Biography of Kecak

Edi Danartono
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23.03.2022

Archives and records do not necessarily equate to a singular truth, but are nevertheless essential for the interpretation of events. Often led by written texts and illustrative imageries, archival practices and archival research result in conceptions of history that remain within the frameworks of one (scientific) world far away from individual realities. The audio map “biography of kecak” is an attempt to decrease this discrepancy by re-directing archival attention to sonic material as building elements for understanding past events. Enriched by the imaginative qualities of sound, it attempts to draw a fuller picture of life. Using the history of Balinese chanting performance “kecak” the audio map depicts kecak’s evolution from a sacred to a secular performance and its ever-changing perception.

01 F. Dalsheim – Bali, 1932
02 v. Plessen / Dalsheim / Spies – Insel der Dämonen, 1933
03 Encyclopaedia Britannica Films – Bali Today, 1951
04 N. Drakulic – Gods of Bali, 1951
05 D. Lewiston – Ketjak: The Ramayana Monkey Chant, 1967
06 BBC – The Miracle of Bali, 1969
07 F. Fellini – Satyricon, 1969
08 H. Huelscher – Schönheit und Reichtum des Lebens, 1981
09 R. Fricke – Baraka, 1992
10 I Wayan Limbak in conversation with J-C. Kuner, 1994
11 I Wayan Dibia in conversation with Aft11H, 2019

This contribution is published in the framework of the Whole Life Academy.

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