Sisingaan (Traditional Art)

Sisingaan
Subang Regency Arts Society

Sisingaan is a type of art or traditional performing arts of the people who made the procession in the form of a Bulk. The show usually displayed at the ceremony khitanan or special occasions such as welcoming guests, entertainment, dedication, Anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Indonesia and other large activities.

In his art sisingaan there are elements such as art and dance, sports (Pencak Silat and Jaipongan), karawitan art, literature and art and clothing. All these elements together form a cohesive and a dance and song and added the movement that formed a stuntman formation as standen.

Equipment used in the performance of each; stretcher sisingaan, horn, percussion, kempul, and kecrek goong. Clothing PLAYERS sundanese using traditional clothing such as shorts shucks, headgear, belt, clothes shucks sisingaan rider usually children who are in circumcision

The etimologis, sisingaan comes from the word "lion", that is a form of go-cart that looks like a lion body. Why should the form of a lion? It seems that the animal lion symbolizes courage, strength and courage.
According to art experts note (artists), art sisingaan first appeared in 1957 in the village Ciherang about 5 km south of Subang. And to develop regional Cigadung and other areas around the City Subang. Figures that are popularize Ki demang Ama Bintang, Ki Rumsi, Jani Mama Narasoma lurah, dan Ki Alhawi.

Until now, the arts sisingaan has been developing rapidly and have recorded about 200 group with the number of the artists 2695. Development is not only in the Subang area but has grown in the area of Sumedang and Bandung regency.

Because of that development, to preserve this art Subang regency government always holds festivals regularly and to promote national and provincial level, especially among the Government and the business world.

Show

The show Sisingaan basically started with a dynamic accompaniment. Then followed by a game Sisingaan by sisingaan dancers, through movement, among others: Preparation, Bangkaret, Masang / ancang-ancang, Gugulingan, Sepak dua), mundur, Kael, Mincid, Ewag, Jeblag, taktak, Gendong Singa, singa , Angkat jungjung, Ngolecer, Lambang, Pasagi Tilu, Melak cau, Nincak rancatan, dan Kakapalan (term used in the arts Sisingaan. In Sunda). Art as a direct, Sisingaan moving continuously beset village, town or street. Until finally back to where they are. In the development, train more dynamic music, and music delivered Genjring Bonyok and also Tardug.

Serving
The pattern continued Sisingaan include:

1. Tatalu (Music played during the show started) tetabuhan or keringan
2. Kidung or Kembang gadung (Sunda song)
3. Tari (Ibingan) among solor, Gondang, ewang (kangsreng), catrik, and others
4. Attraction or demonstration, usually called the attraction kamonesan in performance Sisingaan originally inspired by the attraction Ayem Adem (genjring Acrobatic) and Liong (Barongsai) (Art traditional indonesian other)
5. Closing performance with music keringan.

Music suite.

Music Sisingaan escort initially quite simple, such as: Kendang Induk (2 pieces), Kulanter, Bonang (percussion), Tarompet, goong, Kempul, Kecrek.(Traditional music) play music and equipment tied to the body. In its development now use it (Sinden) with songs (both vocal and intrumental), among others: Keringan song, ballad song, song Titipatipa, Gondang song, song Kasreng, Selingan song (Siyur, Tepang Sono, durable rajet, Fiber salira , Honey and poisons, Pria Idaman, Goyang Dombret, Warudoyong etc.), Gurudugan song, song or Mapay Roko Mars-an (as a cover song). The song is a song in Sisingaan taken from the repertoire of Ketuk Tilu, Doger and Kliningan.(sunda traditional song )

The meaning in the song. (traditional songs western Java).

There is some significance in the performing arts Sisingaan, including:

• The meaning of social, Subang people believe that the very soul of the people involved in them, such as egalitarian, spontaneity, and have a sense of each type of folk art that appears.

• Meaning teatrikal, seen from the appearance of adult Sisingaan no doubt this is teatrikal, especially after the added variety, such as jajangkungan and others.

• The meaning of a commercial, because Sisingaan able to improve their welfare, then the emergence of a number of enthusiasm and even tens of hundreds of different groups Sisingaan village to participate in the festival, this represents an opportunity, because the winner will get the business opportunities that arouse, as well as art bajidoran.

• The meaning of universal, in each of the ethnic peoples are often owned and worship of animals Lion (Lion) (especially Europe and Africa), although in West Java there is no habitat for animal lion, but with the concept Civilitation, may not appear in the lion habitat, and received as own, as evidenced in the Sisingaan.

• Spiritual Meaning, trusted by the community for environmental safety / (salametan) or syukuran (Pray to God)

Borobudur, Central Java, Indonesia

The first photograph of Borobudur in 1873. Appeared on the Dutch flag the main stupa of the temple.

One of the carvings on the walls Karmawibhangga Borobudur temple (the southeast corner of the floor 0)

Restoration of the monument Borobudur temple with the help of UNESCO

Borobudur is the name of a Buddhist temple located at Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java. Location of the temple is approximately 100 km in the south-west of Semarang and 40 km northwest of Yogyakarta. This temple was founded by the Mahayana Buddhists around the year 800 AD the dynasty during the reign of Sailendra.

The name of Borobudur
Many theories attempt to explain the name of this temple. One of them states that the name is probably derived from the word Sambharabhudhara, which means "mountain" (bhudara) where the slopes are located terraces. In addition there are some other popular etymology. Suppose borobudur word comes from the word "the Buddha" is due to shift into borobudur sound. Another explanation is that the name comes from two words "coal" and "beduhur". Said coal said to have originated from the monastery, while there is also another explanation in which the coal comes from Sanskrit which means temple or monastery complex and beduhur meaning is "high", or to remind the Balinese language means "above". So the intention is a monastery or hostel located in the high ground.

