The Calonarang manuscript and the Rangda-Barong opposition

Record summary

Calonarang is a Balinese narrative and performance tradition concerning a powerful widow, often identified as a witch, whose magical transformations and destructive powers are opposed by ritual specialists and the protective Barong. The story survives in lontar manuscripts, dance-drama, temple performance, and modern cultural presentation. It is a valuable case for comparing textual transmission with embodied ritual and staged transformation. The relationship between the manuscript tradition, historical memory, and present-day performance is complex, and no single synopsis represents all Balinese versions.