The Bali Street Dog
  • Home
  • The Bali Dog & Bali Life
  • The Role of the Bali Dog
  • Culture & Breed Standard
  • Blog
  • Yudhisthira Story
  • Gallery
  • About the Authors
  • Faithful Companions
  • Genetic Parallels
  • Staying Safe Around Dogs
  • The Impact of Rabies
  • Salty A Bali Street Dog Story
  • Contributors
  • About the Logo

Bali Dogs in Mythology – Blang Uyang & Blang Suun

1/7/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Hildred Geertz imparts a mythological tale in his book Story Telling in Bali about the hunting dogs of the King of Kungklung. 

The King’s dog’s names were Blang Uyang and Blang Suun.   These dogs were remarkable hunters; no jungle animal was safe from them.  This made the other animals of the jungle alarmed and angry.  They called a meeting to ask ‘How can we kill these two dogs’.  The Anteater said ‘If you make me the King of all the animals I will kill them dead’.  All of the animals are happy to hear this and agree with his request. 

The Anteater climbs to the top of the royal pavilion whilst the King is dining.  Blang Uyang and Blang Suun are seated at the King’s feet.  They both see the Anteater and in protection of the King they jump up to attack him, in so doing they knock over the King’s dinner.  The King is furious; he jumps up and cuts off the heads of both of his dogs and two of his servants.  Other servants come running and try and put the heads back on.  In their haste they put the wrong heads on the wrong bodies.  The heads of the dogs are placed onto the bodies of the humans. 

This is why every full moon the dogs of Bali mourn.  They see shadows of dog’s heads with a human body and that makes them sad.   The story says that because of this happening, Bali Dogs are permitted to eat offerings, because they were correct when they tried to protect the King.

​Ida Bagus Made Togog (1911 – 1989)
http://sydney.edu.au/heurist/balipaintings/10891.html
 
 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    May 2023
    January 2023
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    May 2022
    January 2022
    September 2021
    August 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    February 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Categories

    All
    Bali Dogs
    Dog
    Rabies

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • The Bali Dog & Bali Life
  • The Role of the Bali Dog
  • Culture & Breed Standard
  • Blog
  • Yudhisthira Story
  • Gallery
  • About the Authors
  • Faithful Companions
  • Genetic Parallels
  • Staying Safe Around Dogs
  • The Impact of Rabies
  • Salty A Bali Street Dog Story
  • Contributors
  • About the Logo