Historians J.G. de Casparis in his dissertation to obtain his doctorate in 1950 argued that Borobudur is a place of worship. Based on the inscriptions and Kahulunan Karangtengah, Casparis estimates, founder of the Borobudur is the king of the dynasty named Samaratungga Syailendra around 824 AD The giant new buildings can be completed at the time of her daughter, Queen Pramudawardhani. Development of Borobudur estimated half-century time-consuming.

Borobudur Structure
Borobudur berundak punden shape, which consists of six levels of a square, three-level circular and a circular main stupa as a peak. Also scattered in all levels-the levels several stupas.

Borobudur is a ten-story clearly illustrates the Mahayana school of philosophy. like a book, Borobudur describes ten Bodhisattva levels which must pass to reach the perfection of the Buddha.

The foot of Borobudur represents Kamadhatu, the world is still dominated by kama, or "low desire". This section is mostly covered by a pile of stone that allegedly made to strengthen the construction of the temple. In the closed structures have an additional 120 panels Kammawibhangga story. A small portion was set aside additional structure so that people can still see the relief in this section.

Four floors with walls above berelief by the experts called Rupadhatu. The floor is rectangular. Rupadhatu the world who have set themselves free from lust, but is still bound by the appearance and shape. This level represents the nature of that is, between nature and the natural bottom up. In part this Rupadhatu Buddha statues found on the wall niches above ballustrade or hallway.

Start fifth to the seventh floor of the walls not berelief. This level is called Arupadhatu (which means no tangible form or not). Circular floor plan. This level represents the nature of, where people are free from all desires and the bond forms and shapes, but have not reached nirvana. Buddha statues are placed in the stupa covered with holes as in a cage. From outside the statues were still dim.

Which describes the highest level being represented by the absence of a stupa, the largest and highest. Stupa described plain without the holes. Within this the largest stupa, believed there was a statue Adibuddha representations. The statue is thought to have come from the largest stupa is now placed in an archeological museum, a few hundred meters from the Borobudur temple. This statue is known as the Buddha unfinished.

In the past, several statues of Buddha along with the 30 stone reliefs, two lions, a few times-shaped stone, stairs and gates are sent to the King of Thailand, Chulalongkorn, who visited the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) in 1896 as a gift from the Dutch Government as that.

Borobudur has no worship spaces like the other temples. That there are long passages that are narrow streets. The hallways surrounding the walled temple level by level. In these corridors is expected Buddhist ritual walk around the temple to the right. The shape of the building without room and terraced structure is alleged is the development of berundak punden form, which is a form of original architecture from prehistoric Indonesia.

Borobudur structure when viewed from above form a mandala structure.

Borobudur structure does not use cement at all, but the Interlock system is like Lego blocks that can be attached without glue.

Relief
At every level carved reliefs on temple walls. These reliefs read as counter-clockwise or called mapradaksina in Old Javanese language derived from Sanskrit meaning is daksina east. These reliefs variety of story content, among other reliefs there about the epic Ramayana. There are also reliefs Jataka stories.

Reading of the stories are always the starting relief, and ends on the east side of the gate on each level, starting on the left and ends on the right of the gate. So obviously that the east is the ladder up the real (main) and to the top of the temple, it means that the temple facing the east while the other sides of similar right.

The composition and distribution of relief story ledge on the wall and the temple, are as follows:
Relief Chart
Level position / location Relief Story Number Frames
----- Original foot temple Karmawibhangga 160 frames
Level I - walls a. 120 frames Latitawistara
------- - ----- B. Jataka / awadana 120 frames
------- - Ledge a. Jataka / awadana 372 frames
------- - ----- B. Jataka / awadana 128 frames
Level II - wall frame Gandawyuha 128
-------- - Ledge Jataka / awadana 100 frames
Level III - 88 frames Gandawyuha wall
-------- - 88 frames Gandawyuha ledge
Level IV - 84 frames Gandawyuha wall
-------- - 72 frames Gandawyuha ledge
1460 -------- -------- Number of frames

In sequence, the story of the temple reliefs in ringkat significantly as follows:

Karmawibhangga
One of the carvings on the walls Karmawibhangga Borobudur temple (the southeast corner of the floor 0) In accordance with the symbolic meaning of the foot of the temple, reliefs that decorated the walls of these hidden shelf, described the law of karma. Rows of relief is not a story series (series), but in each frame describes a story that has a causal correlation. Relief is not only give you an idea of human moral turpitude accompanied by penalties that will get, but also the human good deeds and reward. As a whole is a depiction of human life in the circle of birth - life - death (samsara) that never ends, and by the Buddhist tersebutlah chain which will be ended to to perfection.

Lalitawistara
History is a depiction of the Buddha in a row of relief (but not a complete history) which starts from the Buddha's descent from heaven Tusita, and ends with the first sermon in the Deer Park near the city of Banaras. These reliefs lined the stairs on the south side, after a row exceeded the relief of 27 frames starting from the east side of the stairs. 27 frame to describe the activity, both in heaven and on earth, in preparation to welcome the presence of the last incarnation as the candidate of the Bodhisattvas are Buddhist. Reliefs depicts the birth of the Buddha in this arcapada as Prince Siddhartha, son of the King and Queen Maya Suddhodana of State Kapilavastu. Relief amount to 120 frames, which ended with the first discourse, which is symbolically expressed as play Wheel of Dharma, the Buddha's teaching is called dharma also means "law", while represented as a wheel of dharma.

Jataka and Awadana
Jataka tales are stories of the Buddha before he was born as Prince Siddharta. Protrusion of the contents is the subject of good works, which distinguishes the Bodhisattvas from any other creature. Indeed, the collection service / good deed is the preparation stage in an attempt to keringkat the buddha's.

