Dance in West : Tradition,Training and Tourism

William Peterson

While the Minangkabau dance reflects traditions of the of Sumatra, , it is evolving in the context of increasing tourism. William Peterson provides insights into the development of the dance

ance among the paying special attention to three Traditional Beliefs and Dance Minangkabau people of areas: 1) the way in which D balances a traditional belief systems are The system of traditional beliefs, number of forces; though its reflected in Minangkabau dance or iiclcit as it is known in the content continues to reflect and music; 2) the relationship Indonesian language, is deeply traditional belief systems, it is between the regional dance inscribed in Minangkabau dance. increasingly informed by the academy in Padang Panjang, West One of the key elements of regional, national, and Minangkabau is international pers- a matrilineal system pectives of young which predates the dancers and choreo- arrival of Islam in the graphers trained at region2. To the dance academies. At Minangkabau, adat the same time, Min- serves as a central angkabau dance is organising principle now being seen by a which regulates all growing tourist social exchanges and audience, a factor provides a set of which has altered the meanings for the conditions of re- 'Tari Pasambahan', Sakato Group phenomenon found in ception, as well as the daily life3. Elements structure of a dance performance. of adat are still very much present This report will focus on the current Sumatra and Minangkabau dance in Minangkabau dance and music state of Minangkabau dance as it as performed in the region; and 3) today, even at a time when these is taught, disseminated, and the nature of dance performances forms are reaching out to a wider performed in the Minangkabau in the highland town of Bukittinggi. audience of non-Minangkabau. highlands of West Sumatra1, while

SPAFA Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 5 Minangkabau dance is largely Minangkabau dance known as the leader or penghulu, offers a folk tradition, rooted in the Tari Rantak, martial arts protection and guidance by rhythms of rural life and often tied movements are used to convey a spreading his "wings" and to important events such as harvest particular aspect of adat, in this encircling the remaining dancers festivals, or adat ceremonies. case "the readiness and bravery of who represent Minangkabau youth. Stylistically, it has much in Minangkabau youths in defending The teachings embodied in these common with pencak , the their homeland" (Saliguri). The two dances in many ways mirror martial art form found throughout choreography of the Tari Rantak the respective positions of women the Pan-Malay world. The features men and women engaging and men in Minangkabau society; Minangkabau version of silat is in vigorous foot-stamping, intense while women are valued for the characterised by a low stance, drum-beating, and rigid line continuity they provide the family frequent kicks, formations which and their connection with the land, evasive use of the appear martial at the actual civic life of the aims and hands, Minangkabau dance times, all of community is largely male- and is generally is largely a folk which is appro- dominated. Thus these two dances considered more tradition, rooted in priate given the when taken together can be seen rhythmic than the rhythms of dance's prog- as a reflection of the way in which other versions of rural life and often rammatic char- the Minangkabau have reached an the form (Alex- tied to important acter. Among the accommodation between the ander). Like events such as Minangkabau, all original, matriarchal culture, and Minangkabau harvest festivals, or agricultural Islam, with its stress on spiritual dance, the overall adat ceremonies. property passes and moral guidance largely at the pattern of through the first hands of male elders. movement in born female in The patterns found in the silat is often indirect and circular, the family; thus it is consistent with music which accompanies Min- with the fighters stalking one the role of women in Minangkabau angkabau dance can also be another and balancing out one society that they execute all of the interpreted as a reflection of adat, another's movements rather than heroic, vigorous movements according to Minangkabau attacking directly. The footwork carried out by the men. choreographer and dance teacher can be quite vigorous while the Yet another dance, the Tari Indra Utama (19 May 1993). The arms and hands are kept well away Alang Babega, reflects a key ensemble of percussive instruments from the torso. The link between feature of public life in which accompanies Minangkabau dance and silat is acknowledged Minangkabau: the relationship of dance is similar to, though smaller by presenters of dance in the young to the head of their clan. than the Javanese gamelan. The Bukittinggi; in an evening's This relatively new dance principal percussive instrument, program, dance and silat are choreographed by Gusmiati Suid4 the talempongi, is similar in shape presented side by side. depicts this key relationship by to the Javanese bonang6, and is Dance frequently serves as a tool evoking the movements of a pitched to approximate Western through which adat is disseminated sparrowhawk in flight; the tuning, with eight tones. These and reinforced. In one popular sparrowhawk, representing the clan sets of engage in

