God Side). Barong is the king of the spirits, leader of the hosts of good, and a protector spirit. Often represented by a lion, and traditional performances of his struggles against Rangda are popular parts of Balinese culture.

The lion barong is one of five traditional Barong. In Bali each region of the island has its own protective spirit for its forests and lands. Each Barong for each region is modeled after a different animal. There is a boar, a tiger, a dragon (or serpent) and the traditional lion. The lion is the popular one as it comes from the Gianyar region where Ubud (the home of tourist viewed ritual) is located.The Balinese then create a dance that describes these two creatures. Within the ‘Calonarang’, the dance drama in which the Barong appears, the barong responds to Rangda’s use of magic to control and kill her to restore balance.

Bali is a Hindu island, and it is suggested that Rangda may also be closely associated with Durga. She has also been identified with the Hindu mother warrior goddess, and Kali, the black mother goddess of destruction, transformation and protection in Hinduism.

While Rangda is seen as fearsome and by many as the personification of evil, she is also nevertheless considered a protective force in certain parts of Bali, much like Kali is seen as a benevolent mother goddess in the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam and Kerala. The colors associated with her — white, black and red — are identical with those associated with Kali. Her iconography is similar to that of both Kali and Chamunda, who are closely related.