The Symbolical Meaning of Macanan Dance in Barongan Blora
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Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 17 (2) (2017), 129-135 p-ISSN 2541-1683|e-ISSN 2541-2426 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id/nju/index.php/harmonia DOI: 10.15294/harmonia.v17i2.9284 The symbolical meaning of Macanan dance in Barongan Blora Elinta Budy Institut Seni Indonesia Surakarta, Indonesia Received: March 21, 2017. Revised: August 23, 2017. Accepted: October 10, 2017 Abstract This study is aiming at finding out the symbolical meaning of Macanan dance in Barongan Blora. The method implied in the study was qualitative with ethnochoreology approach. Results in- dicated that Macanan dance is a typical dance immitating the movement of an animal which is a tiger, which is known also in Indonesia as ‘macan’. It also illustrates some movements which resemble the activity of a group of farmers. This study concluded that the movement of Macanan dance contained specific meanings; specifically representing and illustrating the life of Blora Re- gency’s agricultural community in Indonesia. Keywords: meaning; symbol; dance; Macanan; Barongan How to Cite: Budy, E. (2017). The symbolical meaning ofMacanan dance in Barongan Blora. Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research And Education, 17(2), 129-135. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/harmonia.v17i2.9284 INTRODUCTION rongan can be seen some ritual activities, like in Lamporan ceremony on which the Barongan is a kind of performance Barongan is used as a means of an impor- which uses big mask and a sheet of cloth tant symbol of safety for the society. The in stripes motives covering body. It pur- emergence of Barongan was started from poses to make the performer to look like aritual activity as part of Bersih Desa cere- tiger. The choice of Tiger mask to be wornmony done by the Blora society, such as, in Barongan Dance by the Blora people isLamporan, Murwakala, Sedekah Bumi, because of the belief hold by the peoplecircumcision and wedding ceremony ri- that tiger is the strongest animel which istual. The Blora society uses Barongan as a able to protect all mankind (Slamet, 2003). means to send bad luck away, especially Beliefs hold by the Blora people towards disease epidemic, by walking the Barongan the tiger becomes the main consideration around the village (known asArak-arakan). of the use of tiger mask and the choice of Barongan that is being developed re- Barongan dance movements. cently, is a kind of stage performance con- Functionally, Barongan has a signi- sisting of several smaller parts, like,Maca- ficant role in the life of the society, whichnan, Bujangganong, Jaka Lodra, Jaranan/ is as part of social activity which is well Jathilan, Untub Nayantaka, and Nggainah. known as ‘Bersih Desa’ ceremony.Bersih The Macanan dance is a part that always means clean and Desa means village. Here, exists in the initial part of the Barongan Bersih Desa refers to a kind of ritual aims to performance. In 2003, the Macanan dan- clean the village from evil spirit and bad ce is packed into 10 main movements as a luck. Slamet (1999) once delivered that Ba - form of stage performance. As a stage per- Corresponding author: Jl. Ki Hajar Dewantara No. 19 Kentingan, Jebres, Surakarta 57126 E-mail: [email protected] 129 130 Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 17 (2) (2017): 129-135 formance, the form of Barongan here will same topic from Allegra Fuller Snyder, be a bit different with the type of Barongan which stated that dance is the symbol of dance used in ‘Arak-arakan’. Slamet (2004) human life and is an expressive kinetic ac - mentioned that there are 10 main move- tivity. The meanings are formed through ments in Macanan dance, Dekeman, Geby- the stimulation, transformation, and unity. ah, Senggot, Ngaklak, Kucingan, Geter, Tha- The theory delivered by Bandem ex - takan, Glundungan, Mbekur, and Thapukan. plained before is considered relevant to be In general, movements shown in Macanan used to analyze the meanings contained dance resembles the movements of a tiger in Macanan dance movement in Barongan and is adjusted with the habit and cultu- Blora dance. The theory helps the resear - re had by the society which mostly works chers to analyze the macanan dance from as a farmer. The term Macanan itself taken the perspective of society and culture, from the Javanese word of ‘tiger’ which is considering that the Macanan dance from known as Macan. Blora Regency is a product resulted from Since the first emergence of Ba- culture. Meanings contained in the Maca - rongan performance till now, the dance nan dance can be seen from the process of always shows the movement of ‘tiger’ in movement formation, which consists of: every of its show. The Macanan dance as (1) stimulation, revealing terms and move - stage performance here emphasizes more ments; (2) transformation, revealing chan - to the aesthetic perspective in every of its ge; (3) Unity, revealing formations and its show. It is seen from the well-ordered mo- meanings of Macanan dance. vement pattern. In addition, the existence of Macanan dance can be seen more domi- METHOD nant in the Blora Barongan performance. This is shown by the duration of Macanan This study employed qualitative dance show which took place in both the method. The approach used in this study initial and the end of performace as well as was ethnochoreology. Soedarsono stated the length of duration which is longer than that ethnochoreology, as like ethnomusi- any other dances containing in the same cology needs to borrow theories, concepts, performance. or system from other disciplines, therefore, Macanan dance as the object of stu- the approach will be categorized as multi- dy here raises several research questions. discipline (Pramutomo, 2007; Cahyono, Spradley (1983) mentioned three basic as- 2014). The data collection techniques of the pects used to study culture: it is related tostudy were in the form of observation, in- what is done by people, what is knownterview, and documentation study. by people, and what is used by people. The data analysis was conducted by The first aspect refers to the cultural- be employing interpretative analysis which haviour or the act of doing arts. Here, it isis a direct data verification process in the the Barongan dance as the art. The seconddata collection.The data gathered during aspect refers to the knowledge of culture the research are organized in order and symbolizes in meaning, or the symbolical classified based on different characteristics meanings of art. The third aspect refers toand types. The related data in this study the result or product of a culture, which isare categorized based on the types of mo- the Macanan dance. Therefore, this study vement and symbolical meaning contained is aiming at studying deeper the Maca- in the dance. nan dance. To be specific is the symbolical meanings contained in Macanan dance. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Related to further explanation about meanings contained in the Macanan dance, The Macanan dance movements in a theory was taken from Bandem (1996). Barongan Blora performance received -se Bandem earlier took the theory about the veral treatments before it became into a Elinta Budy, The symbolical meaning of Macanan dance in Barongan Blora 131 whole and perfect set of movement. The as beksan) while hands are placed in front process was initiated by the emergence of face, moving downward, as like worshi- of idea which was influenced by intuiti- ping. The head is nodding looking at the on, then was developed into imagination. floor, while the mask is facing forward up From the imagination, it was continued high. The feet are opened widely and the into dance movement creation which was body is crouching. The dekeman movement then resulted into ideas (Smith, 1976). It illustrates the attitude of a tiger while wa- can be said that the Imagination or intui- king up from sleep. A tiger will only look tion of a dance creator will only be used pointlessly to the surrounding, while high- or activated during the process of dance ly cautious, waiting for a prey. A tiger has creation only. Imagination is influenced a very sharp natural instinct in deciding by the ability or talent to form a realizati- which prey will it eats. Dekeman, further, on of an idea that is used to do creation. has meaning that as a human being, one The Barongan dancers as well as the cho- should be focus in order to be success to reographer have a freedom of imaginati- achieve goals. on towards the dance they perform. This intuition is supported by the knowledge of the barong dancer related to the kinds of movements as the main materials in the process of movement formation. Ideas were taken from experiences in the form of stimulus in a series of movement that are transformed to a unity of movement till it may form meanings. From the previous research of Mu- lyono (2003) about Barongan as a tourism Figure 1. The dekeman movement using a tiger mask (Elinta, 2017) package that described about the manifes- tation of cat in arts, theory from Desmond The Gebyah Movement Morris was applied. The theory discussed The Gebyah movement is done the theatrical mimicry which immitates by moving the tiger mask upward and the real movement of the real living object. downward,the hand is holding the mask, The same as the study conducted by Mu- the body stands upright, while the leg is lyono, Macanan dance in Barongan Blora on jengkeng position; or legas are opened also contains movement adapted from the widely, the body of the barongan dancers surrounding neighborhood, both animal moves by following the movement of the and human’s movements.