Kecak Dance

Kecak a form of Balinese music drama, originated in the 1930s and is performed primarily by men. Also known as the Ramayana Monkey Chant, the piece, performed by a circle of 100 or more performers wearing checked cloth around their waists, percussively chanting "cak" and throwing up their arms, depicts a battle from the Ramayana where the monkey-like Vanara helped Prince Rama fight the evil King Ravana. However, Kecak has roots in sanghyang, a trance-inducing exorcism dance.

Kecak was originally a trance ritual accompanied by male chorus. German painter and musician Walter Spies became deeply interested in the ritual while living in Bali in the 1930s and worked to recreate it into a drama, based on the Hindu Ramayana and including dance, intended to be presented to Western tourist audiences. This transformation is an example of what James Clifford describes as part of the "modern art-culture system" in which, "the West or the central power adopts, transforms, and consumes non-Western or peripheral cultural elements, while making 'art' which was once embedded in the culture as a whole, into a separate entity." Spies worked with Wayan Limbak and Limbak popularized the dance by traveling throughout the world with Balinese performance groups. These travels have helped to make the Kecak famous throughout the world.

Performer, choreographer, and scholar I Wayan Dibia cites a contrasting theory that the Balinese where already developing the form when Spies arrived on the island. For example, well-known dancer I Limbak had incorporated Baris movements into the cak leader role during the 1920s. "Spies liked this innovation," and it suggested that Limbak, "devise a spectacle based on the Ramayana," accompanied by cak chorus rather than gamelan, as would have been usual.

Pendet Dance

Pendet is a traditional Balinese dance, in which offerings are made to purify the temple or theater as a prelude to ceremonies or other dances. Pendet is typically performed by young girls, carrying bowls of flower petals, handfuls of which are cast into the air at various times in the dance. Pendet can be thought of as a dance of greeting, to welcome the audience and invite spirits to enjoy a performance.

Traditional Balinese dances are the oldest form of performing arts in Bali. Traditional dances can be divided into two types, sacred dance called Wali and entertainment dance called Bebalihan. Wali (sacred dance) is usually performed in some ritual ceremonies only because it has strong magical powers and only can be performed by specific dancers. Bebalihan are usually performed in social events. In addition to entertain, Bebalihan also has other purposes such as: welcoming guests, celebration of harvests, or gathering crowds. Bebalihan has more variations than Wali.

Pendet is the presentation of an offering in the form of a ritual dance. Unlike the exhibition dances that demand arduous training, Pendet may be danced by anyone. It is taught simply by imitation.

Younger girls follow the movements of the elder women, who recognize their responsibility in setting a good example. Proficiency comes with age. As a religious dance, Pendet is usually performed during temple ceremonies.

All dancers carry in their right hand a small offering of incense, cakes, water vessels, or flower formations. With these they dance from shrine to shrine within the temple. Pendet may be performed intermittently throughout the day and late into the night during temple feasts.

The original Pendet dance is performed by 4-5 young girls (before their puberty) in temple yards. Pendet dancers bring flowers in small Bokor (silver bowls for keeping flowers in a ceremony). They spread the flowers around the temple. This dance is a symbol of welcoming God in some ritual ceremonies in Bali. Pendet actually has simple dance movements. These movements are the basic dance movements of Balinese dance. Pendet has undergone later development with variations and now is not only performed in ritual ceremonies but also in some social events. Pendet since has been known as a welcoming dance.

Reog Ponorogo

Reog is a traditional Indonesian dance which combined traditional art dance with magical show.
There are many type of Reogs in Indonesia, but the most famous one is Reog Ponorogo.

Reog Ponorogo tells the story about the battle between King of Ponorogo Kingdom and magical lion Singa Barong.
Reog Ponorogo usually consists of 3 sets of dances and each dances is performed by several dancers.
The first dance is the opening dance and performed by all male dancers wearing black shade costums.
The second dance is the Jaran Kepang dance. It is performed by all female dancers wearing colourful costums.
The third dance is the main attraction of the show. It is performed by all the Reog dancers. The main male dancer, wearing a large and heavy lion mask, is dancing in the centre of the stage, while the other dancers dance around him.

Many people believe the Reog dance has mythical power since the dancers usually perform in trance condition.

Laksan Traditional Food Indonesia

Laksan Palembang is a typical food made from raw materials of fish and sago. Laksan made oval in shape with a sense that almost pempek, but the sauce served with coconut milk.

