Balinese shaman 'Mangku' Tedja keeps magic alive

Balinese shaman 'Mangku' Tedja keeps magic alive

Jagadhita, Contributor, Bangli, Bali

Bangbang Tembuku is a small, rather nondescript village in
Bangli, 60 kilometers northwest of Denpasar. But the village is
home to a man many Balinese believe has inherited great magical
powers.

Mangku, or high priest, Tedja Kandel, 70, is known to many
villagers as a shaman who can transform himself into a
frightening Leak, a demon. His bottomless knowledge of magic, he
claims to have inherited from his ancestors.

People who dare to witness his powers are welcome to visit the
village. If Mangku Tedja is willing, he will give such visitors
an experience they will never forget, transforming from a man
into a giant devil with long white hair, large red eyes and
ghostly face.

Apparently, a number of politicians and noted bureaucrats once
attended Mangku Tedja's special show. They sat still, waiting
patiently for the shaman to call upon his powers to change his
form.

But when the Mangku's face became that of a buta, or giant,
and his hair suddenly grew out, many of the guests turned tail
and fled.

"The ability to turn into a Leak is passed down by our
ancestors. Digging deep into this inherited knowledge, I try to
learn more about it," said the shaman, who is also an
accomplished Calon Arang dancer.

He went on to say that the majority of Balinese, particularly
those of the younger generation, had forgotten and neglected the
knowledge of this magical power, which they considered irrelevant
in this high-tech era.

Mangku Tedja said this age-old knowledge would not disappear,
as long as the Balinese retained their belief in it and learned
about it.

Yet, many people think Mangku Tedja too optimistic about the
future of this powerful knowledge, since it does not appeal to
younger people, who are uninterested in learning about such
mystical traditions.

In addition, many parents forbid their children from acquiring
the skill. "Their parents keep saying negative things about Leak,
but this is actually incorrect," Mangku Tedja said.

He believes that knowledge is not inherently destructive: "God
created each knowledge in the universe for a special purpose".

It was irresponsible people who often misused such powers and
knowledge for their own interests and to harm their enemies, he
said.

The Leak power, he explained, had both negative and positive
values. "It depends on the individual, whether they explore the
positive manifestation or the other."

Finding the younger Balinese generally reluctant or blase
about carrying on the knowledge, Mangku Tedja has taken on
foreign apprentices.

It is encouraging, he said, that a number of foreigners,
including Japanese and Westerners, were keen to learn about the
positive side of this rare power.

"Many of my students are now able to transform themselves into
various forms of Leak," he said.

The shaman said he had a duty to mitigate the negative and
evil image of Leak, which has been portrayed in local movies as a
predatory, vengeful ghost.

"Leak has long been misunderstood among the Balinese as a
wicked thing."

Despite the challenges from his own people, Mangku Tedja is
not deterred from exploring and learning everything about this
mystical power.

"Learning about Leak is not evil. The Leak power has existed
for centuries -- long before I was born. This is a priceless
Balinese cultural heritage, which should be preserved by the
Balinese."

Many local customs and knowledge, including traditional
healing, arts and history, are mastered by foreign experts
because local people are reluctant to learn about their own
culture and heritage.

"Bali has long been known for its rich culture, traditions and
heritage, as well as its strong Hindu belief. It is the duty of
all Balinese to preserve them," Mangku Tedja said.

Mangku Tedja is aware that his days are numbered, and aims to
transfer his extraordinary skills and powers to those eager to
carry on the knowledge.

"I will be more than willing to teach anyone, especially young
people, about the Leak power -- provided that they use it in a
positive way and have a strong intention to preserve it," he
said.