Awadana while basically similar to the Jataka but the culprit is not the Bodhisattvas, but other people and the stories collected in the book which means Diwyawadana sainthood noble deeds, and the book of a hundred stories Awadanasataka or Awadana. In the reliefs of Borobudur temple and awadana Jataka, treated the same, meaning they are in the same row without a distinguishable. The set of the most famous of the life of the Bodhisattvas is Jatakamala or strands Jataka stories, Aryasura and poet who lived in the 4th century AD.

Gandawyuha
Is a row of reliefs decorate the walls of the hall to the 2, is the story of a wandering Sudhana tirelessly in his quest for knowledge about the Supreme Truth by Sudhana True. Description of the frame 460 based on Mahayana Buddhist scripture entitled Gandawyuha, and for the lid on the story of another Bhadracari.

Stages of development of Borobudur
The first stage
Construction period is not known certainly Borobudur (estimated between 750 and 850 AD). Initially built-storey apartment layout. It seems designed as a pyramid berundak. but later changed. As evidence of stacking order dismantled.

The second stage
Borobudur foundation widened, plus two square steps and one step directly circle given a large parent stupas.

Third stage
Steps up the circle with a large main stupa dismantled and removed and replaced by three railroad circles. Stupas built on top of these steps with a large stupa in the middle.

Stage four
There are small changes like making relief changes and curved stairs above the door.

Overview of time the process of restoration of Borobudur Temple
The first photograph of Borobudur in 1873. Flag of the Netherlands looked at the main stupa candi.1814 - Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, Governor-General of the United Kingdom in Java, heard of the discovery of archaeological objects in the village of Borobudur. Raffles ordered H.C. Cornelius to investigate the discovery site, a hill covered with shrubs.
1873 - The first monograph published about the temple.
1900 - Dutch East Indies government established a committee of the restoration and maintenance of Borobudur temple.
1907 - Theodoor van Erp led the restoration until 1911.
1926 - Borobudur restored again, but stopped in 1940 due to malaise and the crisis of World War II.
1956 - Indonesian government requested the assistance of UNESCO. Prof. Dr. C. Coremans came to Indonesia from Belgium to investigate the causes of damage to Borobudur.
1963 - Indonesian government issued a decree to restore Borobudur, but the mess after the event G-30-S.
1968 - at the conference-15 in France, UNESCO agreed to provide assistance to rescue Borobudur.
1971 - Indonesian government established a body chaired by the restoration of Borobudur Prof.Ir.Roosseno.

Restoration of the monument Borobudur temple with the help of UNESCO1972 - International Consultative Committee was formed with the involvement of various countries and Roosseno as chairman. UNESCO-sponsored committees provide 5 million U.S. dollars from the cost of 7750 million dollar restoration of the United States. The rest covered Indonesia.
August 10, 1973 - President Soeharto inaugurated the start of the restoration of Borobudur; restoration was completed in 1984
January 21, 1985 - bomb attacks that destroyed some of the stupa at Borobudur Temple, it was soon restored. The attack carried out by an extreme Islamic group led by Habib Husein Ali Alhabsyi.
1991 - Borobudur designated as a UNESCO World Heritage.

Batik its process of making

Batik terms came from Javanese words “amba (to write) nitik (dot)” – that was then and now is read as batik. It describes the process of how to paint point by point on fabric (normally made of pure cotton, polyester rayon or pure silk) using special liquid called ‘malam’ or wax-resist dyeing. Materials such as rice paste are also employed to prevent the dye from penetrating the covered areas of the fabric, thus creating a pattern in negative – by using canting (a wax writing instrument – a small, thin-walled, spouted, copper vessel which resembles the bowl of a pipe) to apply hot wax by hand.

The process continues by adding additional wax to embellish the design or preserve areas in the color of the initial dye bath. The cloth is then dipped in a second dye bath. This process is repeated a number of times depending on the number of dyes involved. Producing a high quality of batik fabric is time consuming, complicated and requires a high degree of skill. The longer the process, the more expensive the price of batik is.


Historical

Some said batik originated from Majapahit kingdom era and it was for the king family’s fashion and then continued to the Mataram Sultanate era in Central Java. Therefore, places like Jogjakarta, Solo, Pekalongan, Rembang, Semarang, Tegal in Central Java are famous of batik production.
Javanese traditional batik, especially from Jogjakarta and Solo, has special meanings refers to the Javanese conceptualization of the universe. Traditional colors of indigo, dark brown and white represent the three major Hindu Gods (Brahma, Visnu and Siva). This is related to the fact that natural dyes are only available in indigo and brown.
Batik then widely spreads to other areas such West Java such Cirebon, Garut, Ciamis, Tasikmalaya, and also East Java such Madura, Ponorogo, Sidoarjo. However, batik then becomes public fashion, some areas in Indonesia also produce their own unique patterns of batik.

Batik origins that quite famous

Batik Jogjakarta

Jogjakarta is known as the heart of the batik art. Some patterns are symbols that related to Hindu-Javanese culture. The uniqueness of motifs comes from a number of large geometric designs. Each motif has a meaning and can only be worn in the special occasion based on the meaning of batik’s motifs.

Batik Solo

Also known as Batik Surakarta. Pretty much like batik Jogjakarta, some motifs are also influenced from the Hindu-Javanese culture. Every pattern drawn has their own meaning, such wider stripes or wavy lines of grater width indicated higher rank and nobility.

Batik Lasem

Lasem is located in Rembang, which lots of home industries produce batik can be found. Batik from Lasem mostly comes in two natural colors. The red one is very unique because the color is produced by ‘manggis’ fruit. The motifs usually dominated by animals such variant of birds.

Batik Pekalongan

Famous of so called batik pesisir, literally means coastal batik. Batik pesisir pekalongan is quite famous with the Dutch motifs and Chinese motifs, with soft gradation in color.

