Leak Spirit of Bali

[Anonymous]

Radio Singapore International

Indonesia Mediawatch, July 15, 2005

What is the leak spirit of Bali?

Miguel Covarrubias, a Mexican artist who explored Bali in the 1930s, was intrigued by tales of the leak spirit on the island.

The leak spirit enabled people to turn into fireballs, animals or strange creatures with fangs, a protruding tongue and dangling breasts.

This creature could fly above roof tops, suck the blood of adults and kidnap babies.

Welcome to Indonesian Media Watch.

Hold tight to your seats as we explore Tempo magazine’s story “Of Balinese Might and Magic�.

Pemecutan in Bali is known for its mysterious blinking fireballs which appear each night in the coconut trees. These fireballs are not unlike the fireballs mentioned in old manuscripts describing leak magic.

Miguel searched the regions for these blinking fireballs and for more research on the leak spirits.

He noted in his diaries:

“When I was interested in studying about leak, my Balinese friends forbade me. They warned me that I would most certainly meet with disaster.”

Miguel was so curious about the Balinese black magic that he obtained a manuscript which contained instructions on how to become a leak.

He describes his findings:

“I heard that the transformation process is quite painful. At first it feels like your head splits open, then slowly your tongue swells up, grows long and finally extends outside your mouth.”

He tried to understand the old manuscript with the help of a guru.

Tempo magazine explained the findings of the Mexican artist:

“The ‘spell book’ enumerated 48 types of transformation, complete with incantations. It is not clear if he tried any of them, but he most certainly copied them. For instance, to turn into a monkey, one must chant ‘Ah! Hreng Hrang Hrung, Uh! Heh kwek kwek’ three times. To return to normal, the person must utter a spell of purification.”

Miguel also frequently tracked down performances of the Calon Arang.

This is a tale of a character involved in leak magic.

It tells of Widow Dirah, who has a beautiful daughter rejected by a king. Her daughter then transforms into a horrible creature that spreads pestilence.

Youths with daggers try to fight her.

However, her magical powers are too strong and the youths are hypnotized to plunge their daggers into their own hearts instead.

A spiritual healer is sent to exorcise the leak spirit in the girl and an eternal battle commences.

Actors playing the part of the leak spirit, often become possessed and thrash wildly in the dirt before running into the darkness of the jungle.

Miguel did not get to witness the leak spirit, but his exploration has opened up interest in the subject amongst readers.

Mr. Sudiasta, a scribe and caretaker of old scrolls believes leak magic truly exists:

He told Tempo magazine:

“Those who can transform into a fireball, monkey, goat, pig or buffalo fall into the amateur category. While those with high abilities can use their own bodies as mediums that transmit powerful surges of electricity. The victims are usually stiff, with bluish marks branding their entire bodies.”

If all this sounds too fantastical for our modern era, perhaps it is not too far from the truth.

Prof. Ni Luh Suryani, who conducted research into Calon Arang performances, says it is rare to find such an atmosphere in a performance today. She reasons:

“This is because there are no more large trees which support the magical atmosphere, and now there are always cars going back and forth. Now everyone is thinking about money, and even sacred performances have their price.”

But such an atmosphere was present in the earlier years where Calon Arang performances had supernatural elements. Prof. Suryani explains:

“Up until 1965 in Denpasar Bali, a sense of magic could be felt emanating from large trees. People did not dare walk alone. There were many red and blue lights about. Perhaps they were the leak.”

Maybe they were the same lights Miguel searched so hard for.

So next time you visit the island of Bali, remember to watch a Calon Arang performance and pay close attention to the trees.

With that, we end this week’s Indonesian Media Watch.

[Anonymous]

sounds pretty cool.. like some druid huh?

hehe, I find that in malaysia indonesia thailand.

Their paranormal activites are higher in number than here. So in singapore, it is so boring and uninteresting.

Doesnt this means the malay communites have more means and ways of such curses? like voodoo etc.

[Anonymous]

Voodoo is not a product of the Malay community. Below is a piece of writing i derived while surfing the net for the origins of Voodoo.

“The structure of Voodoo, as we know it today, was born in Haiti during the European colonization of Hispaniola. Ironically, it was the enforced immigration of enslaved African from different ethnic groups that provided the circumstances for the development of Voodoo. European colonists thought that by desolating the ethnic groups, these could not come together as a community. However, in the misery of slavery, the transplanted Africans found in their faith a common thread.

They began to invoke not only their own Gods, but to practice rites other than their own. In this process, they comingled and modified rituals of various ethnic groups. The result of such fusion was that the different religious groups integrated their beliefs, thereby creating a new religion: Voodoo. The word “voodoo” comes from the West African word “vodun,” meaning spirit. This Afro-Caribbean religion mixed practices from many African ethnics groups such as the Fon, the Nago, the Ibos, Dahomeans, Congos, Senegalese, Haussars, Caplaous, Mondungues, Mandinge, Angolese, Libyans, Ethiopians, and the Malgaches.”

