Telling Other Tales : Experiencing the Balinese Mask World.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Chan Johnson, Irving.

Series:

Asian Heritages Series

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource (423 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Taylor & Francis Group, 2026.

Summary:

Since it first mesmerised Western audiences, Balinese masked dance-drama (Topeng) has drawn sustained scholarly attention. Yet until now, much of that attention has been filtered through non-Balinese perspectives. Telling Other Tales seeks to redress this imbalance by presenting Topeng as a living, plural tradition.

Contents:

Cover

Half Title

Series Page

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations

Map

Figures

Tables

List of Contributors

Acknowledgements

Orthography and Naming Systems

Chapter 1: Introduction: Circulating Experiences in the Topeng World

Topeng: Mask and Performance

Thinking about Self and Topeng

Topeng Scholarship

Names and Circulations

The Essays

Furthering Topeng Studies

Notes

Bibliography

PART I: Form, History, Text

Chapter 2: Speculations on the Origins of Topeng Pajegan

Early Origins of Mask Dancing

The Classical and Medieval Period (7th-12th century)

The Majapahit Period (13th-16th century)

Dance across Java and Bali

The Story of Topeng Pajegan

Topeng Pajegan in Context

Chapter 3: "Playing with the Past": Visitation and Illusion in the Mask Theatre of Bali

Performance and Occasion: The Clustering of Events

A Balinese Actor Prepares

Introductory Dances: The Shaking of the Curtain and the Entrance of the Ancestor

Storytelling: The Languages of Topeng

Another Storyteller: Common Sense and Extraordinary Happenings

The Dancing of the Principals

Bondres: Joking and Reflexivity

Topeng and Caste

Sidha Karya: The Performer as Priest

Returning Home

Chapter 4: Jelantik Goes to Blambangan*: A Topeng Pajegan Performance by I Nyoman Kakul

Language Key

Penasar Kelihan

Dalem Waturenggong

Penasar Cenikan

Patih Jelantik

Dalem Blambangan

Si Mata Mata

Desak Made Rai

Cucul

Sidha Karya

Chapter 5: Topeng, History and Performance in Batuan

Topeng in Batuan

Conclusion

Note

Chapter 6: Personal Reflections on Topeng and Hinduism

Guru Loka.

Hindu Educational and Political Values as Reflected in Topeng

Hindu Moral Education in Topeng Performances

Tat Twam Asi

Chapter 7: A Theatre of Cruelty: The Contexts of a Topeng Performance

Contexts of Circumstances

"I Just Surrendered to It"

Contexts of Cultural Construction

Ritual Dramaturgy: "The Execution of Batur Taskara"

Propaganda Theatre and the Polemic Speech

"He Who Nails Down the World"

Conclusions: "Art" and "Reality"

Chapter 8: Topeng "Tuan Tepis": The Creation of a Modern Masked Drama

Topeng Theatre

Modern Topeng "Tuan Tepis"

PART II: Practices and Materialities

Chapter 9: Sidha Karya: A Balinese Cultural Icon

The Sidha Karya Mask

Sidha Karya's Iconography

The Babad Ularan Prasraya and Topeng Gajah Mada

Sidha Karya and Balinese Hinduism

Chapter 10: Circulations of Knowledge Amongst Topeng Mask Makers

Changes in the Aesthetics of Topeng Masks

Creating Topeng "Styles"

Social Media and Knowledge Circulations

Chapter 11: The Music of the Topeng Theatre

Musical Compositions in Topeng Performances

Topeng Keras (Prime Minister)

Topeng Tua (The Old Man)

Penasar (The Royal Attendants)

Topeng Dalem Arsa Wijaya (The Refined King)

Saling Intip (The Act of Meticulous Observation)

Chapter 12: The Variable Careers of Balinese Masks: A View from Bukit Poh Village

Bukit Poh Village and Its Masks

The Peregrinations of a Mask

The Social Relations of Masks

Chapter 13: "To Be Human is to Sing": A Masked Performance of Saraswati's Sacred Wisdom

Embodying Sacred Wisdom in a Mask

Performing the Wisdom of Saraswati

Note.

Bibliography

Chapter 14: Experiencing Adult Topeng Classes in Bali

Self-Reflections on Learning Topeng

Classes for Adult Balinese Learners

Techniques in Balinese Adult Topeng Training

PART III: Genealogies and Biographies

Chapter 15: I Ketut Rinda as Topeng Master

Topeng, Language and Place

Topeng and Babad

Formalizing Historical Knowledge

Chapter 16: Cokorda Oka Tublen and the Palace Mask Makers of Singapadu

Cokorda Oka Tublen

Chapter 17: The Many Lives of I Dewa Putu Kebes: An Ethnographic Biography

Personal Life

Traversing Temporalities

Tradition and Innovation

Internet Sources

Chapter 18: I Nyoman Kakul: An Autobiography of a Topeng Dancer

Chapter 19: Becoming a King: How I Learnt the Topeng Dalem Arsa Wijaya Dance

Dalem Arsa Wijaya, The Good King

First Encounters

Videos

Challenges

A Teacher

Chapter 20: I Wayan Tangguh: The Maestro of Traditional Balinese Topeng Carving

A Student of Cokorda Oka Tublen

Tangguh's Creativity

Studying with Other Famous Artists

A Maestro of Traditional Topeng Carving

Chapter 21: Topeng Sidha Karya: An Interview with Ida Bagus Alit

Alit's Journey (in his words)

Taksu

Alit's History of Topeng and the Story of Sidha Karya

Chapter 22: The Story of Dancer and Mask-Maker I Made Regug

PART IV: Global Encounters

Chapter 23: A French Artistic Journey through Topeng

Chapter 24: Being a Woman Being a Man: Gender and Balinese Topeng Performance

Topeng Keras and European Acting Students

Email Communications

Chapter 25: Talking to Lydia Martín, an American Topeng Dancer.

What was your pathway in getting introduced to the Balinese arts and specifically Topeng?

What was the learning process like for you? What were you first taught?

How many months did you spend on those dances?

That's encouraging that you have been able to learn online. Did you perform in bali?

What are some differences between practising without a costume and wearing a costume?

Regarding the mask, what have you learned about using it?

What other Topeng do you have?

And how did you choose the masks?

And at home, do you have a place where you keep them?

From what i understand, sometimes a Topeng dancer undergoes purification rituals to get blessings for being able to dance Topeng. Did you do anything like that with Pak Suteja?

How do you return taksu?

Returning to practice, how do you find the relationship between music and dance in Topeng?

Did you ever have interest in learning Penasar or pieces where there's more acting and vocalizing?

What's your favourite part about practising Topeng?

Do you find that there are some unique aspects about learning Topeng as a non-Balinese?

What do you see coming up in terms of activities for your Topeng dances?

What were some reactions of the people you met when they saw you practising Topeng?

What can you say about the feeling of doing Balinese dance imperfectly?

Chapter 26: "An-other" Learning Experience: A Journey in Topeng Characterization

Introduction

The Learning Process

From Training to Learning

Discourses on Balinese Culture and Topeng

Glossary

Index.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Other Format:

Print version: Chan Johnson, Irving Telling Other Tales

ISBN:

9781040843895

9781003704980

OCLC:

1578999522

Publisher Number:

CIPO000346177