The story is based on an adaption by Rhoda Grauer of the epic creation myth Sureq Galigo of the Bugis from South Sulawesi, written between the 13th and 15th centuries in the Indonesian language Buginese.
Out of the vast material in Sureq Galigo, that covers the story of a so-called Middle World (that of humanity), the production focuses on one particular narrative thread, about the warrior Sawerigading, and his twin sister, We Tenriabeng. They are descendants of the gods of the heavens and the gods of the underworld who send their offspring to inhabit the earth. From the time in the womb of their mother, which is put onto stage, they are destined to fall in love with each other. Worried that their incest would doom the world, the Bissu priests order them to be separated at birth.
Sawerigading travels abroad but is eventually told about the world's most beautiful woman. He returns home and actually falls in love with his twin sister. To avoid the worst, We Tenriabeng introduces him to a woman of equal beauty, whom he marries to have a son named I La Galigo. Nevertheless, the earth is cleansed of all life for another time and their children mate again to re-populate it and to start a new era.
Parts of the story are narrated while the rest is via the actors dance and gestures. The 150-minute long performance is accompanied extensively by light effects characteristic of theater maestro Robert Wilson's work and music by an onstage ensemble. Their music sounds traditional, but has actually been composed for the production by the Javanese composer Rahayu Supanggah after intensive research in South Sulawesi.
For better dramatic expression, other Javanese and Balinese instruments were added to the initially five traditional Sulawesi instruments and new ones were made as well, amounting eventually to 70 instruments played by 12 musicians.
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