Inclusive Identity of stage: Myths, Local Wisdom, and Resistance in the Baris Bebila Dance of Bengkala Village

Abstract

Bengkala Village in Bali presents a unique phenomenon, where a community of deaf (Kolok) and hearing (Enget) people coexist in a state of near-perfect integration. At the heart of this integration lies the Baris Bebila Dance, a performance masterpiece that is not merely a cultural attraction but a crystallisation of myth, local wisdom, and a decades-long process of constructing an inclusive identity. This ethnographic study aims to analyse the role of the origin myth and local wisdom of Bengkala Village in shaping this inclusive performing art, as well as to understand how the identity of the Kolok community is constructed and re-signified through the medium of dance. Data was collected through intensive participant observation, in-depth interviews with Kolok dancers, the dance's creator, and traditional elders, as well as a study of documents related to the village's myths and history. The research findings reveal that the myth of the Kutukan Goda Cacat (Goda Cacat's Curse) is not viewed as a disgrace; instead, it has been intelligently transformed through local wisdom into a source of strength and collective unity. The Baris Bebila Dance becomes a stage upon which the identity of "deafness" is radically reconstructed; from a limitation into a sacred and powerful uniqueness. The values of selempah (close kinship) and equal partnership between theKolok and Enget, manifested through the entire community's mastery of Bahasa Isyarat Kata Kolok (BIKK, the Kolok Sign Language), form the social foundation that enables this inclusion to be realised organically. The conclusion of this research affirms that the Baris Bebila Dance is, in essence, a subtle yet powerful form of cultural resistance against the stigma of disability. The story of Bengkala proves that authentic and sustainable inclusion is not an imported ideal, but can flourish from within, nurtured by the community's own value systems and creativity.