MADS LANGE BICENTENNIAL EVENT
MADS LANGE BICENTENNIAL EVENT of September 17, 2007 at The Bali Purnati Center for the Arts
Purnati hosted dinner for 110 guests from JOHOR BARU MALAYSIA and the FAMILY OF MADS LANGE OF DANMARK with a special performance created by Purnati in collaboration with I Made Sidia and members of Gunung Jati Teges, the world premiere and first draft of a work in progress which is based on The Life and Times of the Danish adventurer Mads Lange on the island of Bali during the years 1839 to 1856 Tuan Lange (A Topeng/Mask Drama inSix Short Historical Scenes) A Treatment/Scenario by Leonard Lueras
Tuan Lange (A Topeng/Mask Drama inSix Short Historical Scenes)
A Treatment/Scenario by Leonard Lueras
Scene 1: Departure and Arrival: Mads Lange and his fellow sailors sail from Denmark to India and then on to the island of Lombok where their ship is greeted by Balinese in jukung canoes. The Lange sailing ship is carried by Lange. Inside the sailing ship are other bule sailors (small wayang-like figures that represent bule sailors). The Balinese carry and dance with jukung canoes and lead Lange to shore where they welcome Lange to Lombok with offerings. After arriving Lange establishes a camp on Lombok, starts to do business there with no problems.
Scene 2: Confrontation and a War on Lombok: All is happy on Lombok until the two Rajahs and two Bule traders there begin to argue and then go to war. A big fight/battle starts and finally Lange leaves the big fight on his white horse and escapes from Lombok to Bali on his sailing ship the Venus. He arrives on the Venus at Kuta in Bali and there he is greeted by Kuta Balinese people who are very happy that he has come to Bali from Lombok. Lange thanks God that he is in a new and friendly place where he can build a new headquarters and start a new life.
Scene 3: Mads Lange Meets The Rajah of Kesiman: In Bali Mads Lange sets up an office and sits down and wonders what to do on the island. One day he receives a lontar which is an invitation/undangan for him to meet the then powerful Rajah of Kesiman. He goes to Kesiman on his white horse to meet the Rajah. He is greeted at Kesiman by a royal retinue. Lange and the Rajah talk and have drinks and food with each other and at the end of their meeting the Rajah grants Lange permission to set up a trading post and home in Bali under his protection and sponsorship.
Scene 4: The Good Life In Kuta and Bali: Life and business are good for Lange in Bali. He has beautiful dalmatian dogs, two beautiful wives, he does good business on Bali, and he gives big parties where he plays violin for people, serves good wines and entertains both important Balinese leaders and visiting European people. He is so successful and important that he is made the Bali officer-representative for the Dutch colonial government in Batavia. He even creates a currency system in Bali which uses kepeng Chinese coins as the official currency on the island of Bali. He pays the Balinese this way for their goods and services and they are happy.
Scene 5: Mads Lange As A Peacemaker: The Dutch, however, want more than just North Bali which they have already captured and Lange finds out that they are threatening to invade and take South Bali too. Lange convinces the Dutch to do otherwise and instead sits down the Dutch and Balinese at a negotiating table and the final result of his mediation is a peace treaty that avoids war and gives the South Balinese another fifty years plus of freedom. After this treaty is signed everybody is happy and Mads Lange becomes a hero of the Balinese people in their fight against the Dutch colonial administrators. They toast his success in this effort.
Scene 6: Mads Lange’s Last Days: All is fine in Bali and Mads Lange and his friends and family are happy, but one day a jealous person, nobody knows who, puts poison into a drink that Mads Lange has been served. Lange whirls around in a crazy state, looks to the sky in desperation, and finally falls and dies an agonizing death. As his body lies on a bed sad Balinese friends and family members cover him in tributes, chant prayers and say goodby and thank you to this remarkable Danish man who came from his faraway homeland to the island of Bali.
End of Topeng “Tuan Lange” Drama