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The
dance dramas performed on Java and Bali probably originated in
ancient rituals
honoring the ancestors and for the deities of planting and
harvest. Later, Hindu and Islamic religious beliefs added to the
richness of the ceremonial stories. Today on predominantly
Moslem Java, the Dieng Plateau is a
scared place and in the villages trance dances are
performed with a variety of animal masks. The mask (topeng)
is held over a fire to draw the spirit of the animal into it and
to bring the dancer under it's power. The
barongan masks shown above represent orge-type
characters. This baronagan mask measures 15" in
height.
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