Prior to watching the performance of Gamelan Çudamani, I hadn’t had any exposure to Balinese culture. The performance consisted of 8 pieces from the gamelan ensemble accompanied by Barong dance. Each of the pieces were representative of different elements of Balinese culture and tradition. The first piece performed was called Rangrang, a Balinese word meaning intertwined or knit together. The piece began with several different rhythmic patterns that came together as one, symbolizing the ways in which we are intertwined with one another and the universe around us. After the first several pieces, I realized that the ensemble’s method of using different rhythmic patterns that come together to create an orchestral composition is a defining feature of Gamelan music. I was amazed by the speed and preciseness of the musicians, who made their intricate percussive instrumentals seem effortless. One of the pieces that really stood out to me was Legong Swatika, which told the story of the wild boar that destroyed the garden of the Lake Goddess Dewi Dani. The Goddess kills the boar and the farmers throw its body into the ocean, though this angers the God of the Ocean, Baruna. Baruna is angered by the farmer’s lack of respect for the earth, and curses them. The farmers beg for forgiveness and vow to Baruna that they will take better care of the earth, thus returning the world to balance. This balance is representative of “Swatika” which means peace. I found this to be really interesting, as Swatika is translated to Swastika, the symbol used by the Nazi’s to promote hate. Adolf Hitler took the sacred symbol and used it as the centerpiece for the Nazi flag representing Aryan identity. Hitler’s use of the Swastika presents a stark contrast to its origin as a symbol of peace that’s held sacred in several Eurasian countries. The woman that narrated/translated the performance touched on this, explaining how despite the negative connotation of the word’s translation, its meaning in Balinese culture is peace and prosperity. She then exclaimed to the audience “We’re taking our word back!” which I found to be both meaningful and powerful. Another element of Balinese culture was reflected through the outfits that the performers wore. The colorful robes and attire seemed to perfectly match the energy of the music and the Barong dance. In their Wayang Wong Dance Sethu Banda, the performers wore masks, as Wayang Wong is a genre of masked dance theater in Bali. The incredibly detailed masks looked like animalistic creatures, meant to represent the creatures of the forest. In this piece, the dancers interacted quite a bit with the Batel music ensemble, creating what seemed to be a very natural sense of community among the group. Overall, I noticed that a prominent theme throughout the performance was nature. The majority of the pieces centered around elements of nature (including human nature, such as the composition about a young man in love) and an appreciation for the earth, with great emphasis on water. I learned that this is because water is seen as sacred and pure in Balinese culture, as Tirta (sacred water), is the way that gods sustain every part of nature. This performance was relevant to our Media, Culture, and Identity class because it gave us insight into the traditions of another culture. As we often discuss in class, Americans have a tendency of generalizing western culture as “the norm” throughout the world. This is exemplified by the way that Americans often treat other cultural practices as less than or “weird”, when in reality, culture is fluid and has no bounds. In order to challenge our way of thinking, it’s necessary to actively seek out exposure to cultures different from our own. Watching Gamelan Çudamani gave me an appreciation for the unique style of traditional Gamelan music and Balinese culture. Overall, the experience of watching the performance exposed me to a different culture in a really enjoyable way.