Balinesedance

Resources for Schools - Arja

 

Photo Gallery from 'They Met in Tampaksiring' (Katemu ring Tampaksiring)

 

They Met in Tampaksiring

'They Met in Tampaksiring' (Katemu ring Tampaksiring) is a Balinese contemporary short story written by I Madé Sanggra and adapted for the stage by the choreographer Professor I Wayan Dibia for performance as an Arja play.

The story is set in the central Balinese village of Tampaksiring, a popular tourist resort. A village girl, Ni Mongkèg (the Condong) introduces the story and characters. She tells how her friend and confidante, a pretty dealer in statues for the tourist market, Ni Luh Rai (the Galuh) has become deeply attracted to a handsome Dutch visitor, Van Steffen, who is part of a delegation organizing the visit of Queen Juliana to Indonesia. Van Steffen turns up with two 'guides' (the good or 'manis' Panasar andWijil) and it is evident that he is equally attracted to her. On learning that Ni Luh Rai has a suitor, the spoilt son of the rich man of the village, I Wayan Gablèr (the Mantri buduh) becomes furious because he has had his eye on her. With two of his insalubrious friends (the bad Panasar and Wijil) he confronts Ni Luh Rai and demands she marry him. When she refuses, he orders his sidekicks to kidnap her. However Ni Luh Rai's mother, Ni Luh Kompyang (the Limbur) happens upon the scene and the men back off.

When Van Steffen turns up looking for Ni Luh Rai, the mother begins to realize who he is. She explains that, during the Indonesian Revolution against the Dutch, she had fallen in love and married a Dutch soldier stationed in Bali, by whom she had a son. When he had to return to the Netherlands, he took their son with her, while she remained in Bali, pregnant with another child (Ni Luh Rai). Van Steffen's father, however, died, and he was brought up in an orphanage. When Ni Luh Kompyang produces a photograph of her late husband, Van Steffen recognizes his father. Van Steffen and Ni Luh Rai are really brother and sister, upon which their love transforms into that between siblings. They thank their mother that they are reunited at last and thank the land of Tampaksiring which has brought them together again at last. I Wayan Gablèr, hearing that something is going on, turns up. He has had time to reflect on his rashness, apologizes for his inappropriate behaviour and wishes the reunited family well.

 

Ni Mongkèg (the Condong) starts the play with an elaborate entrance while singing (404KB)

 

Ni Mongkèg then tells the background to the story and characters (531KB)

 

Ni Luh Rai (the Galuh) confesses her attraction to the handsome Dutch visitor to her friend (Condong, 424KB)

 

Van Steffen (left) arrives on the scene with his two Balinese guides (Panasar Manis centre, Wijil Manis right, 413KB)

 

The young couple meet and their previous mutual attraction grows stronger still (386KB)

 

I Wayan Gablèr, the rival for the Galuh's affections, turns up furious with his two dissolute friends (Wijil Buduh on left, 221KB)

 

I Wayan Gablèr with his friends confronts the Galuh and demands she marry him. When she refuses he orders his sidekicks to kidnap her. However her mother subsequently arrives on the scene and thwarts the attempt. From the left: Panasar Buduh , Wijil Buduh, I Wayan Gablèr (Mantri Buduh), Ni Luh Rai (Galuh), Ni Mongkèg (Condong, 434KB)

 

Ni Mongkèg and theWijil Buduh stand by and listen during an exchange (349KB)

 

Ni Luh Kompyang (Limbur) shows a picture of her husband who returned to the Netherlands with her little son. From the left: Ni Mongkèg, Ni Luh Rai, Ni Luh Kompyang, Van Steffen and Panasar Manis (413KB)

 

Ni Luh Kompyang confesses what actually happened (642KB)

 

 

The young couple, realizing they are actually brother and sister, kneel before their mother and thank God and the land of Tampaksiring for bringing them together again (547KB)

 

I Wayan Gablèr (Mantri Buduh) has realized how wrong his actions were repents and wishes the family well (567KB)

 

 

Cast
Ni Mongkèg

Condong

Ni Madé Pujawati

Ni Luh Rai

Galuh

Ni Kadèk Dewi Ariani

Ni Luh Kompyang

Limbur

I Madé Suarjana

I Gledag

Panasar Manis

I Gusti Lanang Oka Ardika

I Gledig

Wijil Manis

I Ketut Kodi

Van Steffen

The Dutchman

I Madé Sidia

I Wayan Gablèr

Mantri Buduh

Ni Nyoman Manik Suriani

I Gelar

Panasar Buduh

I Madé Sudira

I Gelur

Wijil Buduh

I Nyoman Sunartha

 

Notes on the Performance

Katemu ring Tampaksiring was performed by an all-star cast to a packed audience at the 2005 International Bali Arts Festival. It was an attempt to make the complex world of Balinese Arja more accessible to an international audience. The unique orchestra used for Arja, Gamelan Geguntangan was complemented by a viola played by Sarah Willner of Gamelan Sekar Jaya. For the first time part of the text was scripted, whereas Arja is usually extemporized from start to finish. Based on a contemporary short story, the new figure of a westerner, a Dutchman, was introduced, who spoke Indonesian with a mock Dutch accent, instead of Balinese like everyone else.

As with opera, the summary of the story above does little justice to the complexity, intensity and sheer fun of the performance. As so much Indonesian theatre, the roles of the main characters are tightly constrained and characters like the Galuh (heroine) can only sing. They depend on their friends (here the Condong) or followers (Panasar and Wijil) to explain what they are up and engage the audience. Part of the excitement of Arja, as so much Balinese theatre, is that no one, including the cast, know quite what is going to come next, because the non-heroic characters are free to invent as they go along and sense the mood of the audience.

Katemu ring Tampaksiring is available as a Video CD from Bali Records BR-VCD 58. Unfortunately the present edition is not sub-titled in English. For further information, click here.

At present a short extract of the Condong's opening song is available at: www.youtube.com if, under 'Search For' you enter Katemu ring Tampaksiring.