Trance

Taken from ‘Bungklang Bungkling’, ‘’Karauhan’, in Bali Post, Sunday, 30 November 2008, a column by I Wayan Juniartha
Translated by Putu Semiada

How many types of trances do we have in Bali?Having watched the Baris Cina, I Kadek Angab Angob is eagerly telling his friends about ‘kerauhan’ (trance).

Our island Bali is really blessed by the God. In China, they haven’t seen any trance in dancing. But in Bali, any people get trance easily. And when they are, they can talk about seen and unseen world.

“Yes, yes, you are right,” his friends agree. They are not really interested in discussing about heavy topics. They prefer to enjoy drinking their palm toddy, which just sent from Karangasem.. They are also having snail satays. Everybody is busy eating without really listening to Kadek.“Only in Bali you find people talking about skala-niskala, Tri Hita Karana, and Panca Yadnya. That’s why we often see ‘trance’ in Bali, which means that we Balinese are blessed by the God and He always look after us.” Kadek further says.

“You are too proud of your own island. You are beating your chest when you have only seen Baris Cina dance, you haven’t seen Baris Thailand, haven you?” I Made Gebyar Gebyur says.

Everybody is looking at Made. It is for the first time they heard about Baris Thailand.

In Thailand, 200 thousands people were in ‘trance’ and it made them close the ports and made the prime minister stepped down. Aren’t they great? says Made.

Everybody is laughing> they know that Kadek would have no words to comment on what Made has just said.

“Well, that’s not really a ‘trance’ .It’s’ a rebellion. It’s not something that coming from the God,” Kade replies.

That sort of answer that Made has been waiting.

“Do you think that in Bali we don’t have sort of thing? Something like fake trance, amuck, something that is not coming from the God?” says Made.

Look at the Barong group at Batubulan and Singapadu. Everyday they are in trance and watched by the tourists.

“Just think, which gods do you think that can be asked to come down and bless the trances everyday, and which gods do you think can be paid for tourist attraction? The gods might get tired if they have to be in ‘scheduled’ trance,” says Made.

Angry-driven trance? You look at the people asking for advise at the balian, or when they have ceremony in their clan temple. Usually many of them will be in trance. While they are, they will say bad things about their own relatives, beating their chests admitting that they are the god’s very loyal followers. Any words can come out from their mouth, from accusing someone having black magic, somebody’s envy-ness, gods’s words to sell the temple’s owned land to investors.

“They think that the gods have time to mind such business. Actually when it comes to money, people are easily in trance. But when it involve big money, everybody gets their share, there will be no trance. Have you heard anyone in trance who protests about Bali Nirwana Resorts, Garuda Wisnu Kencana park, Bali Pecatu Graha, Villas at Uluwatu, or acquisition of a delta by an investors,” Made further argues.

Everybody is giving applause to Made. Everybody knows that when Made speaks, nobody dare to interrupt.

Trance not blessed by the gods? You look along the streets, especially the billboards of photos of legislative candidates. They are in Balinese dress, stating that they are real Balinese, they swear that will fight for Bali, they have such a nice smile, bold and tidy moustache, and the women are with bold red lipstick colour; they all ask for everybody’s support.

“They must spent a lot of money to make up and to be taken picture of at studios, and to print the billboards and posters of themselves. This is probably a kind of ‘self trance’ not by the gods” They haven’t been an legislative members yet but have praised themselves. Maybe when they have, they would just busy take care themselves, and don’t care of the people or country. So when politicians are in trance, the victims will be just the people.

Glossary:
I Kadek Angab Angob = somebody who is easy to amazed by something.
I Made Gebyar Gebyur = somebody who dare to speak when there is something wrong.
Balian = Fortune teller