BALI NIGHT LIFE
Balinese do not introduce night life in the sense of
amusement of regular scheduled event or what one knows in
today's life as discotheque, cafes, or any type of this.
Traditional entertainment such as Wayang puppet show indeed overnight
show, yet there is a great difference of interaction among
audiences, and performers. Wayang puppet show usually starts
at 9 pm continuous to 4 AM the next day with only one person
performer playing various figures of wayangs. Most performer
which is called dalang must be able to communicate with different
color and characters according to the figure he is presenting
on the screen. Even the dalang is able to bring the character
of man and woman at the same time. Men figures are more then
a dozen while women are not much. Depending also on the story
the dalang uses to play the show, which will give big or small
number of characterizing. Normally the dalang uses two stories
such as Ramayana and Mahabharata. Wayang puppet show night
life for Balinese has a clear limit among audiences and performer.
The audiences sit facing the screen where the dalang falls
the shadow of wayang puppets. The audiences some sit on chairs
or benches provided by organizer or if the number of sits
do not enough, some might standing behind the sit rows, yet
there is no interaction among audiences all are focusing their
attention to the screen.
Other performances which are performed
overnight are Arja, like a drama with dance, and Calonarang
with Baroung dance. This is the same situation as wayang puppet
show, where there is a clear limit among audiences and performers.
The only dance in Bali involving audiences especially men audiences
is joged bumbung. Yet this dances last only 2 or 3 hours with
6 to 10 women dancer. This dance is actually presenting the
character of youth and girls relation presented in the form
of dancing together on the stage watched by many people. A
woman dancer will invite man to join her dancing on the stage.
Normally one dancer invite 3 up to 4 men during her turn.
Audiences watch them dancing on the stage while some of them
laugh at the man stiff or funny movement, as normally a large
part of Balinese men can not dance of Bali traditional dance.
Some shout to remind the man of his wife at home, meaning
that he should not dragged to deep by feeling to the joged
dancer. The dance on stage between the joged woman and the
man audience is still within the traditional wisdom of keeping
each other in a distance.
As other night life of Bali is like
a feast among the society of north Bali called magenjekan.
This tradition is only practiced by men after a harvest season.
Some men gathering at Banjar meeting hall or public pavilion
or any place. The bring bulk of snack and alcoholic drink
of Bali called arak. While drinking and eating the snacks
they sing in a chorus of uncertain melody. Some time they
just follow a free melody without any composition. It is not
rare that some or most men at last fall in heavy drunk. |
