Leak
English (EN)
The Dark Sorcerer of Bali
Leak (also spelled Leyak) is one of the most fearsome figures in Balinese mythology—a practitioner of black magic who transforms at night into a terrifying supernatural creature[reference:0]. Unlike purely mythological beings, the Leak is believed to be a human sorcerer who has acquired dark spiritual knowledge through secret rituals and forbidden practices[reference:1][reference:2].
In Balinese Hindu cosmology, the Leak embodies the principle of Adharma—the forces of chaos, destruction, and evil that stand in opposition to Dharma (order, goodness, and cosmic balance). This duality is central to Balinese philosophy, expressed through the concept of Rwa Bhineda—the eternal tension between opposing forces that sustains the universe[reference:4].
The Appearance of the Leak
The Leak is most famously depicted as a flying head with trailing internal organs—a horrifying image that has become iconic in Indonesian folklore[reference:5][reference:6]. The heart, lungs, and liver dangle beneath the flying skull like a grotesque tail, glowing with an eerie light as it moves through the night.
Other forms the Leak is said to take include:
| Form | Description |
|---|---|
| Flying Head | A floating skull with heart, lungs, and liver still attached, trailing behind like entrails |
| Animal Forms | Shapeshifting into pigs, monkeys, birds (especially owls), and other animals[reference:9] |
| Peleakan | A moving, flickering orb of light that drifts through the night |
| Rangda | The queen of the Leaks—a terrifying witch with long tongue, fangs, and wild hair |
The Human Behind the Monster
According to Balinese belief, a Leak is not born—it is made. Any human being who practices ngaluh leak (Balinese black magic) can gain the ability to transform into supernatural forms[reference:11].
By day, the Leak appears as an ordinary person—a neighbor, a friend, even a family member. But at night, their soul leaves their body, or their body itself transforms, allowing them to roam the darkness as a Leak[reference:13]. They are said to haunt graveyards, consume corpses, and shapeshift into animals[reference:14][reference:15].
The practice of Leak magic is associated with the Left Path (kiwa tengen) of Balinese spiritual tradition—a path of power that seeks to dominate through fear and manipulation rather than through harmony and balance[reference:16].
Practices and Powers
Leak sorcerers are believed to possess a corpus of dark techniques[reference:17][reference:18]:
| Power | Description |
|---|---|
| Curses | Sending magical afflictions to enemies |
| Pestilence | Spreading disease and plague |
| Shapeshifting | Transforming into animals or supernatural forms |
| Soul Projection | Sending the soul out of the body to roam at night |
| Corpse Consumption | Feeding on the dead, especially in graveyards |
| Blood Feeding | Seeking pregnant women or newborns to drink their blood[reference:20][reference:21] |
| Possession | Taking control of victims, causing madness |
The White Leak and the Black Leak
Not all Leak magic is considered evil. Balinese tradition distinguishes between[reference:23]:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Leak Putih (White Leak) | Practitioners who use their knowledge for healing, protection, and helping others |
| Leak Selem / Leak Badeng (Black Leak) | Practitioners who use their power to harm, curse, and destroy |
The White Leak is often associated with the balian—traditional Balinese healers who use spiritual knowledge for benevolent purposes[reference:24].
Rangda: The Queen of the Leaks
The most powerful figure in the Leak tradition is Rangda—the demon queen of the Leaks. In Balinese mythology, Rangda is the leader of all black magic forces, the embodiment of dark power[reference:26][reference:27].
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Appearance | An old woman with long, unkempt hair, pendulous breasts, claws, fangs, and a long protruding tongue |
| Origin | Linked to the legend of Calon Arang and the exiled Javanese queen Mahendradatta[reference:30] |
| Role | Leads an army of evil witches against the forces of good |
| Symbolism | Represents the destructive, chaotic forces that must be balanced by order |
Rangda is often compared to the Hindu goddesses Durga and Kali, though in Balinese tradition she is typically seen as the personification of evil rather than a benevolent mother goddess.
The Eternal Battle: Rangda vs. Barong
The struggle between Rangda and Barong—the lion-like king of spirits who represents the forces of good—is the central theme of Balinese mythology[reference:33]. Their battle is performed in the sacred Barong dance, which depicts the eternal conflict between good and evil.
| Figure | Representation |
|---|---|
| Rangda | Evil, chaos, destruction, black magic |
| Barong | Good, order, protection, white magic |
The dance does not show one side winning—it shows the eternal balance between the two forces, reflecting the Balinese understanding that good and evil are not opposites but complementary forces that sustain the universe.