Batik Madura

People classify batik Madura as seashore batik, and characterized by motifs most about life and environments, such birds, butterfly and flowers, with hints of Chinese art. The colors are bold and clear represented the battle of Madura’s people to reject domination of King fro Java in the year of thousand and six hundreds. The color is also represented the attitude of consistency.

Batik Cirebon

Historically, Cirebon has two kingdoms, Kasepuhan and Kanoman Kingdom, and based on those two kingdoms with a touch of Chinese culture, influenced most of batik Cirebon motifs. The characteristics of batik Cirebon are the base color is lighter than the line from the major design, most decorated it with special cloud motif called mega, and use single thin line with strong color.

Kepala syarat muna La Ode Pandu 1947

Sumber : Pusat Dokumentasi Kerajaan2 di Indonesia ‘PUSAKA’ Van Bleiswijkstraat 52c 3135 AM VLAARDINGEN Nederland

SOUTH KALIMANTAN CULTURAL ART (1)

Barito river

The History Background
The owners of the culture art of South Kalimantan are the Banjar tribes who give dominant styles to the culture and art of that area. The Dayaks, Malays, Javanese, Buginese and some others have also contribution in the forming of South Kalimantan art and culture. The Banjars are actually the mixture of the Maayan, Lawangan, Bukit and Ngaju tribes who are influenced by the Malayan and Javanese culture. It is said that the Malays had migrated to this area before the 6th century. Later, together with the Dayak, they formed a new tribe which was first known as the Banjar tribe.

The migration of the Javanese happened in the 13th century. They were mostly from East Java. The migration was probably caused by the political chaos in Java.

The settlers, who were the Malays or the Javanese, had to use rivers like the Barito, the Negara, the Martapura, the Tabalong, etc., for the means of transportation.

Floating Market in South Kalimantan.
Transportation is available on land or on water by riverboats. Vendors move from one place to another by rowing their canoes.

The Dayak had settled there along the rivers for long time. And so the mixture of these groups of people were inevitable. In forming the new groups, the Banjars were dominant.

Dayak Woman

The migration had continued. During the Sriwijaya era, the Malays came and during the Majapahit era, the Javanese did. And then came the Islamic culture which was brought by the Malays, the Banjars and the Javanese. The Islamic influences entered through the rivers of Barito, the Martapura, the Negara up to the smaller ones like the Tapin, the Amandit, the Tabalong, the Balangan, etc.

In the 16th century, the Buginese and the Mandars arrived at south east Kalimantan. The mixture (mingle) of the Dayak, the Malays and the Javanese formed a new language that is known as the Banjar language. In this language, the Malay structure and vocabulary are more dominant than the Javanese or other languages. When Islam was adopted by the Banjars, as a mixture of tribes, could easily adopt foreign influences, including the Islamic religion. And later, their descendants and Islam had great contributions to strengthen this tribe. The native or the Dayak who believe in Islam, call themselves “the Banjar”, but those who believe in the “Kaharingan” and those who are Christian call themselves the Dayak.

Since the Banjars are a mixture of tribes, their cultural and art is also a kind of synthesis. But later, their culture and art had become characteristically “Banjar”, which constitute one form of culture and art among the so many forms in Indonesia.

The Malay influences are not only on the language, but also on the culture and art. The Banjar headdresses are also similar to those of the Malayan ones. The formal dresses (clothes) for men (the “baju palimbangan”) are also similar to those worm by the Malayan (the “baju Teluk Belanga”).

Their dances are also influenced by the Malays. The “Japen” dance or the “Japin” is one of the dances that still exists in South Kalimantan in the settlements of the Banjars as well as the Malays ones. The theatrical art also gets some influences from the Malays society. Many years ago, Royal theatre was also found in the Malays settlements. The influences can still be found in the “Mamanda” theatre which is still popular up to now.

There are also Javanese influences in their language as well as their culture; mainly in the theatre and visual art (fine art).

At the theatrical art, such as the leather puppets (wayang kulit) there are two kinds of art, the theatrical and the fine art. The language they use is the mixture of Javanese and Banjar languages. The conditions in the “Wayang Orang” and “Damarulan” are the same. In Java, they are known as “Wayang Wong” and “Damarwulan”. Beside Wayang Orang, there is also “Wayang Gung” there. It is like wayang orang but there are some differences in the headdresses and the stories they perform.

The Javanese influences in the fine art also very cleat; especially in the making of leather puppets that have Hindu or Buddhist ornaments. The gamelan instruments they use are also similar to those of Java; they have the same name and forms.

If we study the whole culture of South Kalimantan, we’ll find that the local culture is influenced by other culture. They are as follows:
1. The local culture that is influenced by the Javanese one.
2. The local culture that is influenced by the Malays one.
3. The local culture that is influenced by the Dayak one.
4. The Dayak culture itself.

The Dayak culture originated from the old times when animism and dynamism had great influences.

SOUTH KALIMANTAN CULTURAL ART (2)

The Function and Social Role in the Society

Beside its artistic aspects, the South Kalimantan culture and art also have their functions as well as their social role. The Dayak statues, for example, which are erected outside their villages, have a magical function to guard their villages against bad spirits.

Air Guci

The “dinding air guci” (the painted screen) is made of a piece of white cloth embroidered with “air guci” or rembuci motif. The embroidery has become a standard for this kind of screen and other embroideries function only as ornaments. This standard embroideries symbolizes happiness and fertility. It is in the form of big water-jug with thick foliage and roots that come out from the mouth of the jug. This motif symbolizes magical meaning that expresses vitality that can make a man happy and that can silent the other people that live in the long house outside the screen.

