Bali Culture

Ogoh – Ogoh is a Giant doll made from bamboo frames which are intricately woven and tied and then covered with paper mache. They are made in form of creatures of the underworld known is Balinese as Butakala ” The demon”. The creature are based on characters taken from traditional myths and legends, but sometimes it also take the form of modern characters including even people in the media or in the government that represent the bad spirit. Ogoh-ogoh parade around the street on the eve of Nyepi, known as Hari Pengrupukan. Most main roads are closed off and thousand of people gather to watch the parade. It may take about 30 people to carry a large ogoh-ogoh and each group has team of musician playing gamelan and sometimes male and female dancers. The gamelan ensemble used to company the ogoh-ogoh is called baleganjur which is made up 15 musician playing gongs, cymbals and drums. The louder the music is better, as their function is to scare off any demons before Nyepi Day, the day of silence. After being parade, ogoh-ogoh is ceremoniously burnt to represent the destruction of the demons on earth