Sisingaan

Sisingaan is a unique arts community Sundanese (West Java) which shows a lion puppet 2-4 carried by the players while dancing. Stuffed lion on top of that normally carried a child seat to be circumcised, or a public figure. There are several versions about the origins of art that grew and developed in the West Javanese society is. The first version says that sisingaan appeared around the year 70's. It was on the bridge in West Java in TMII art show mutual sisingaan lion or the shape is still simple. And, from appearances in West Java bridge that later became known sisingaan arts community today.

The second version says that the art sisingaan circa 1840 created by the artists who come from Ciherang area, about 5 km from Kota Subang. At that time, Subang regency had become "owned" the Dutch and English with established P & T Lands. This causes like local government Subang be double, because politically dominated by the Dutch, but economically under the influence of the businessmen P & T Lands. As a result, the people of Subang become very miserable. In these circumstances, the arts sisingaan born as a form of popular resistance against the occupiers of both nations. And, to assert that sisingaan art is a form of resistance, then used two puppets lion is a symbol of the Dutch and the British state. Therefore, to this day in every game sisingaan always displayed at least two stuffed lions.

In a further development, the arts sisingaan not only spread to other areas in Subang District, but also to other districts in West Java, like Bandung Regency, Purwakarta and Sumedang. Apart from spreading to some areas, this art is also experiencing growth, both in the form of a lion puppet refinement, the arrangement of dance, costume players, as well as waditra and the songs being played.

Players
The players are generally sisingaan men joined in a group consisting of: 8 people penggotong lion puppet (1 doll carried by 4 people), a leader of the group, some waditra players, and one or two people jajangkungan (players who using wood for as long as 3-4 meters walk). These players are people who have special skills, both in dancing and playing waditra. Special skill is necessary owned by each player, because in a show of collective sisingaan needed a solid team for all dance movement that is played while carrying a stuffed lion can be in harmony with the music played by the nayaga.

Venue and Equipment Gaming
Arts sisingaan generally shown during the day with around the village during a circumcision ceremony, welcoming the great, the inauguration of the village head, the celebration of independence day and so on. The duration of a gig sisingaan usually takes a long time, depending on the area whether or not to be surrounded by homes.

Equipment used in the game sisingaan are: (1) two or four stretchers lion puppet. Stretcher frame and the head of a lion puppets are made of wood and bamboo are wrapped with cloth and given a seat on his back. Meanwhile, for the feathers in the head and tail made of yarn raffia. For the record, once a lion-shaped bier is made of wood with feathers from the rafters and the flowers are usually made in a snap in time to hold the show. So, first sisingaan not permanent, but only used once and then discarded; (2) waditra set consisting of: two large drums (percussion and drums ovarian children), a trumpet, three beats (bonangs), a kentrung (kulanter ), a small gong, and a kecrek.; and (3) fashion players consisting of: a pair shucks / pangsi, iket barangbang semplak, clothing and footwear taqwa tarumpah or salompak.

Performing Sisingaan
Sisingaan show begins with words of welcome by the group leader. After the group leader gives a speech said, then the child will be circumcised or community leaders who will be paraded welcome to climb the lion doll. Furthermore, beating accompaniment tool with songs brought the rhythmic dynamic as a sign of the beginning of the show. Then, a number of 8 players will begin to carry two lion doll (a doll carried by 4 people).

After the lion puppet penggotong ready, then the leader will start giving the cue for them to start doing the dance movements in unison and together. The doll penggotong immediately akrobatis movements are quite exciting. Dance movements are usually played by the puppet lion penggotong are: igeul ngayun glempang, plug / horse-riding, mincid, padungdung, gugulingan, bangkaret, put up, kicking two, step back, kael, ewag, jeblang, Jakarta, Solor , sesenggehan, genying, turn taktak, nanggeuy lions, lift jungjung, ngolecer, symbol, pasagi tilu, literacy cau, nincak rancatan, and kakapalan.

Meanwhile, the songs played by kawih interpreters to accompany the dances are usually drawn from the arts Tilu Tap, Doger, and Kliningan, such as: drought, Song, Titipatipa, Gondang, Kasreng, Gurudugan, Mapay Roko, Kembang prasina, Kangsring, Kembang Beureum, Fruit Kawung, Gondang, Tenggong Petit, Sesenggehan, Badudud, Tunggul Kawing, Side battered, Sireum Beureum, and the song Interlude (Siyur, Tepang Sono, Awet Rajet, Salira Fiber, Honey and Poison, Mr. Wonderful, Goyang Dombret, etc. Warudoyong ).

The show is performed while sisingaan around the village or the village, until finally returning to its place. And, with the dancers arriving in their place, then the show was over.