The Calon Arang Narrative
The Leak tradition is deeply connected to the Calon Arang narrative[reference:36][reference:37]. According to legend, Calon Arang was a widow from the village of Girah in 11th-century East Java who was rejected by her community. In her rage, she studied black magic and became a powerful sorceress, unleashing plagues and curses upon the land[reference:39].
Calon Arang is considered the original Ratu Leak (Queen of the Leaks)[reference:40]. In Balinese tradition, she is often identified with Rangda herself, the incarnation of the legendary witch[reference:41][reference:42].
Protection Against the Leak
To protect themselves from Leak attacks, Balinese families employ various spiritual defenses:
| Protection | Description |
|---|---|
| Penjor | Tall bamboo poles decorated with offerings, placed at house entrances |
| Canang Sari | Daily offerings of flowers, rice, and incense placed at shrines |
| Statues | Protective statues placed at temple and house entrances |
| Rituals | Ceremonies performed to purify the community and ward off dark forces |
These practices are not merely superstition—they are expressions of the Balinese philosophy of maintaining cosmic balance through ritual and devotion.
The Leak in Modern Culture
The Leak has gained international notoriety through popular culture, particularly the cult film “Mystics in Bali” (1981), which brought the image of the flying head with trailing organs to a global audience[reference:44][reference:45].
Today, the Leak continues to be a vital part of Balinese culture[reference:46]:
- Performance Arts — The Rangda and Leak figures remain central to traditional dance dramas
- Video Games — Recent games like Niskala: Sacred Knowledge of Leak explore the mythology[reference:47]
- Tourism — Leak-themed experiences are popular with visitors seeking to understand Balinese spirituality
- Contemporary Belief — Many Balinese continue to believe in the reality of Leak magic
Leak and the Dark Lines
| Dark Line | Connection |
|---|---|
| The Fourth Realm | The Leak’s ability to transform and project the soul reflects the porous boundary between the visible world and the hidden realm. The Leak is a being that moves between worlds. |
| The Mana Curse | The curse weakened humanity’s spiritual capacity, but the Leak tradition preserves ancient knowledge of spiritual power—knowledge that existed before the curse was activated. |
| The Three Realms | The Leak exists at the intersection of all three realms: human (Middle Realm), spirit (Lower Realm), and the dark divine (Upper Realm perverted). |
| Rwa Bhineda | The Leak embodies the principle of duality—the dark force that must be balanced by the light. The eternal battle between Rangda and Barong is the ultimate expression of this philosophy. |
Story Hook: The Leak Who Refused the Darkness
In a remote Balinese village, a young woman discovers that her grandmother—a respected healer and balian—was secretly a practitioner of Leak magic. She had used both White Leak and Black Leak, balancing healing with destruction, protection with power.
When the grandmother dies, she passes her knowledge to her granddaughter—not as a gift, but as a burden. The granddaughter must choose: will she follow the path of the White Leak, using her power to heal and protect? Or will she succumb to the temptation of the Black Leak, seeking power over others?
But the choice is not simple. The grandmother’s knowledge reveals that the Leak is not merely good or evil—it is a force of nature, like fire or water, that can be used for creation or destruction. The granddaughter must learn to wield the power without being consumed by it.