6 SPAFA Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 vigorous exchanges with one of Minangkabau adat as it relates visiting the academy in May of another during performance, to notions of democracy and 1993, I listened to an ensemble evoking the rhythms of human conflict resolution. rehearsing traditional music from dialogue; according to Utama, that the Riau Archipelago which dialogic music is an analogue of Minangkabau Dance Training sounded much like flamenco; saw Minangkabau democratic prin- students rehearsing the 77/77 ciples (Utama 19 May). Traditional Minangkabau dance Payung, a courtship umbrella Utama's assertion needs to be and music is taught in West dance which is essentially a contextualised in terms of the Sumatra at the arts Minangkabau concept of demo- academy ASK.I (Akademi cracy; Minangkabau tour guides Seni Karawitan Indo- and Western anthropologists7 point nesia) in Padang Panjang, out that unlike Western democracy, a small provincial town Minangkabau democracy involves in the foothills leading a lengthy, communal discussion of into the Minangkabau differences, giving equal time to heartland. As the minority opinions as the issue is principal training ground debated so completely that an for professional dancers eventual consensus is reached. and the institution where One could argue, as some virtually all of the most Minangkabau tour guides do, that important Minangkabau Western democracy ensures the choreographers have tyranny of the majority over the either trained or taught, minority, while the Minangkabau its guiding philosophy system ensures that minority voices shapes the present and are always heard. Someone future of Minangkabau defending the Western position dance. ASKI is one of might maintain that the six arts academies in the Minangkabau form appears to country, and the only one involve talking an issue to death, in Sumatra. Thus, not to the point where only sheer surprisingly, Minang- exhaustion, and not the strength of kabau dance features ideas, eventually necessitates a prominently in the Puti Limo Jural final compromise. Whatever curriculum there. position one takes, it is precisely The academy also endeavours Portuguese concept, but with this sort of lively, rapid-fire, back to expose students to a wide range Malay movements; sat in on a and forth dialogic structure that of dance forms from the traditional session in which students polished Utama is referring to when he to the modern, while also up their steps for a Western chorus- asserts that the musical lines of the introducing them to forms from line routine; and witnessed a talempong are concrete expressions Indonesia's other regions. While Muslim instructor, who was

SPAFA Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 7 wearing the tudung (traditional out that some village residents have Dance in Bukittinggi headdress), leading a group in a complained that during their brief traditional Achenese dance. one or two week residencies, One of the few regular, income- Throughout my stay there, student dancers are "disrupting earning opportunities in West teachers, administrators and their traditions" (152). While this Sumatra for ASKI-trained dancers students all stressed the importance may be true, dancers who were is to perform with one of the four of learning to create "a new dance canvassed at ASKI feel that what groups appearing at the local with traditional roots", sometimes they are learning and transmitting Sanggar Seni (cultural centre) in even using the same phrase to is part of a living tradition which the highland town of Bukittinggi. describe this aspect of the school's must either be willing to adapt or While some dancers continue their mission (Esten, Utama 17 May risk the possibility of dying out. training and eventually leave the 1993). Toward that end, ASKI Whereas scholars, in their search region for studies at dance

'', Saliguri Group Minangkabau Heartland 'Tari Piring', Sakato Group

engages teachers of traditional for "authenticity", tend to scru- academies elsewhere in Indonesia, Minangkabau dance from the tinise and validate performances a significant number stay behind, outlying villages to spend two played out at the village level, providing a steady supply of weeks in residence, teaching today's Minangkabau performers dancers to perform in front of a students dance steps. Recently, and audience members are growing, largely tourist audience. students have been encouraged to encountering one another in venues Recently designated a tourist study directly in the villages of where money is exchanged; by development area by the central West Sumatra, in an attempt to choosing to validate "authentic" government, Bukittinggi has long provide a richer understanding of village performances while been popular with European the tradition which they are condemning commercial ex- "travellers" as a relaxed and assimilating. pressions of traditional dance pleasantly cool stopover on the In a recent article published in forms, scholars may unwittingly Trans-Sumatran Highway. Today, The Drama Review, Indonesian be contributing to the demise of the evening performances of local dance critic Sal Murgiyanto points traditional forms. dance at the Sanggar Seni are one

