Trance Dance of ‘Kuda Lumping’
A Heritage of Primordial Culture in Java
By:
Tejo Bagus Sunaryo
971019
Institute of Ethnomusicology,
Tainan National University of the Arts
Tainan-Taiwan
2009
I. Definition of ‘Kuda Lumping’
Kuda Lumping is one of traditional performance art in Indonesia especially in Java. Basically, traditional performance arts in Java remain a highly appreciated and sacred art form. Generally, Indonesian traditional performance arts have identifiable types, which are palace centric (classical art) and folk art. The traditional performance art of Kuda Lumping is belongs to folk art type.
The term of Kuda (Indonesian) or Jaran (Javanese) is mean horse while the term of Lumping (Indonesian) is the meaning trance. It is clearly, Kuda Lumping is Indonesian performance art in the dance form, which the climax of the show is shown by all dancer to become unconscious of their self (trance). Javanese called this process of trance as term of karawuhan.
The traditional performance art of Kuda Lumping also can be called by Javanese as Jaran Kepang. The term of kepang is mean plaited mats. There is the name of the Jaran Kepang because those performance use imitation of horse, made from braided bamboo as property.
It is very difficult to dig about history of Kuda Lumping. Sharpness, folk art is borne by common people, is caused by requirement of society spirit, which have difference cultural background among each other. Some scholars said that the performance of Kuda Lumping has old age. Such as Soedarsono (1977), he said that style of the Kuda Lumping dance is imitated from animal movement. Types of dances imitating from natural or animal movement is individuality of ancient cultured terms, in primordial era. On the other hand, he also had been said that expressing the performance art of Sang Hyang Jaran from Bali and Jaran Kepang (Kuda Lumping) from Java, both these arts were created in prehistoric periods, but have remained constant and vibrant through modern methods of information technology and communication i.e. television, Internet).
A Heritage of Primordial Culture in Java
By:
Tejo Bagus Sunaryo
971019
Institute of Ethnomusicology,
Tainan National University of the Arts
Tainan-Taiwan
2009
I. Definition of ‘Kuda Lumping’
Kuda Lumping is one of traditional performance art in Indonesia especially in Java. Basically, traditional performance arts in Java remain a highly appreciated and sacred art form. Generally, Indonesian traditional performance arts have identifiable types, which are palace centric (classical art) and folk art. The traditional performance art of Kuda Lumping is belongs to folk art type.
The term of Kuda (Indonesian) or Jaran (Javanese) is mean horse while the term of Lumping (Indonesian) is the meaning trance. It is clearly, Kuda Lumping is Indonesian performance art in the dance form, which the climax of the show is shown by all dancer to become unconscious of their self (trance). Javanese called this process of trance as term of karawuhan.
The traditional performance art of Kuda Lumping also can be called by Javanese as Jaran Kepang. The term of kepang is mean plaited mats. There is the name of the Jaran Kepang because those performance use imitation of horse, made from braided bamboo as property.
It is very difficult to dig about history of Kuda Lumping. Sharpness, folk art is borne by common people, is caused by requirement of society spirit, which have difference cultural background among each other. Some scholars said that the performance of Kuda Lumping has old age. Such as Soedarsono (1977), he said that style of the Kuda Lumping dance is imitated from animal movement. Types of dances imitating from natural or animal movement is individuality of ancient cultured terms, in primordial era. On the other hand, he also had been said that expressing the performance art of Sang Hyang Jaran from Bali and Jaran Kepang (Kuda Lumping) from Java, both these arts were created in prehistoric periods, but have remained constant and vibrant through modern methods of information technology and communication i.e. television, Internet).
Its more interesting in this traditional performance art is elements of trance. Trance (karawuhan) is an important part in the performance art of Kuda Lumping. Through intense music and dance, performers reach deep altered states bringing them into direct communion with higher spiritual forces. These manifest themselves through the body of the performers and into the performance space. This activity is similar with shamanistic culture. Dancers and the other perpetrator of Kuda Lumping can become medium for a spiritual entity.