“They say the Leak is evil. They say the Leak is darkness. But darkness is not evil—it is simply the absence of light. And without darkness, there can be no light. The Leak is not good or evil. It is power. And power is what you make of it.” — A Balinese balian, speaking of the Leak tradition
Visual Imagery
The Leak is often depicted in Balinese art and photography as:
- A flying head with trailing organs, illuminated by an eerie glow against the night sky
- Rangda in the Barong dance—a terrifying mask with bulging eyes, fangs, and a long tongue
- A balian performing a healing ritual, surrounded by offerings and incense
- The Barong and Rangda facing each other in eternal combat, representing the balance of good and evil
中文 (ZH)
巴厘岛的黑暗巫师
勒阿克（Leak，亦拼作Leyak）是巴厘岛神话中最令人恐惧的形象之一——黑魔法的修习者，夜间化身为可怕的超自然生物[reference:48]。与纯粹的神话生物不同，勒阿克被认为是通过秘密仪式和禁忌实践获取了黑暗灵性知识的人类巫师[reference:49][reference:50]。
勒阿克的外观
勒阿克最著名的形象是一个拖着内脏飞行的头颅[reference:51][reference:52]——心脏、肺和肝脏悬挂在飞行的头骨下方，像一条怪异的尾巴，在夜间移动时发出诡异的光芒。
怪物背后的人类
根据巴厘岛的信仰，勒阿克并非天生——而是后天造就的。任何修习ngaluh leak（巴厘黑魔法）的人都可以获得转化为超自然形态的能力[reference:54]。
白勒阿克与黑勒阿克
| 类型 | 描述 |
|---|---|
| 白勒阿克 | 将知识用于疗愈、保护和帮助他人 |
| 黑勒阿克 | 用力量伤害、诅咒和毁灭[reference:55] |
朗达：勒阿克女王
勒阿克传统中最强大的形象是朗达——勒阿克的恶魔女王。
永恒的对抗：朗达对巴龙
朗达与巴龙之间的斗争是巴厘岛神话的核心主题[reference:57]。
加隆·阿朗叙事
勒阿克传统与加隆·阿朗叙事密切相关[reference:58]。
保护
巴厘家庭使用各种灵性防御手段来抵御勒阿克的攻击。
“他们说勒阿克是邪恶的。他们说勒阿克是黑暗。但黑暗并不邪恶——它只是没有光。而没有黑暗，也就没有光。” ——一位巴厘岛balian（传统疗愈师）
Bahasa Indonesia (ID)
Dukun Hitam Bali
Leak adalah salah satu sosok paling menakutkan dalam mitologi Bali—praktisi ilmu hitam yang berubah di malam hari menjadi makhluk supernatural yang mengerikan[reference:60].
Penampilan Leak
Leak paling dikenal sebagai kepala terbang dengan organ dalam yang menjuntai[reference:61][reference:62].
Manusia di Balik Monster
Leak tidak dilahirkan—ia dibuat.
Leak Putih dan Leak Hitam
| Jenis | Deskripsi |
|---|---|
| Leak Putih | Menggunakan ilmu untuk menyembuhkan dan melindungi |
| Leak Hitam | Menggunakan kekuatan untuk menyakiti dan menghancurkan[reference:63] |
Rangda: Ratu Leak
Rangda adalah ratu iblis dari para Leak.
Pertarungan Abadi: Rangda vs. Barong
Pertarungan antara Rangda dan Barong adalah tema sentral mitologi Bali[reference:65].
Narasi Calon Arang
Tradisi Leak terkait erat dengan narasi Calon Arang[reference:66].
Perlindungan
Keluarga Bali menggunakan berbagai pertahanan spiritual.
“Mereka bilang Leak itu jahat. Tapi kegelapan bukanlah kejahatan—ia hanya ketiadaan cahaya.” — Seorang balian Bali
知识关联
神话生物
- rangda · 朗达
- barong · 巴龙
- calon-arang · 加隆·阿朗
- kuntilanak · 昆蒂拉纳克
- pocong · 波聪
- tuyul · 图尤尔
- genderuwo · 根德鲁沃
- wewe-gombel · 韦韦·贡贝尔
- babi-ngepet · 野猪精
文化
- balinese-people · 巴厘人
- bali · 巴厘岛
- balinese-healing · 巴厘传统疗愈
- dukun-shaman · 杜昆（巫医）
哲学
- rwa-bhineda · 对立共存
- three-realms · 三界
- the-forth-realm · 第四界
- mana-curse · 灵力回缩诅咒
索引导航
- mythology-overview · 神话总览
- cultural-overview · 文化总览
- worldview-overview · 世界观总览
双链闭环结构
leak-balinese（勒阿克） ↕ 巴厘黑暗魔法的化身 ├── bali（地理·巴厘岛） ├── balinese-people（民族·巴厘人） ├── rangda（神话·勒阿克女王） ├── barong（神话·善之守护者·对立面） ├── calon-arang（神话·勒阿克起源传说） ├── rwa-bhineda（哲学·善恶二元） ├── three-realms（结构·三界） ├── the-forth-realm（暗线·隐藏层） ├── mana-curse（暗线·灵力保存） ├── balinese-healing（文化·白魔法传统） ├── dukun-shaman（文化·巫师传统） ├── mythology-overview（总览·神话入口） └── cultural-overview（总览·文化入口）