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Sacred Mask
The most important masks are sacred, pure, charged with a religious power that Balinese call tenget and are always kept out of sight in a temple or a shrine when not in use. Offerings must be made to sacred masks at every full moon, new moon, every 15 days on the day called Kajeng Kliwon and of course, when the mask is performed. Sacred masks must be made from crocodile wood (pule), a tree that grows in cemeteries, the domain of the goddess Rangda. The whole tree isn't cut down. When the pule tree produces a knot, the mask-maker asks the spirit of the tree to be allowed to take the knot for a mask. A tenget mask is thought of as being actually alive - not just a carved and painted piece of wood. When the performer puts on such a mask, this power enters his body, and he actually becomes the person or god portrayed by the mask. He is no longer himself, he assumes the identity of the mask and its personality and behavior. A tenget object keeps its power permanently. This is in contrast to some Balinese religious objects that are considered sacred only when God or the part of the spirit of God that represents the deified ancestors are invited to occupy these objects, called 'Pratimas'. When the special ceremonies for God and his spirits are over, they are invited to depart to heaven, and the power of the 'pratima' disappears. Not so with masks that are tenget. They remain powerful. Most masks are not sacred and holy. But, they are still generally handled with great care and respect. They are never kept in low places where someone might step over them. They are not allowed to be handled by just anyone. They are usually kept wrapped inside a box or a cloth bag rather than hang up on a wall as decorations. Once every 210 days, usually on the day called Tumpek Wayang on the Saturday of week of the 30 week Balinese calendar, special offerings are made to all masks that are used in dance dramas. This is the same day that ceremonies are performed for the "Wayang Kulit' puppets. And in fact, traditional masks are treated almost exactly the same as are the puppets, since both portray characters that are either themselves sacred, or, at the very least, participate in sacred dance dramas. This day for making offerings to masks in different parts of Bali. Sometimes it is done on Tumpek Krulut, Saturday of the 17th week of the 210 days calendar. |
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