8 SPAFA Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 of the town's major tourist performed at harvest time and Two popular dances, the Tari attractions. The four groups would be open to all members of and the Tari Piring, or performing there on a regular basis the community. Pencak silat might "plate dance", are essentially are Sakato, Saliguri, Puti Limo be performed in front of an reworkings of dances which Jurai, and Saayun Salangkah. In audience of martial arts enthusiasts, developed in villages and towns. addition to providing regular part- other silat practitioners, or one's Of the dances which are found time employment for about three teachers, while the Tari elsewhere in the Malay world, the dozen local dancers and a similar Saputangan would provide an Tari Indang is perhaps the best number of musicians, the per- officially-sanctioned courtship known. Essentially a line dance, formances also indirectly generate opportunity for young, unmarried the Tari Indang relies upon large, supplemental income for the men and women. For the tourist sweeping hand gestures numerous young men who earn market, all of these dances are reminiscent of pencak silat, many commissions on the sale of tickets, audio tapes, and musical in- struments. Each group presents their own program consisting of a welcoming dance or Tari Pasambahan, followed by a series of short dances interspersed with musical in- terludes. The evening usually concludes with the famous "plate dance" - Tari Piring - followed by the "handkerchief dance", or Tari Saputangan. In addition, each dance performance includes a demonstration of pencak silat. One group also includes a ten-minute 'Tari Indang', Sakato Group condensed version of Minang- kabau popular theatre, known as> *. brought together and performed in of which are executed from a seated At the village level, each of an indoor hall on a carpeted dance position. The dance is related to these dances might be presented floor in front of a seated audience. a form of movement and recitation separately and in completely Costumes are often more elaborate used to spread the message of different contexts; for instance, the and colourful than they might be Islam. In the version performed in Tari Pasambahan might be at the village level, while a mock Bukittinggi, choreographed by performed outside one's home or wedding procession is sometimes Gusmiati Suid, dancers sing and in a public place before an added to provide a further sway rhythmically in time with the honoured guest, while the Tari opportunity for Minangkabau music, alternating up and down, Piring would traditionally be dancers to show off their finery. back and forth. Motions are

SPAFA Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 9 Students at ASKI (Akademi Seni 'Tari Alang Babega', Puti Limo Jurat ASKI Karawitan Indonesia) repetitive and circular, resembling associated with the harvesting of The male dancers in some of the the rising and falling of waves. rice. Dancers enter the per- groups in Bukittinggi even roll The movements of the dance formance area holding a small plate about in the shards without a shirt. imply a cooperative stance between in each hand, and wearing a ring Dance teacher Indra Utama individuals, underscoring the carved from kemiri nut, on the tip points out that the tight importance of working collectively of one finger of each hand. choreography and vigorous to achieve economic prosperity on Tapping the plate rhythmically movements which characterise the the local or even national level; in from the underside, the dancer versions enacted by the groups in this sense, the dance demonstrates delicately moves the plates back Bukittinggi stand in sharp contrast the concept of gotong royong or and forth, up and down, in with the more anarchic quality of "working together cooperatively," increasingly rapid, large, circular the village versions of the dance a key tenet in the Indonesian motions, all the while moving in where anyone who feels moved by government's national economic graceful unison with the other the spirit is welcome to participate development campaign which dancers. A joyful, exuberant (Utama 19 May). The potential began in the late 1950s. Gotong feeling is maintained throughout for injury to the dancers is also royong is deeply rooted among the as the dancers become more and raised; Utama notes that village Minangkabau; even today, families more daring in their movements dancers leap upon piles of glass living in the same community assist while simultaneously swinging the fragments considerably sharper one another in the planting and plates. Suddenly, one of the than the plate shards used by harvesting of rice or while dancers leaps violently onto a pile performers in Bukittinggi (Utama undertaking any large-scale of broken plates which have been 19 May). For a dancer to escape project. Such cooperative ventures spread across the dance floor, injury under these conditions, a are essential in a region where jumping up and down among the trance-like state would seem to be agricultural mechanisation is shards, while sustaining the necessary. While trance-dances are virtually non-existent. rhythmic tapping and swinging common throughout all of A standard feature of every motion. Women and men are Southeast Asia, some dances, dance group in Bukittinggi is the equally vigorous in attacking the especially in Peninsular Malaysia, Tori Piring, or "plate dance", broken plates with their bare feet. have come under attack for being