II. The Function of ‘Kuda Lumping’
A cultural product or art product including performance art can not be understand from the form of performance or show only, but we have to know about the function of that art in the society or informed circles। By Merriam (1964), there are some functions of arts, especially music and performance arts, that is: (1) as emotional expression, (2) aesthetic satisfaction, (3) entertainment amusement, (4) communications medium, (5) symbolic devoting; (6) physical response, (7) as compatibility of norms in society, (8) inauguration of social institution and religious ceremony, (9) medium of continuity and culture stability, and (10) as society integrity। Kuda Lumping as a part from cultural system, it has tradition which never stagnant in development. Its means, together with development of era, Kuda Lumping has ability to do adaptation. In fact, the existence of Kuda Lumping in the society is not apart from kinds of function. Minimal, there are two function of performance art of Kuda Lumping which can divided with clear, is function of magic and function of entertainment. The differentiation between that two function is need audience or spectators or not. As function of magic, Kuda Lumping related to human being and circles without need spectators. But as function of entertainment, these need spectators or audiences.
A. Magic Function of ‘Kuda Lumping’
Magic function refers to ritual believing. Javanese belief concerning supernatural creatures, which have “power” and can restrain their life. Kuda Lumping has been done as effort to avoid “fury” from the supernatural creatures. Because they belief that this problem can spread an epidemic disease in the society. Therefore, this performance art is always organized as a ritual, which have relation with myths. There are some ritual or ceremony with use performance art of Kuda Lumping in the following:
A cultural product or art product including performance art can not be understand from the form of performance or show only, but we have to know about the function of that art in the society or informed circles। By Merriam (1964), there are some functions of arts, especially music and performance arts, that is: (1) as emotional expression, (2) aesthetic satisfaction, (3) entertainment amusement, (4) communications medium, (5) symbolic devoting; (6) physical response, (7) as compatibility of norms in society, (8) inauguration of social institution and religious ceremony, (9) medium of continuity and culture stability, and (10) as society integrity। Kuda Lumping as a part from cultural system, it has tradition which never stagnant in development. Its means, together with development of era, Kuda Lumping has ability to do adaptation. In fact, the existence of Kuda Lumping in the society is not apart from kinds of function. Minimal, there are two function of performance art of Kuda Lumping which can divided with clear, is function of magic and function of entertainment. The differentiation between that two function is need audience or spectators or not. As function of magic, Kuda Lumping related to human being and circles without need spectators. But as function of entertainment, these need spectators or audiences.
A. Magic Function of ‘Kuda Lumping’
Magic function refers to ritual believing. Javanese belief concerning supernatural creatures, which have “power” and can restrain their life. Kuda Lumping has been done as effort to avoid “fury” from the supernatural creatures. Because they belief that this problem can spread an epidemic disease in the society. Therefore, this performance art is always organized as a ritual, which have relation with myths. There are some ritual or ceremony with use performance art of Kuda Lumping in the following:
1. Marriage of Ceremony
Although not every body use performance arts of Kuda Lumping in marriage ceremony, writer often saw that Kuda Lumping has been perform in this agenda. Common people in villages usually use this performance art. The function is shown to every body as invitation, so that peoples there follow enjoy and support to this event. Usually, Kuda Lumping have to do perform after agenda series of traditional ceremony.
Although not every body use performance arts of Kuda Lumping in marriage ceremony, writer often saw that Kuda Lumping has been perform in this agenda. Common people in villages usually use this performance art. The function is shown to every body as invitation, so that peoples there follow enjoy and support to this event. Usually, Kuda Lumping have to do perform after agenda series of traditional ceremony.
2. ‘Khitanan’ (Feast Celebrating a Circumcision)
Kuda Lumping also can be presented in the event of khitanan. Khitanan refers to ceremony of circumcision. For Javanese, khitanan is one of important ceremonial. Every male, which has come of age, he must to do circumcision. Such as at event of marriage ceremony, the function of performance arts of Kuda Lumping is same, as invitation so that peoples follow enjoy and support to this event.
