ketjak

Kecak, also spelled ketjak, is a Balinese dance and rhythmic chant that depicts a battle from the Hindu epic Ramayana. In this performance, Prince Rama fights the demonic King Ravana with the aid of the monkey god Hanuman. The dance evolved into a performance featuring men portraying an army of monkeys assisting Prince Rama in rescuing Princess Sita.1

The kecak is a composite form of Southeast Asian performing arts, integrating drama, dance, mime, music, song, and narrative. It is characterized by a large group of men, sometimes up to 150, who sit in concentric circles around a flaming lamp. They chant and gesticulate in unison, creating a trance-like state where they appear to be ecstatically possessed by the spirits of monkeys. This performance, while visually striking, does not serve a ritualistic function to alter earthly conditions. The kecak is a vibrant example of Balinese performing arts, which are deeply intertwined with local festivals and rituals.2