Cultural Values
Art as an expression of the human soul is certainly contain aesthetic values, including traditional arts sisingaan that ditumbuh developed by the community Ciherang, Subang regency. However, if examined in depth sisingaan contains not only the aesthetic value alone, but there are other values that in turn can be used as a reference in daily life for the community supporters. These values include cooperation, cohesiveness, order, dam persistence. The value of cooperation seen from the togetherness in preserving the cultural heritage of his predecessors. Cohesiveness and order value is reflected in a performance that can run smoothly. Value of hard work and persistence is reflected in the mastery of dance movements.

Calung

Calung is a Sundanese musical instrument is a prototype of the angklung. Unlike the angklung played by shaken, how to beat calung is mepukul stem (wilahan, bar) of segments (bamboo tube), composed by titi barrel (scales) pentatonic (da-mi-na-ti-la) . Types of bamboo for making most of awi calung wulung (black bamboo), but some are made from awi temen (white bamboo).

Understanding calung than as a musical instrument is also attached with the term performance art. There are two forms of Sundanese calung known, namely calung calung chain and portable.

Calung chain
Calung dideretkan tube bar chain with a leather strap hibiscus (lulub) from the largest to the smallest, in number 7 wilahan (bamboo 7) or more. Composition of the instrument there is a row and there is also a two-row (calung ovarian and calung child / calung rincik). How to play the chain calung hit with both hands as he sat bersilah, usually calung is tied to a tree or a cubicle house (calung Banjaran chain-Bandung), have also made shelf "cradle" of special bamboo / wood, for example in Cibalong tarawangsa calung and Cipatujah , Tasikmalaya, calung chain in Banjaran and Baduy / Baduy.

Calung Jingjing
The carry-shaped rows calung pitched bamboo held together with a small piece of bamboo (paniir). Calung tote of four or five fruits, such as calung kingking (consisting of 12 bamboo tubes), calung panepas (5 / 3 and 2 bamboo tubes), calung jongjrong (5 / 3 and 2 bamboo tubes), and calung barking (2 tubes bamboo). Calung completeness in its development today there are only using one kingking calung, and panempas calung two barking one, without using jongjrong calung hit with a way to play it using the right hand bat, and his left hand carrying / holding the instrument. While other inter menabuhnya techniques dimelodi, dikeleter, dikemprang, dikempyung, diraeh, dirincik, dirangkep (diracek), salancar, corkscrew and solorok.

Jaipong Dance

In 1961, Indonesian President Sukarno prohibited rock and roll and other western genres of music, and challenged Indonesian musicians to revive the indigenous arts. Gugum Gumbira took up the challenge, and studied rural dance and festival music for twelve years. Jaipongan, or Jaipong, was the most popular result of his study, derived from the updating of a village ritual music called ketuk tilu, with moves from Pencak Silat, the Indonesian martial art, and music from the masked theater dance, Topeng Banjet, and the Wayang Golek puppet theater.

In the original ketuk tilu, the group typically consists of the ketuk tilu pot-gong, other small gongs, a rebab (spike fiddle), barrel drums, and a female singer-dancer (ronggeng) who is often also a prostitute, who invites men to dance with her sensually. Gugum expanded the drum section as part of an urban gamelan orchestra, sped up the music, redefined the singer as just a singer (sinden), and came up with the catchy onomatopoeic name. Many listeners consider the music very complex, with the dynamic rhythm liable to change seemingly randomly.

Jaipongan debuted in 1974 when Pak Gugum and his gamelan and dancers first performed in public. Sporadic government attempts to suppress it due to its perceived immorality (it inherited some of the sensuality of ketuk tilu) just made it more popular. It survived even after the official Indonesian ban on foreign pop music was lifted after a few years, and became a craze in the 1980s. Since the mid-1980s Jaipongan’s importance as a social dance has waned, but it remained popular as a stage dance, performed by women, mixed couples or as a solo.

The most widely available album of Jaipongan outside Indonesia is "Tonggeret", featuring singer Idjah Hadidjah and Gugum Gumbira's Jugala orchestra, released in 1987, and re-released as part of "WestJava: Sundanese Jaipong and other Popular Music", by Nonesuch Records under their Explorer Series label.

Indonesia Traditional Music Instruments (Gambang Kromong)

Kromong a xylophone in the capture of the two instruments perkusi, the xylophone and kromong. Bilahan Gambang, amounting to 18 pieces, usually made of wood suangking, hurly stone or other types of wood soft sound when beaten. Kromong usually made of bronze or iron, was 10 units (ten pencon).

Gambang Kromong orchestra is a harmonious blend of elements with elements of indigenous Chinese. Physical elements appear in the Chinese strings Tehyan namely, Kongahyan and Sukong, while the other musical instrument xylophone, kromong, drum, gong is kecrek and indigenous elements.

