According to jakarta-tourism.go.id, the giant dolls, often 2-3 meters tall, are made of woven bamboo with a diameter of about 80cm and is lightweight, usually painted red and white on the face and clad in clothes and jewelry like that worn by a bride. Male ondel-ondel are often painted in red, while female white.
To play it, someone will enter the hollow body of the doll and dances to the rhythm of the accompanying music. According to the story, the origin of ondel-ondel, which is believed to have existed since the time of the ancestors, came from the Hindu tradition with the doll symbolizing savior-gods.
At the beginning, the doll performance was used to worship the spirits of ancestors or respected figures. Even though it was once believed to repel bad luck or ward off evils, it now mainly used for entertainment purpose to enliven a celebration. (un)