Barongan
/bəˈrɒŋən/noun
An Indonesian traditional performance or dance featuring masked animal-like figures, especially the barong.
Did you know?Although Barongan performances can include trance-like and supernatural imagery, claims that barong derives directly from the Sanskrit demon Bhairava remain speculative rather than established etymology.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-modern period
Javanese
barong
“A mythic or animal-like masked figure used in traditional performance; the deeper origin of the term is uncertain.”
Pre-modern period
Balinese
barong
“A protective mythological creature and central figure in Balinese masked dance drama.”
Traditional Javanese usage
Javanese
barongan
“A performance or group associated with barong figures; the suffix -an forms an associated activity, place, or collective noun.”
20th Century
Indonesian
barongan
“A regional folk-performance tradition involving masks, dance, music, and dramatic storytelling.”
Modern English
English
Barongan
“A transliterated cultural term used in English descriptions of Indonesian traditional dance and theater.”