The use of “air guci” screen is to provide a separate room for a newly married couple. The mosquito screen of the bed is doubted with this screen with a hope that this couple will be happy and will have many children. A lot of children is the classical hope of our older generation. With the “air guci” screen the couple is separated from the rest of the others who live in the long house that is without inside wall or dividers. The coupe live in their own world. The traditional and the social life of the people in the long house are not disturbed by the screened room of the couple.

In South Kalimantan, there is still another important thing; that is called the dragon head (Kepala naga). It has magical functions for the big family (clan) who owns them. They could treat them carefully with respect. They should cover them with yellow cloth and scatter some flowers around them and also put some eggs for their food at certain intervals. Big families (clan) usually have two kinds of naga heads; they are is Rintik and si Ribut. The two naga head also function as a means of transportation for the bride and bridegroom during the procession around the village. The descendants of the owners of the naga heads should treat them as best as they can; otherwise, the naga heads, they believe, will make one of the members sick. If they treat them correctly, the sickness will go away.

Another function of the naga heads is to identify the far away kinds that have not been known yet. Supposing for example, a member of a family is sick of an unnatural sickness, the family will search or try to find out where the naga heads of the clan are. By so doing, they will know their position in the big family tree. It also happens when a family wants to celebrate a marriage, they need naga heads to complete the ceremony or the procession. The presence of the relatives who belong to the naga heads can strengthen their relationship.

From the above mentioned description, we can make conclusion that the culture and art of this area have two sides; as magical things and as products of art themselves.

SOUTH KALIMANTAN CULTURAL ART (3)

Study of its Traditional Arts

South Kalimantan is rich enough in its traditional art. They are the two dimensional art and the three dimensional. The two dimensional products of art include the weaving, painting on glass, ornaments, calligraphy and wooden craft. The three dimensional ones include architecture and statues. The raw material for weaving is rattan, bamboo and purun (stalks of certain grass). Weaving has prospered well in this area. Rattan weaving has become rattan craft and its products are: all kinds of rattan bags for various purposes, various kinds of hats, etc. Handbags for women are made with special designs that are very beautiful; the ornaments are also artistic. There are two types of ornaments; the traditional and the modern.

Weaving crafts

The products of bamboo craft are in the form of woven bamboo baskets (bakul). The ornaments are traditional, which are inherited from their ancestors. The motifs of the ornaments are usually spiral like, geometric, “tumpal”, etc.

“Purun” is the raw material for making floor mat by weaving, wide floor mat for sitting, for mattress layer, and small size mat for praying. The wide floor mats usually use regular geometrical motifs. Diagonal lines divide the mat into oblongs (rectangles), squares, parallelogram and kite-like form. They use re, green, blue and the natural colour of the purun itself. Mats for praying are rich in motifts and styles of weaving. If they use the natural colour of the purun itself, they will use certain method of weaving to expose the texture of the mats which are like products of modern art.

The multi-colour weaving show us the traditional products of the mat-weaving. But nowadays, there are some products of weaving that we call them optical art, even though the makers themselves haven’s known what optical art is.

Glass painting has become rare and most of them are the products of fifty years ago. They usually painted the buroq, Adam, Eve and the apple, mosques, calligraphy, etc.

There are also many kinds of ornaments, in the form of “the tree of life” and those that are applied for cupboards, beds and other furniture.

There are many kinds of motifs to be used, they are: the tree of life, double spirals, swastika, tumpal, clover leaf, geometrical, stars, flora and fauna, calligraphy, arabesque and turik.

Carving can be found in wood products and brass. Wood carving is used for furniture, parts of houses, certain parts of boats, wooden part of mosques, pulpits, wooden parts above the doors, wooden parts of tombstones, the roofs above tombstones. Brass carving (engraving) as craft can be found in: brass tray (bowl), abun, deep metal bowl for betel chewing, metal save to keep money, kettles, buckets, boxes to keep souvenirs, miniature guns, etc. Unfortunately, they are rarely made now, except those carving for cupboards, beds, and some other furniture.

Calligraphy sometimes stands alone as calligraphy, but some others are parts of certain ornaments. This calligraphy is written in Arabic alphabets in different form of the words depending on the needs, whether they are used to complete ornaments or stand for calligraphy themselves. Calligraphy is placed in respected place in the house. It is placed above the doors, on tops of dividers, on the pulpits in the mosque, on “liwan” and hung on the wall. Calligraphy is also used on brass products such as souvenir box, etc. They use carving or engraving method and sometimes etching method.

The three dimensional products of art are the architecture and statues. The traditional houses include the highroof houses, the palimasan, palimbangan, gajah baligu, joglo houses, Balai Bini, Balai Laki. These are only as monuments because new houses with the same types are not built any longer. The old ones were built about fifty years ago. The traditional mosques have overlapping roofs (double roofs) with domes on top of them. There are only a few mosques with this type of roofs. They are Syu’ada Mosque at Wasah (at the upstream of Sungai Selatan), Sungai Batang Mosque at Banjar area. People have changed he roofs of some double-roof-mosques with curved-roof-types like those mosques in North Africa or roofs of Byzantium types. They only changed the top roof of the mosques.

Dayak Statue - Borneo

There are no statues in the Banjar culture because the Banjar are the followers of Islam. Statues are only made by the Dayaks who are still the followers of Kaharingan.
Statues are made very simple but they are magical. The material for making these statues is the “ulin wood” that stands well against heat and rain. The black colour of the wood supports the magical purposes of the Dayak statues. These statues are erected just outside the Dayak villages as their protectors. They are also erected near the grave yards as guards. Statues for profane purposes are not made by the Dayaks.

SOUTH SUMATERA CULTURAL ART

The Ampera Brigde in the evening.