3. Ritual of ‘Nadzar’
Nadzar or nazar is the meaning to do something if prayer is granted or make a promise of something. For Javanese, ritual of nadzar is very important because they belief their prayer will be granted if to do nadzar. They also belief if their prayer is granted but they forget of their promise, it will invite disaster or misfortune in their life. Performance of Kuda Lumping often become subject of the nadzar. For example, some bodies has promised to invite performance art of Kuda Lumping if their son is passes from his study, or their son can become police man or and soldier, etc.
4. Ritual of ‘Bersih Desa’
Most of villages even city in Java region still to do ritual of bersih desa. Bersih Desa (Indonesian) or merti dhusun (Javanese) is a series of ritual ceremony as expression of prayer, happily, thanks be to God by peoples in the each village region because there are interrelated with harvest successfully of agricultural product. This ritual, minimal done one time for one year. In this event, performance of Kuda Lumping has organized in front of the building of central village office. Sometimes, Kuda Lumping organized in the place, which believed as sacred place such as in the grave and spring also. Here, the function Kuda Lumping is becomes expression of society as feeling of prayer and happily.
B. The Function of ‘Kuda Lumping’ as Entertainment
Javanese societies have present performance of Kuda Lumping in entertainment form. This performance has presented as expression of happily which hope this can entertained the other people. In fact, people follow present and see in the event need to refresh there self. In the function as entertainment, the principal of perform is attractive of dance movement. Dance will be merry if the perpetrators of Kuda Lumping can stepped forward with trance and many kind of attraction.
Javanese societies have present performance of Kuda Lumping in entertainment form. This performance has presented as expression of happily which hope this can entertained the other people. In fact, people follow present and see in the event need to refresh there self. In the function as entertainment, the principal of perform is attractive of dance movement. Dance will be merry if the perpetrators of Kuda Lumping can stepped forward with trance and many kind of attraction.
III. Process of Performance
Based on survey in the field, as broad outline, there are some phases must be done in the performance of Kuda Lumping in the following:
A. Preparation Phase
Before show, perpetrators have to do preparation to prepare every thing of need in the performance.
a. Property
Property refers to performance instrument or equipment, which will used by performers in the performance, during ceremony of preparation until showing process. Usually, perpetrators of Kuda Lumping doing prepare property after preparation of mind. Some property which believed have “supernatural power” by them, treaded with extraordinary. They will always give “eat” to that property with manner burn kemenyan (incense derived from gum benzoic) and sow that property with flowers.
Before show, perpetrators have to do preparation to prepare every thing of need in the performance.
a. Property
Property refers to performance instrument or equipment, which will used by performers in the performance, during ceremony of preparation until showing process. Usually, perpetrators of Kuda Lumping doing prepare property after preparation of mind. Some property which believed have “supernatural power” by them, treaded with extraordinary. They will always give “eat” to that property with manner burn kemenyan (incense derived from gum benzoic) and sow that property with flowers.
There are some properties which believed have “supernatural power” in side, as following:
1. Kuda Kepang
1. Kuda Kepang
It is as explained above, property of Kuda Kepang which has form of imitated from horse and made from braided bamboo is become one of basic property, because this property become distinctiveness of this performance. This property is also believed have spirit in side. Therefore, some of property of the Kuda Kepang has been treaded with extraordinary.
2. Masks
We can say that Kuda Lumping is one of tradition performance art, which still belief totemic. Masks become special property in this performance. It used as face covering to representing a character appropriate based on the form, lines, and colors. There are many kinds of masks used by performer during perform, for example: mask of the caplokan, mask of the barong, mask of the pentul, etc.
