WE were in Black Box in Publika and the tension was palpable as the boys made contact with the energies around us to create a sacred space for the performance. In this invitation, the boys are exerting control of the space with their powerful gestures, foreshadowing the inherent push and pull of the rituals we are about to experience.
When the boys saw this photo, they immediately identified the harimau in the smoke encircling them. They always know when the tiger spirit is there. The photograph holds that energy to show us how it felt to be in sensory overload – the visual strength of the movements, the taste of the smoke, the hypnotic beat, the dance of spirits. It still gives me goosebumps.
Cheryl Hoffmann is an independent photographer