Blend the two elements of culture are also visible in the track-perbendarahaan songs.
In addition to songs that shows the nature of indigenous as Jali-jali, Surilang, Persi, Balo-balo, swing-swing Kangkung, Onde-onde, Gelatik Ngunguk and so forth, there are also songs that clearly have the character of Chinese, the name of the song, flow such as melody and lyric Kong Jilok, Sipatmo, ASN Pantaw, Citnosa, Macuntay, Gutaypan and so forth.

Bika Ambon - Indonesia Food Tradisional

Bika Ambon cake is a kind of light that comes from Medan, North Sumatra. Made of basic materials such as coconut milk, sugar and eggs. In general, the Bika Ambon with pandan taste, although there are also other taste-taste like chocolate, cheese, and durian.

Initially, Bika Ambon historical existence is not known. Although there is the word "South", Bika Ambon was better known as by-City by special Medan. Here, there are at least 40 shops that sell this cake.

Being concerned for you as buyers, because the food is, can only survive in the best condition for about 4 days. Then, after the cake is usually started crust. This will reduce the sense of taste.

Perhaps, this food is estimated attendance over the two versions. The first is the first trader to trade the South to Malaysia, but this does not Bika Ambon behavior and finally to the City of Medan Hijrah. In fact, the food is light, people get Enthusiastic about Singapore's own. Because the next version of the food Pandanus this, the initial sales in Jl. Ambon, Medan. So that local people as DUB Bika Ambon Cake.

Bika Ambon already becomes a kind of trade mark and identical food as a typical city of Medan. Can even spelled Bika Ambon is a typical food as the most popular gift for family or friends who will visit outside Medan. Blend with Pandanus fragrant and sweet taste of cheese and dressing to make this cake is very tasty on the tongue.

Lembah Baliem Suku Asmat - Dani

Located in the district of Jayawijaya hinterland with its capital of Papua Wamena, located in a beautiful valley with the name Baliem spread throughout the valley 80 km from The Edge to edge with a width of less than 20 km, Surrounded by mountains and forests, lie down like a garden, mountain and curvature honai, traditional house is almost entirely isolated from the world but can still reach the plane in the water for about 40 minutes from the Sentani Airport.

Native of the Dani Tribe Baliem valley is renowned as a Skilled farmers using the stone ax, scraper tool, a knife made of animal bone, bamboo or wooden stick and a Spear cut. After the founding of the Dutch town of Wamena the Catholicity and enter this developing area.
Contact means of the City of Wamena District to Other Districts and transportation is via air. Some of the city districts in this region can be linked to the road with motor vehicles using two and four wheels.

Called "Dani" for groups of people who inhabit Baliem Valley is actually given by the United States and the Netherlands for Moni people who lived in high Paniai (Moni: foreigners). Moni said further changes to this ndani for those living in Baliem. Baliem valley residents call themselves their own "nut akuni pallimeke" (from our Baliem).

Dense forests in the mountains Jayawijaya is "home" Dani Tribe.

They live from hunting and results of forest rivers around their village. Jungle and the heterogeneous nature Baliem Dani men formed to be a "soldier-soldier" respite. They are the experts "forestry" is brave in maintaining the "house" them from the foreign interference. Violation zone rules and customs by the foreign soldiers will be faced-soldier Dani, to enable the occurrence of war (wim abiyokoi). However they also know the peace (gualim kong) as the settlement of disputes.

In addition to utilizing the forest, soil fertility Baliem valley potential for processed information. For that is the Dani Tribe of forest into a farm-field agriculture.

Clearing a field and the defense is the task of security men Dani. While Planting and maintenance of the plant, which requires more sensitivity to the feelings of a natural task of women. This division of tasks has occurred in their settlements. The task of opening a forest settlement, to build, and maintain peace is the task of men. Maintain residential, including "grow-development" next generation is the task of women. This is the concept in "conquering" Baliem wildlife.

Batik Mega Mendung Cirebon

Be that in the history of Sunan Gunung Jati teaching of Islam that developed in the area of Cirebon married with a daughter named China Tie Ong. His wife is very attention put on the field of art, especially Ceramics. Motives that brought on the Ceramics of the Chinese nation is ultimately affect motives batik going to blend between Cirebon-Chinese culture.


One of the most famous motif of the Cirebon batik is cloudy or Mega-Awan awanan. At this motif can be seen both in the form of color and style Chinese tastes.
Overcast cloud motif symbolizes the bearer of rain in the later-natikan as fertility, and its life. This motif is dominated by blue, light blue dark blue hingg began. Color dark blue depicts the dark clouds that contain rain water, our Livelihood, while the light blue color symbolizes the bright of life.