The Balinese masks are more than just arts. It has a deep spiritual meaning behind it and is used for certain purposes in Bali. It is rooted from the animism and dynamism believed in the past. For Balinese people, the Balinese mask is a sacred and holy stuff. Balinese people believe that Gods are present in all things.
Therefore, the ancient Balinese created stunning “houses” for the spirits and transcendental energies to live in. In short, the masks are a medium for the ancestral spirits and other spirits to live and visit the physical world as it symbolizes the divine being or energies in a physical form.
The Balinese mask also usually be used for Tari Topeng or translates as Mask Dance. It is believed that the use of masks is to pay respect to the ancestors, and the dancers are regarded as interpreters of the gods. Topeng dance is a solo perfomance and can only be carried-out by men. It opens with a series of non-speaking masked characters while bringing a variety of stories.
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