kecak

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Balinese kecak.

Noun

kecak

1. (anthropology, music) A type of ceremonial chant in Bali, based on the Ramayana story, where men sit in a circle and imitate the sounds of monkeys.

   Synonyms: monkey dance, Ramayana monkey chant

   • 2000, Simon Broughton, Mark Ellingham, World Music: The Rough Guide, page 125:

     The kecak is performed as a spectacle rather than a ceremony and new versions are commissioned for festivals and TV.