The first mask performed is usually that of a Patih Keras, or Strong Minister -- depicting a nobleman, advisor to the king, and warrior from the ancestral past. Gajah Mada is the most famous of all such Patih. During the heyday of the Majapahit empire in the 14th Century AD, he unified much of present day Indonesia, including Bali, by force and by guile. Many of the stories in the topeng repertoire focus on his deeds and one of the masks said to have been brought to the island in the 16th Century as part of the spoils of war from East Java represents this important face from Indonesia's past; it is considered to have great power. The representation of Gajah Mada exhibited here is based on an interpretation by the late Ida Bagus Gelodog, Ida Bagus Amabara's father and teacher, whose distinctive style is still strongly felt among the dancers and mask makers on the island. Other masks of strong ministers might also be used for this opening dance, depending on the desire of the dancer and the need for balance among the masks. The masks of Patih Jelantik and Patih Ularan featured in this collection, for example, would be other possible choices.