Lunch with the King

Wed. January 9

Last year, serendipity led to a friendship with Chokwah, a member of the royal family of Ubud. (See posts below from April- May 2011.)  I learned he was actually a prince within the royalty.

On Monday this week, I went back to the royal temple to inquire after him and as luck would have it, not only was he there, but he remembered me from last year and explained that they were creating a Barong, a fabulous animal creature dedicated to protecting good in the world and one of my favorites in the Balinese dance-drama stories.

The new Barong

On Tuesday, I return wearing my sarong and sash so I can enter the temple and capture the process in images. It has already been going on for two months. These are the last two days before the village people will come pick it up.

When I tell my host Danu about this adventure, he is impressed that I know Chokwah as a friend and tells me he will be made King in a few months -- after I am gone, alas.

I return today (Wednesday) to see the barong completely assembled and arrive just in time to see the creative team assess the movement of the Barong’s hinged mouth, watch them all take photos of their stunning creation. Chokwah gives me permission to climb the high temple steps to take photos, a privilege not usually allowed foreigners. I am honored.

Artisans assess their work

Refining Rangda's ornaments

Completed Barong

Completed Rangda

One thing I learn here is patience. Things move slowly because of the heat – pelan pelan, slowly slowly. After the photos, I sit with Chokwah, chat a bit, but mostly listen to Balinese, watch the tweaking of the barong, and sit still. He asks to see my camera and zips though the menu in a knowledgeable way.

That’s how I end up having lunch with the King. It is time for everyone to eat, but I don’t realize this until he asks if I would like some food. It is delicious, a bit spicy, but fine. Lunch with the king today -- how lucky can you get?

Quick shot of lunch with Chokwah (didn't want to disturb him)

As if this timing weren’t enough, I will also be here for an important three-day ceremony in his family temple Jan. 25 – 29, the time of the full moon, an important part of Balinese rituals.

Tomorrow morning I will go in full sarong and kebaya blouse ceremonial attire to see and video the ceremony for the barong before the villagers from Tebenon bring it home. It is their first Barong, a momentous occasion complete with water purifications given by the priests. Before the village only had Rangda, the guardian of evil in the world. The villagers tell me the new Barong and Rangda are a gift from the king, an act of great generosity since they are extremely expensive. Well done Chokwah.

Now they will have balance restored, the true Balinese belief—good and evil both exist. Neither wipes out the other, only power struggles that end in balance. Such a different worldview from our good guys-bad guys-good guys always win ethic. Many guardian deity statutes and banyan trees are wrapped in black and white fabric the Balinese use to show balance of good and evil, with neither ever winning over the other, both always present.

Ceremony for the new Barong and Rangda (documented by the ubiquitous iPad!)

 

 

 

Post-script: It is clear the people who work with/for Chokwah like him, because they often joke around with him. One of them came over and made me take this photo -- the king being a worker and using the power spray to clean the temple pavement! A good practice for royalty . . .