3. Pecut or Cemeti
The term of pecut or cemeti (Javanese) is the meaning whip. This property has been treaded with special also. Performers of Kuda Lumping have belief that property of the cemeti is one of medium to call, entering or to take out and put back some “spirit” or some “supernatural power” in trance performance moments.
b. Clothing or Costume
In fact, performance art of Kuda Lumping is not so pay attention very much concerning clothing or costume. Sometimes, performers wear cloth as usually. In the general event, performers wear traditional dress. The traditional dress in this performance have character of Javanese common peoples dress, which different from Javanese traditional palace centric.
c. Music Instruments
Both, music and dance is important in performance art of Kuda Lumping. These two elements have relationship, which cannot be separated. These two elements also have interdependent or mutual dependence each other. Without music back ground, trance dance of Kuda Lumping cannot forward. Therefore, for forward, they always to do prepare music instruments before perform.
In connection with music instruments, performance art of Kuda Lumping has basic instruments. The basic instruments take from traditional music instruments. There are basic instruments used by the performers of Kuda Lumping in the following: (1) instrument of ketuk, (2) instrument of kenong, (3) instrument of kempul, (4) instrument of gong, (5) instrument of slompret, (6) instrument of kendang, and (7) instrument of jidor.
Moreover, there are two instruments, which treaded in an extraordinary manner by them. Those instruments are instruments of slompret and instruments of kendang. Usually, they to do sotren or nyotren to those two instruments. Sotren or nyotren is the meaning a manner for fills some “spirit” or supernatural power in something. They to do that activity for those two instruments because they belief that sounds which come from those two instruments can influence dancers to do trance in performance.
On the other hand, sometimes the performance of Kuda Lumping adds many kind of music instrument to draw attentions in public. These have been done as adaptation together with development of era. Suck as instrument of western drum set, instrument of electone (keyboard) is often used in the perform. Some times, they also use a set of gamelan.
d. Preparation of Mind
Based on research, the activity of preparation of mind is divided into two character of manner: (1) in an individual manner, and (2) in a group manner. In an individual manner, every performer has to do laku tirakat (ascetic) such as fast, meditation, etc for every times. While in a group manner, they always to do pray with read some mantras before performance and burn some incense. Pawang is one of leader in this activity. Pawang is also some body can become spiritual teacher, which believed have spiritual powers and have understanding about supernatural.
B. Phase of Showing
They have different theme in every performance, which cannot be standardized. Sometimes, they made new theme which take from story of history or legend. Generally, phase of showing in the performance art of Kuda Lumping is divided into three part as following:
1. In the beginning of this performance, show of dance with use property of kuda kepang to opening. Then, continued by pawang. The Pawang walk around stage, then sit down in the central of stage to pray with burn some incense and sow some aromatic flowers as ritual offerings.
2. In the middle of this event, dancer showing many kind of dance such as dance of the kuda kepang, dance of the celengan, dance of the barong mask, and dance of the caplokan mask. As climax, the pawang call some “spirit” with use property of cemeti, and whipping into around area until dancers become trance.
3. As anti climax, the pawang to do healing to dancers one by one in a take out of “spirit” manner. While how long time of these performance is dependent from dancers as perpetrators and the pawang.
They have different theme in every performance, which cannot be standardized. Sometimes, they made new theme which take from story of history or legend. Generally, phase of showing in the performance art of Kuda Lumping is divided into three part as following:
1. In the beginning of this performance, show of dance with use property of kuda kepang to opening. Then, continued by pawang. The Pawang walk around stage, then sit down in the central of stage to pray with burn some incense and sow some aromatic flowers as ritual offerings.
2. In the middle of this event, dancer showing many kind of dance such as dance of the kuda kepang, dance of the celengan, dance of the barong mask, and dance of the caplokan mask. As climax, the pawang call some “spirit” with use property of cemeti, and whipping into around area until dancers become trance.
3. As anti climax, the pawang to do healing to dancers one by one in a take out of “spirit” manner. While how long time of these performance is dependent from dancers as perpetrators and the pawang.
IV. Historical Back Ground and Continuity of ‘Kuda Lumping’
Based on knowledge concerning pre-history culture, human being have primordial believing such as animism, dynamism, and totemic. They have opinion that there are spirit or soul stays around of their life or together with their life. They also belief hyang, is some body had been death but his soul still stay in the big trees, big stone, and or in the mountains. In their believing, that kind of soul can give helps to human being life in the form of safety or medicines through some body has supernatural powers and many kind of sacred art product or holy things.
