Balinese fighting dance, I know what you’re thinking, slam dancing, head banging. Its not quite like that, but blood can be spilt. In the village of Seraya, in the SE corner of Bali, villagers hold a special rain dance, that is also part battle.
As Baliwww.com reports, the Gebug Ende dance, goes back many years and villagers believe the shedding of a dancer’s blood will produce rain. Just last week, Toby, Maya, Ika, Jevon and I passed through Seraya, on our journey to Amed. As any of them will testify, it was pouring, the landscape was lush and green and at times it was hard for me to see clearly, with the amount of water on the windshield. The geography of that SE tip, with Gunung Lempuyang and Gunung Seraya dominating, but having no rivers, means people living there eek out a survival existance, with cattle, corn and other crops.
In the past I have heard about the martial art / dances of Seraya, and it is interesting to learn how it came about and why it continues. In the Gebug Ende dance, 2 rival dancers square off at each other with a cowhide shield and a rattan stick. Rattan is flexible and light, making it an ideal striking weapon. Years ago I had an interest in Escrima, from the Philippines, which also uses rattan sticks. The languages, culture and people of Indonesia and the Philippines are connected, so its not surprising they employ similar methods.
Might be fun to join in an Gebug Ende dance. I’m so white, the lashing I get would be a ‘Stars & Stripes’ reminder of the day.