10 SPAFA Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 contrary to the spirit and 3 The need to find a teachings of Islam; the basis in adat for all elements of trance and phenomenon found mediumship are viewed as Talempong Players, Puti Limo Jural in daily life seems sacrilegious. Although the common among the Minangkabaus are known for their dance can survive in a world where Minangkabau. Local tour devotion to Islam, they seem to smaller cultures seem to be con- guides in West Sumatra take have found a way to reconcile this stantly over-run by the larger ones. great delight in pointing out dance with their faith. that virtually everything one The inter-related elements of encounters in the region - tradition, training and tourism all NOTES from the colors used to drape shape the Minangkabau dance a wedding canopy to the today. While dance continues to 1 The state of Negri Sembilan unique, eye-catching upward express adat, training programs are in Peninsular Malaysia also sweep of the traditional exposing a younger generation of contains a large Minangkabau Minangkabau roof line - has dancers to traditions from outside population. The dance a detailed meaning which the region. That training, traditions of the four million somehow relates to adat. combined with the growth of a Minangkabau living in West For instance, the roof line is tourist audience will ultimately Sumatra, an area regarded as said to pay homage to a alter more than just the frame of the heartland of Minangkabau young Minangkabau water the performance event; eventually culture, are the focus of this buffalo that defeated a content will be influenced in article. mature one in a contest with fundamental ways as well. Such the invading ; the a change may well be consistent 2 This system has long been a outcome of which permitted with the Minangkabau concept of source of fascination to the Minangkabaus to govern adat; though the basic elements of anthropologists. See themselves. The word adat such as loyalty to Allah and Frederick Errington, Manners "Minangkabau" is sometimes one's clan are considered un- and Meaning in West defined as "victorious water challengeable, the Minangkabau Sumatra. New Haven: Yale buffalo," suggesting that the allow for a consensus of University Press, 1984; people define themselves in community leaders and experts to Katherine Stenger Frey, terms of their shared alter the less fundamental aspects Journey to the Land of the relationship to this single, of tradition in order to adapt to Earth Goddess, Jakarta: important event. Frederick changing circumstances. Just as Gramedia Publishing, 1986; Errington explores this aspect adat is subject to change so long Kato, T., Matriliny and of adat in great detail, citing as its core features remain intact, Migration: Evolving many such examples traditional dance is open to new Minangkabau Traditions in (Errington, Frederick, elements as well. This pragmatic Indonesia, Ithaca, N.Y.: "Manners and Meaning in relationship to tradition may be one Cornell University Press, West Sumatra", New Haven: of the only ways Minangkabau 1982. Yale University Press, 1984).

SPAFA Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 11 4 Suid and Huriah Adam are other traditional drums and Manners and Meaning in West the two best-known time markers, the complete Sumatra. New Haven: Yale Minangkabau choreographers, dance orchestra includes two University Press. with Huriah being perhaps flute-like instruments made Esten, Mursal. 1993. the more influential of the from bamboo. The deepest Personal Interview. 17 May two. Indonesian dance critic of the two, the , 1993 Sal Murgiyanto credits expresses a melancholic, Murgiyanto, Sal. 1993. Huriah with having "invented longing quality, while the "Moving Between Unity and a 'Minangkabau' dance bansi plays the higher Diversity: Indonesian Dance in technique as the basis for registers. a Changing Perspective." The professional training of Drama Review 37, no. 2 Minangkabau dancers and 6 A gong chime consisting of (T138):131-160. choreographers" (142). The eight or more pots on a Saliguri Dance Group. 1993. martial arts basis for much of horizontal rack. Program. Bukittingi, W. Sumatra, Minangkabau dance is also 18 May 1993. attributed to Huriah's 7 See Frederick Errington for a Saayun Salangkah Dance Group. influence. For an extended more detailed discussion of 1993. account of the way in which this concept. Program. Bukittingi, W. Sumatra, Huriah's work fits into the 15 May 1993. broader context of Indonesian 8 For a detailed account of Utama, Indra. 1993. dance, see Sal Murgiyanto's randai with labanotation Personal Interview. 17 May 1993. article, "Moving between scores, see Mohd Anis Md . 1993. Unity and Diversity: Nor's Randai Dance. Kuala Personal Interview. 19 May 1993. Indonesian Dance in a Lumpur: University of Changing Perspective," The Malaya Department of All Photographs by William Drama Review 37, no. 2 Publications, 1986. Peterson (T138): 131-160. Dr William Peterson teaches in the Drama Department of the 5 The traditional talempong is REFERENCES University of Waikatb in hand-held and consists of Hamilton, New Zealand. From only five tones, Alexander. 1970. 1992 to 1995, he taught Theatre approximating the notes Pentjak-Sj'/af: The Indonesian Studies at the National C,D,E,F, and A. Although Fighting Art. Tokyo: Kodansha University of Singapore. He has published pieces on theatre and the hand-held talempong is International Ltd. performance in Asian Theatre still used in villages, most Asmad. 1990. Journal, Australasian Drama dance troupes utilise at least Kesenian Tari. Kuala Lumpur: Studies, Theatre Journal, The three sets of talempong on Associated Educational Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, High Performance, racks, each in a different Distributors. Performance (London) and octave. In addition to the Errington, Frederick. 1984. Theatre Insight. talempong and a number of

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