It spreads above Musi River, Palembang (South Sumatera)

Cultural Background
The South Sumatera Province encloses the inlands in the west and south parts which consist of hilly upland plains, while the north and east parts are swampy lowland plains and coast areas. Opposite the shore are the islands Bangka and Belitung.

The natives of South Sumatera consists of several tribes having there own dialects as the Komering, the Ogas, the Pasemah, the Musi, the palembang, the Lamatang, the bangka, the Belitung, the Sekak and other dialects.

Means of existence of the people aremainly trade and fishing. Nowadays there are also labourersartisans and government officials among them.

The geography of South Sumatera contributes to the shaping of a cultural type, which reveals not only local patterns, but also foreign elements as the result of acculturation.

The early development of culture in South Sumatera started from prehistory. Megalitic cultural heritage in several districts of South Sumatra shows high level culture, leaving monuments and stone objects, beside stone sculptures of different style compared toother magilitic stone figures at Java and Sulawesi.

Si Pahit Lidah's foot printed on the stone

As the case in other regions, the presence of stone figures is always associated to folklores. So is the “Si Pahit Lidah” (The Bitter Tongued”) legend known among the people of South Sumatera, telling the story of stone figures as the curse of “Si Pahit Lidah”. The magalitic stone figures of South Sumatera explain that the people living in the last stone period and early bronze age, mastered already the skill of stone chiseling. The clothes figured on the sculptures also reveal the life and behaviour of the people in the past according to their needs.

The skill of erecting stone buildings and chiseling stones developed further after the arrival of a new – Hinduist and Buddhist backed-up-culture. South Sumatera became one of the new religions central in Indonesia under the reign of the Syailendra and Sriwijaya dynasties. Above mentioned culture did not leave many stone temples and statues unlike the case at java; this remains the problem being discussed among experts.

The fact that cultural heritage of that age is still rare or undisclosed does not mean that we have no sources of knowledge concerning its art development. The aesthetic standard of art products of the Sriwijaya golden age is still known through traditions of various art-crafts inherited to the next periods.

The most strategic location of Sriwijaya in the traffic of trade opened the opportunity for the emergence and growth of traditional crafts within the royal circle and among the common people as well. In its development this art-craft tradition has been enriched by foreign elements of art-craft, from countries outside Indonesia as well as from within Nusantara itself.
Various types and patterns of ornaments appearing on tradition buildings decorations and furniture show the integration of those elements of artcraft.

Decorating motives originated from pre-Hindu, Hindu and from other foreign cultures, as from China and Siam are blended in various traditional decorations art designs in South Sumatra. These decorations appear on products of weaving art, ceramics, wood-carving, plaints, etc., showing decorative motives being typical of South Sumatera, as sunflower, melati, bamboo shoot, crinum asiaticum, fern and other motives. Chinese influence prevailed further along the development of trade. This influence evolved various skills in craftsmanship as of furniture craft and building construction. The role of Chinese art appears in the shape on buildings as the minaret of the Palembang Grand Mosque with its pagoda-typed dome.

Dragon, squirrel and funix bird are some examples of the so-many Chinese decorative motives appearing on furniture in South Sumatera.

With the development of Islam, the art of South Sumatera has been further enriched with elements of Islamic art. Beside plastic art, qasidah and rebana became new assets in the development of art in this region.

Arabic calligraphy assumes an important role through various techniques in mosque and home decorations. The old art still plays its role in art activities within the Islamic society. Al of these has become tradition which reflects the nation’s character for being open to various art influences from outside, without neglecting own identity. The arrival of Europeans – though it did not effect directly the building and development of art in South Sumatera – it brought changes in the expressions of artists. Art craft and decorative art, beside high standard dance and music, were not maintained, and suspended as frozen traditional art, many of the were even destroyed.

The new culture brought European style into city buildings as houses, offices and churches which were erected by architects who entirely did not know about the tradition of construction art in this area.

Conservation of art were poorly maintained, as traditional values win less appreciation in the development of new culture. Education in colonial time removed art further from society life. The effect was that social appreciation toward own art was no longer developed.

Traditional art will regain its meaning and value in the society, when the nation concerned starts being aware of the glory of the inherited tradition. The bearers of tradition should remind themselves of the art and cultural values ever owned by their nation.

Natural art tradition needs to be re-expressed through various efforts principally by revitalization. In this case, education needs to play its role beside direct steps in the remaining central of traditional art activities.

Through art education, traditional art will not only regain its place in the society, but will also be able to generate creativities to produce new forms of art expressions, without neglecting its own regional art identity.

WAYANG BEBER - The Ancient Tradition of East Java

A classical Wayang Beber Performance in 1900

One of some kinds of wayang in East Java is Wayang Beber - they have nearly vanished. The most popular of all forms is Wayang Beber Pacitan. This kind of wayang is neither made of wood not leather but paintings drawn on a scrolled sheets of bark paper. Every scene in the story is painted on a piece of paper in rotation.


Since when this kind of wayang has been found in Pacitan exactly is not known yet, nevertheless the age of the existing wayang Beber has reached an age of 12 generations up to the present.

The performer (Dalang) gives a sign, the gamelan orchestra (or a musician with a violin-like instrument) begins to play and the Dalang unrolls a picture related to the story. Then, speaking and singing, he narrates the story in more detail. In this manner, in the course of the evening he unrolls several pictures. The pictures are shown one at a time and are successively unrolled. Each picture represents a story or part of a story. The story narrated is taken from the life of Panji or a story based on the mythical Javanese Jenggala Kingdom, or the Mahabharata and Ramayana epics. The fiction of wayang Beber performance is not only an entertainment but also as media of education, which principally a crime finally is defeated by virtue.

There are some scrolls owned by some families which are not used for a performance, however in certain months every year they are used as traditional ceremony by cleaning off the magic power in those objects.