You can read more on Voodoo at the below site:
http://www.swagga.com/voodoo.htm

[Author]

Posts

[Anonymous]

Radio Singapore International

Indonesia Mediawatch, July 15, 2005

What is the leak spirit of Bali?

Miguel Covarrubias, a Mexican artist who explored Bali in the 1930s, was intrigued by tales of the leak spirit on the island.

The leak spirit enabled people to turn into fireballs, animals or strange creatures with fangs, a protruding tongue and dangling breasts.

This creature could fly above roof tops, suck the blood of adults and kidnap babies.

Welcome to Indonesian Media Watch.

Hold tight to your seats as we explore Tempo magazine’s story “Of Balinese Might and Magic�.

Pemecutan in Bali is known for its mysterious blinking fireballs which appear each night in the coconut trees. These fireballs are not unlike the fireballs mentioned in old manuscripts describing leak magic.

Miguel searched the regions for these blinking fireballs and for more research on the leak spirits.

He noted in his diaries:

“When I was interested in studying about leak, my Balinese friends forbade me. They warned me that I would most certainly meet with disaster.”

Miguel was so curious about the Balinese black magic that he obtained a manuscript which contained instructions on how to become a leak.

He describes his findings:

“I heard that the transformation process is quite painful. At first it feels like your head splits open, then slowly your tongue swells up, grows long and finally extends outside your mouth.”

He tried to understand the old manuscript with the help of a guru.

Tempo magazine explained the findings of the Mexican artist:

“The ‘spell book’ enumerated 48 types of transformation, complete with incantations. It is not clear if he tried any of them, but he most certainly copied them. For instance, to turn into a monkey, one must chant ‘Ah! Hreng Hrang Hrung, Uh! Heh kwek kwek’ three times. To return to normal, the person must utter a spell of purification.”

Miguel also frequently tracked down performances of the Calon Arang.

This is a tale of a character involved in leak magic.

It tells of Widow Dirah, who has a beautiful daughter rejected by a king. Her daughter then transforms into a horrible creature that spreads pestilence.

Youths with daggers try to fight her.

However, her magical powers are too strong and the youths are hypnotized to plunge their daggers into their own hearts instead.

A spiritual healer is sent to exorcise the leak spirit in the girl and an eternal battle commences.

Actors playing the part of the leak spirit, often become possessed and thrash wildly in the dirt before running into the darkness of the jungle.

Miguel did not get to witness the leak spirit, but his exploration has opened up interest in the subject amongst readers.

Mr. Sudiasta, a scribe and caretaker of old scrolls believes leak magic truly exists:

He told Tempo magazine:

“Those who can transform into a fireball, monkey, goat, pig or buffalo fall into the amateur category. While those with high abilities can use their own bodies as mediums that transmit powerful surges of electricity. The victims are usually stiff, with bluish marks branding their entire bodies.”

If all this sounds too fantastical for our modern era, perhaps it is not too far from the truth.

Prof. Ni Luh Suryani, who conducted research into Calon Arang performances, says it is rare to find such an atmosphere in a performance today. She reasons:

“This is because there are no more large trees which support the magical atmosphere, and now there are always cars going back and forth. Now everyone is thinking about money, and even sacred performances have their price.”

But such an atmosphere was present in the earlier years where Calon Arang performances had supernatural elements. Prof. Suryani explains:

“Up until 1965 in Denpasar Bali, a sense of magic could be felt emanating from large trees. People did not dare walk alone. There were many red and blue lights about. Perhaps they were the leak.”

Maybe they were the same lights Miguel searched so hard for.

So next time you visit the island of Bali, remember to watch a Calon Arang performance and pay close attention to the trees.

With that, we end this week’s Indonesian Media Watch.

[Anonymous]

sounds pretty cool.. like some druid huh?

hehe, I find that in malaysia indonesia thailand.

Their paranormal activites are higher in number than here. So in singapore, it is so boring and uninteresting.

Doesnt this means the malay communites have more means and ways of such curses? like voodoo etc.

[Anonymous]

Voodoo is not a product of the Malay community. Below is a piece of writing i derived while surfing the net for the origins of Voodoo.

“The structure of Voodoo, as we know it today, was born in Haiti during the European colonization of Hispaniola. Ironically, it was the enforced immigration of enslaved African from different ethnic groups that provided the circumstances for the development of Voodoo. European colonists thought that by desolating the ethnic groups, these could not come together as a community. However, in the misery of slavery, the transplanted Africans found in their faith a common thread.

They began to invoke not only their own Gods, but to practice rites other than their own. In this process, they comingled and modified rituals of various ethnic groups. The result of such fusion was that the different religious groups integrated their beliefs, thereby creating a new religion: Voodoo. The word “voodoo” comes from the West African word “vodun,” meaning spirit. This Afro-Caribbean religion mixed practices from many African ethnics groups such as the Fon, the Nago, the Ibos, Dahomeans, Congos, Senegalese, Haussars, Caplaous, Mondungues, Mandinge, Angolese, Libyans, Ethiopians, and the Malgaches.”

You can read more on Voodoo at the below site:
http://www.swagga.com/voodoo.htm

[Author]

Posts