Based on knowledge concerning pre-history culture, human being have primordial believing such as animism, dynamism, and totemic. They have opinion that there are spirit or soul stays around of their life or together with their life. They also belief hyang, is some body had been death but his soul still stay in the big trees, big stone, and or in the mountains. In their believing, that kind of soul can give helps to human being life in the form of safety or medicines through some body has supernatural powers and many kind of sacred art product or holy things.
In the primordial society, supernatural power has been used in the form of ritual or ceremonies and usually together with sacred dance and music as background. This activities refers to expression from feeling of human being such as happily, sorrow, hopefully, and anxiously.
The most of dance from primordial have magic character and sacred because that is still use in the traditional rituals or ceremonies. Although we do not know when was the performance art borne? Or who is the composer of the performance? Based on the characteristic of the performance art, Kuda Lumping is a heritage of primordial culture in Java.
In the era today, modernization and commercialization can become a new interest thinking for villages’ society. As development, there is no big of differentiation between villages’ society and cities’ society. But in the contrast, that problem can replace traditionalism step by step.
That is happened in Java. Although modernization can replace traditional in a step-by-step manner, the existence of the performance art of Kuda Lumping is still holding even develop. They can afford to do adaptation and follow request from society.
V. Conclusion
The performance art of Kuda Lumping is belong to traditional folk art in Java. The performance art of Kuda Lumping is one of traditional performance art, which have sacred character. This performance is a heritage of primordial era in Java because supernatural believing still used by them as medium.
The performance art of Kuda Lumping is belong to traditional folk art in Java. The performance art of Kuda Lumping is one of traditional performance art, which have sacred character. This performance is a heritage of primordial era in Java because supernatural believing still used by them as medium.
Kuda Lumping has many functions in the society. Kuda Lumping is not one of the performance art in a dance form only, which must contain of something of magic, but this performance can become one of entertainment also. Therefore, this performance is still exist and develop in Java. Together with development of era, they have ability to do assimilation and adaptation.
Bibliography
Merriam, Alan, P., The Anthropology of Music. (Chicago: North Western University Press, 1964).
Pande Nyoman, J.P., Tari Ritual Sang Hyang Jaran Warisan Budaya Pra Hindu di Bali, (Surakarta: Citra Etnika, 2004).
Poerwadarminto, W.J.S., Kamus Umum Bahasa Indonesia, (Jakarta: PN Balai Pustaka, 1976).
Rouget, Gilbert., Music and Trance A Theory of the Relations between Music and Possession, Translation from the French revised by Brunhilde Biebuyck in Collaboration with the Author (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1985).
Soedarsono, R.M., Tari-tarian Indonesia I (Yogyakarta: Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 1977).
Soedarsono, R.M., Seni Pertunjukan Indonesia di Era Globalisasi (Yogyakarta: Gadjah Mada University Press, 2002).Verkul, J., Dance From Magic to Art. (California: University of Soutern, 1976).
Merriam, Alan, P., The Anthropology of Music. (Chicago: North Western University Press, 1964).
Pande Nyoman, J.P., Tari Ritual Sang Hyang Jaran Warisan Budaya Pra Hindu di Bali, (Surakarta: Citra Etnika, 2004).
Poerwadarminto, W.J.S., Kamus Umum Bahasa Indonesia, (Jakarta: PN Balai Pustaka, 1976).
Rouget, Gilbert., Music and Trance A Theory of the Relations between Music and Possession, Translation from the French revised by Brunhilde Biebuyck in Collaboration with the Author (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1985).
Soedarsono, R.M., Tari-tarian Indonesia I (Yogyakarta: Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 1977).
Soedarsono, R.M., Seni Pertunjukan Indonesia di Era Globalisasi (Yogyakarta: Gadjah Mada University Press, 2002).Verkul, J., Dance From Magic to Art. (California: University of Soutern, 1976).
