Wayan Candra dedicates his life to making 'Ogoh-Ogoh'

By I Wayan Juniarta

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): The weeks preceding the annual celebration of Nyepi, the Hindu Day of Silence, are usually be the busiest time of the year for 49-year-old artist Wayan Candra of Sesetan village, Denpasar.

During this time of the year, Candra, renowned for his creative talent and extraordinary skill in making ogoh-ogoh, or giant dolls, receives a bulk of orders.

In his workshop in Lantang Bejuh hamlet, the artist has managed to complete around 20 large-sized ogoh-ogoh, 80 heads of the giant dolls and about 200 masks for the ogoh-ogoh.

"We are really flooded with orders coming in from all over Bali. Right now, with Nyepi just a few days away, we still have 10 more orders for ogoh-ogoh to finish. But don't worry, we think we will be able to make the dolls," Candra said with a wide grin across his face.

Created from wood, bamboo, paper and styrofoam, the tall and somewhat frightening dolls, sometimes reaching three meters in height, are regarded as a symbol of evil spirits. A few days before Nyepi residents of each village, youths in particular, work together to make one or more ogoh-ogoh.

A day before Nyepi, known as Ngerupuk, thousands of young people carrying bamboo torches flock to the streets of Bali to hold exorcism rites in order to purify their villages and towns from evil spirits. The main attraction of these parades is the colorful and scary ogoh-ogoh, which may appear in various forms such as dragon-like figures and in the shape of other mythical creatures.

A ceremony to cleanse the ogoh-ogoh is held before the procession takes place. On the eve of Nyepi, when the parades are over, most of the displayed ogoh-ogoh are burned and destroyed at the main intersections of the villages. Some of the dolls will just be purified by sprinkling holy water on their heads and torsos.

The shapes of the ogoh-ogoh were previously inspired by demonic characters taken from ancient Balinese mythology, such as Buta, the giant Raksasa, the evil Kala or the witches Rangda and Celuluk.

Hollywood

Times have changed, though. Those who make ogoh-ogoh now often seek inspiration from Hollywood and other Western sources.

Recently, there were ogoh-ogoh with Mohawks and ogoh-ogoh with the face of the devil.

The power of capitalism has also changed the look of the dolls. In the past few years, some ogoh-ogoh have been decorated with large banners carrying the names of companies. There was an ogoh-ogoh in the form of Hanoman, the monkey warrior from the famous Ramayana epic, which was shown riding on a Japanese-made motorcycle.

The current political situation in the country also has inspired many ogoh-ogoh artists. A large number of Balinese youth use ogoh-ogoh as an effective medium to voice their political stances.

A few years ago, an ogoh-ogoh was designed in the shape of former Bali governor Ida Bagus Oka. The doll was named Kala Oke, or the Devil Oke, named after the governor who was notoriously referred to as Mr. Oke because he reportedly OK'd any development project proposed by unscrupulous government officials and businesspeople.

"Most of the local youth associations make their own ogoh- ogoh. The others who cannot make the dolls usually order them from our workshops," Candra said.

Usually, the youngsters create the bodies of the ogoh-ogoh but ask Candra to finish the dolls' heads, which require a greater amount of artistry.

Candra sells a complete ogoh-ogoh for between Rp 1 million and Rp 3.5 million. A head costs between Rp 350,000 and Rp 1 million, and a mask goes for between Rp 100,000 and Rp 500,000.

"I once made a high-quality ogoh-ogoh of silk, fur and genuine leather which cost me around Rp 15 million," Candra stated proudly.

Since the early 1990s, many people, hotels and companies have shown an interest in taking part in ogoh-ogoh parades. Thus the demand for ogoh-ogoh has increased, creating a new market for local artists like Candra.

"This year, I received a number of orders from, among others, an expatriate group and students from an international school in Kerobokan near Kuta," Candra said.

There is also a Javanese community that has created its own ogoh-ogoh.

"It really makes me happy to see non-Balinese people with such an interest in our culture and customs," Candra said.

To meet the increased demand for the dolls, Candra has had to ask his 40 workers to work around the clock. Each day, they can finish one or two ogoh-ogoh.

After Nyepi, Candra and his workers will return to their normal work of creating traditional structures for religious ceremonies and festivities. These include Bade, a towering wooden structure used to carry the dead during a cremation ceremony. Candra also crafts sacred Barong, mythical dragon-like creatures, for community temples.

"It's a family tradition. My father and my grandfather have been in this business for many generations," Candra said.