From A to Finis

This week we came across a rather elegant finis, and it turns out it is probably the least interesting part of the book! (We promise to post more on this gem soon!) It is found in a 1799 book containing specimens and analysis of writing systems from around the world. This final page contains information about Rejang, an Indonesian language.

Dennis Schmelz - Galungan - Victory of Dharma

This extraordinary short film shows a special take on the Ganungan holiday, the victory of dharma (good) over adharma (evil) and the time when the ancestral spirits visit the Earth.

You can see the Barong dance, telling the story of the fight between Barong and Rangda, which stands for the eternal battle between good and evil. In the mythological traditions Barong is the king of the spirits, leader of the hosts of good, and enemy of Rangda, the demon queen and mother of all spirit guarders.

Schmelz had the chance to shoot with traditional Balinese dancers. One of the precious traditional dances is Rejang, traditionally performed by young women, beautifully adorned with headdresses, in the inner courtyard of a temple. Rejang is also one of the holiest sacrificial dances to entertain the visiting gods and spirits.