Sigalegale, Traditional puppet dance in Tomok, North Sumatra, Indonesia.
Sigale-gale is a traditional puppet dance from the Batak community that features a life-sized wooden puppet dressed in local attire performing synchronized movements to percussion music and flutes.
Historically, the dance was performed during Batak funeral ceremonies to honor the deceased, with the puppet representing the spirit of the departed and facilitating its journey to the afterlife.
The performance reflects the spiritual beliefs of the Batak people, who use the dance to maintain connections with ancestors and convey moral lessons about promise, sacrifice, and respect for traditions.
Visitors to Tomok can watch regular Sigale-gale performances for an entrance fee of approximately 5.50 dollars per person, with shows scheduled frequently during peak tourist seasons and cultural festivals.
The wooden puppet is carved from banyan tree wood and operated by a puppeteer standing on wooden boxes, creating the illusion of the puppet dancing independently to traditional gondang music.
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