MASK OF MALANG

Some collection of Malang masks for Mask Dance performance

Mask (topeng) as a product of fine arts is not only used as decoration, but also as the equipment of dance and theatre in some performances. In Malang, to be exact in the Kedung Monggo village, Pakisaji sub-distric and in the Jabung village, Tumpang sub-distric, lots of Topeng are made to use for the performance of an opera or “wayang topeng”.

The mask of Malang (topeng Malang) has special characteristics, such as their thick wood of randu wood (capok tree) or “cangkring”, which is rather dark in colour, with a carving on the forehead which is specially bulging, fashioned with a square chin and high cheek- bones. Some mask needs some ritual to make the carving mask has a magic power.

Decoratively, Malang masks are unique. They are different from any other mask art found in Java. There are five typical colurs used to deco rate the masks. The red colour symbolizes courage, the black colour symbolizes determined ambitions, the yellow colour symbolizes wisdom, the white colour indicates purified character and the green colour indicates peace.

The form of its throne and the expression of the mask especially the construction of “gelung” and “janang” and the eyes are not far different with the thrones of wayang on the relief of Jajagu temple. This is not surprising since the Jabung is located near Jajagu temple.

MALANG MASK DANCE

Malang Mask Dance (Wayang Topeng Malangan)

Malang is famous for its dances. The topeng performance has a strong dramatic value, its performance pattern is good, while the garment music have special characteristics. The carving mask usually made to be used in an opera or "wayang topeng". What is interesting about the mask dance is that all the dancers representing some characters wear masks.

Klono is the evil archrival of Gunungsari and Panji Mask Dance Drama

The characters in Malang theatrical mask dance are 64 and they play the roles of 64 figures in Panji tales. As in wayang kulit, the story is narrated and sung by a dhalang, who recreates the stories passed orally to him from generation to generation. The dancers do not speak themselves with the one exception of the clown, Patrajaya, who wears a half-mask allowing him to speak. While the other dancers move with grace and style, Patrajaya plays the fool: knock kneed, buck teeth, an old cloth tied loosely around his head, he provides the comic relief. New stories are improvised from time to time and old ones built upon to create something new.

* Find out how the traditional mask dance of Malang is staged at the Padepokan Seni Mangun Dharma in Tulusbesar village, Tumpang Sub district, Malang.
Location: Tumpang Sub Distric , Malang

WEST JAVA CULTURAL ART

Wayang golek (wooden puppet) performance contains the wisdom of the community life of people in West java

Culture can be defined as man’s creativity to survive, have children to continue his generation, and improve this welfare. Culture reflects the entire man’s knowledge as a social being used to deal with his environment and experience, utilizing his physic and natural surroundings. The Cultural image of West Java is well expressed by the beauty of the artistically esthetic and ethics among the community. The sharp little fingers movements, hidden smiles, almost melodious speeches, and dynamic composition of movement are the reflection of their art expressions. If one takes a good look at Sundanese and Cirebonan arts he can see the harmonies blends of intelligent life, wisdom, and freshness.

Cirebon Mask

A good example of acculturation showing the success of the community in the interaction process and accepting global new values without losing its identity can be seen through their arts expressions flourished well in the northern coastal areas of West Java such as Tanjidor in Bekasi, that once thought was originated from Betawi Culture, turned out to be the mixed Sundanese and European cultures. Other examples are Tarling, Topeng and Adzan Pitu art performances in Cirebon which can be classified as global cultural expressions in their specific format. While in the Northern of West Java the interactions and acceptances of global values transformation have been taking place, the arts reflecting people’s closeness to nature have also been taking place in the Southern of West java, including their religious expressions. A good example is Ubrug, a folk theater, other examples are Cianjuran and Kecapi suling performance.

Cirebon - Tari Topeng (Mask Dance)

More melodious and dimensional depth of art expressions grow well in other areas of Tatar Sunda (Sundanese plain), especially in Priangan or Parahyangan for example, Degung musical performance with its specific traditional musical instrument played by Nayagas Comical art and poetries (Bobodoran and Sisindiran) is another example performing fresh and comical dialogues. Rampak kendang, Kendang Pencak, and Jaipong, Sisingaan are perfect examples of the depth of dynamic life full off passion spirit.

Merak Dance (Dance of Peacock)

Specific traditional musical instrument is angklung, which is made of bamboos in different size to produce different tones and attached to a bamboo section, one can feel the rhythm and melody that mix together into a composition reflecting the depth of passion that people in West Java has to a harmonious life.

Angklung is a popular traditional musical instrument

Now, when the rapid process of changes is happening and the new millennium is beginning to enter the life of human being, the awareness of Sundanese community to expose themselves as Sundanese People seem to find the right moment and space. As a community they are aware that it is crucial to preserve the culture of Sunda with its traditional values and culture instead of merely showing a gesture of commitment toward the culture preservation. Sundanese community in West Java is more concerned with how to increase the community’s role and participation in preserving life environment in tatar Sunda, to encourage the local authority to draw a policy that protects and respects cultural work of art of Sundanese, to encourage the community to use, for their needs, the cultural information, to encourage the local authority to develop common people economy system, to persuade the concerns of national and international institutions and other independent organizations in a joint efforts to preserve the culture of Sunda and to insist that the local authority makes a policy regarding the protection and development of education in life’s environment.

Angklung (bamboo musical instruments) attraction at saung Angklung Mang Ujo, Bandung

In reality, the actual interaction process, when confronted with the global culture, has put Sundanese community in a situation where they cannot avoid the fact that they need to open rooms for transformation and culture interaction that formulate new charms of culture reflected in their daily life in many aspects.

Peaceful transformation of culture has made West Java a secured and relatively stable region and capable of introducing reformation based on the existing and growing norms of culture. The indicator to a success of this reformation in politics, economy and culture is when all of those aspects are realized. The religious and spiritual awareness increase and the reduction of the number of the poor are also good indicator of success.

