Sanghyang Trance Performance

This chapter is all focused on explaining and describing Sanghyang ritual performances. These ceremonies predate Bali/Hindu culture but are rarely performed today. The ritual involves performers/dancers who are possessed by spirits and perform in trance. Traditionally they are untrained as all their movement is governed by the spirit that possesses them. This chapter describes the induction into trance process in detail and then goes on to give a case study of one type of Sanghyang , Sanghyang Deling , witnessed in one of the few villages where the form survives. The contextual background is also explained, focusing on the reasons and need for the ritual and the audience response. The performance described in detail involves two young, prepubescent girls drawn into trance supported by a female chorus and other members of the village. Like most Sanghyang performances, there are feats of balance and dancing through fire. In addition to the case study, there are lists and mentions of various other forms of authentic Sanghyang, many of which are rarely performed today, although there are references to semi-sacred or secularised versions performed to tourists.