There is a specific and typical policy of the local authority of West Java concerning this matter. It is condensed in the slogan DAKABALAREA (dahareun loba, kabeuli ku ra’yat, barudak bias sakola, tur ra’yat jagjag waringkas, layanan umum ningkat, reformasi dilaksanakan, anu airman nambahan any miskin gurangan).

DAKABALAREA is a real and concrete effort in materializing awareness and responsibility of the community and the local authority in dealing with crises. “Dahareun Loba” is a commitment to achieve the objective of maintaining the food sustainability proportionally. “Kabeuli ku ra’yat” meaning with a reasonable price or affordable for the common people to obtain it. “Barudak bisa sakola tur jagjag waringkas”, a commitment to provide education and health for each and everyone in the community.

The dynamic of the community civilization which is like the movement of a jaipong dancer following the rhythm of the drums and the musical instruments played by nayagas, is potential to be developed because of the cultural understanding and its implementation in a modern life at wayang golek (wooden puppet) performance and in many other art performances there is always a wisdom in coping with phenomenon and paradigm of the community life people in West java. Through kidungs (a ballad song) in various compositions such as sinom, dangdanggula, asmarandana, and others and also kecapi suling producing sounds of the souls that travel across the hills, valleys, and beaches, one can always detect the beauty of conscience and the expression of the finest thoughts among the common people.

The expression of the Culture of Sunda that accommodates the depth of the life’s philosophy, and the spiritual and esthetical journey is best shown in the art of glass painting, and batik painting such as batik Cirebon, batik garutan and Tasikmalaya embroideries.

Kujang is one of West Java traditional weapon

Sundanese is also known for their expertise in blacksmith making specific gong, and traditional weapons such as kujang, golok and others.

Pencak Silat, the traditional martial art of West Java

Design concept of Sundanese architecture makes the best use of materials taken from the nature such as the domestic traditional kitchen utensils made from bamboo and coconut leaves and this is a good example of a dynamic civilization of the culture of Sunda.

In the world of literature, pantun buhun has been known for years as the work of art containing philosophical thoughts and life attitude of Sundanese community in responding to the phenomenon and paradigm of their life in all aspects. Including the process of growth of the civilization from animism, polytheism, to monotheism. Therefore even though most of Sundanese are Moslems there is syncretism and mysticism among some of them.

Tourism is also potential to be developed to become an industry in the future. Especially when they are all laid side by side with specific sundanese cakes and cookies produced by products of agriculture.

Sundanese cuisines, beside the tradition of sundanese women to take a good care of their bodies that makes them beautiful and fresh, is potential to be developed and managed for prospective investment. The combination of traditional cuisine, high modern technology of cooking utensils, and equipments will make good restaurants whereas the tradition for body care among sundanese women allows the potential to establish industry in cosmetics using natural herbs as their ingredients.

Finally, the entire aspects of culture are united in the unification of culture that is continuously interactive along with the growth of culture transformation process with the illustration of sharp little fingers moving graciously with hidden smiles from sundanese beautiful girls, can represent the warmness, closeness and the beauty of the esthetic of culture presented by the culture of West Java, from which the doors to the civilization are open.

CEMETERY IN GRESIK

There are some cemeteries which are of historical values in Gresik. Namely the cemetery of Fatimah binti Maimun or the cemetery of Princess Suwari or Princess Cempa (1082 A.D.). The cemetery of Fatimah binti Maimun is considered as the oldest one in Indonesia.

The cemetery of Fatimah binti Maimun

The cemetery of Maulana Malik Ibrahim, died in 1419 was the first and the oldest Islamic religious leader (known as wali) who introduced Islam in Java. The building has lots of changed and renovated. Its tombstone is not original anymore, neither is its gate. The roof of its cover has collapsed. Only its four walls are still in good condition though they are cracked. This wall is decorated with horizontal frames, something that is only found here and gives an impression that in the 11th century people were still completely found with temples and therefore the Islamic graves are shaped like temples.

The cemetery of Maulana Malik Ibrahim

Since the roof of the cover is missing, the original shape is therefore not known, either in stages and pointed like those of the temples or not. The unique architecture that is very typical, compared with other graves. Although the gravestone is from Arab mainland with Arabic-style scriptures on it, the style looks like many gravestones in Gujarat.
Lots of people come to visit that cemetery everyday. The cemetery is considered as sacred place. Many people who visit his grave expect for blessing, safety, long life, fortune, etc.

The cemetery of Sunan Giri is located in the Desa of Giri, Sub-District of Kebomas, Gresik District, in southern side of the District, 2 km's far from the city of Gresik. The cemetery is on the top of the Giri hill, rounded by Giri people's graves.

Sunan Giri was one of the nine famous Islamic Leaders (wali songo) who also propagated the Islam in Java. He died in the year of 1428 of Saka Year or 1506 AD.

Entrance to the tomb of Sunan Giri - Sunan Giri, gravestones in the tomb complex.

The attractiveness of this object are the wooden-made grave from teak tree, plant-covered wall, and the makara (curvilinear motif like the tail of a shrimp, e.g. as found on ancient temple gargoyles) on its door.

Grave cover construction of Sunan Giri in Gresik.
Front part, roof covered with tiles and wood (XV Century)

There are some other attractiveness which illustrate the archeology of the first period of Islam in Java e.g. dragon king-carved-stone at the entrance arc, to mention one. The attractiveness for tourists of this object is the carved roof that illustrates the wealthy of the period from trade activities.

The Mausoleum site of Sunan Prapen is located on the west-side of mausoleum of Sunan Giri. In the site, Kawis Guwo and Panembahan Agung, two other Islamic leaders (but not wali), are also buried.