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The Ramayana Epic and Traditional Indonesian Music

The Ramayana Epic and Traditional Indonesian Music

The Epic and Traditional Indonesian Music

By Dr. Sri Hastanto Traditional Indonesian music consists of a vast repertoire of musical expression. This is because there are hundreds of different ethnic groups in , each group having its own individual culture.

Within each sub-culture flourish many kinds of music. Some of these sub-cultures have as many as ten musical types. So you can imagine just how many and different kinds of music there are in Indonesia. Some musical types are similar in nature, while others are distinct, but all are part of the family of traditional Indonesian music.

Traditional Indonesian music has been influenced by diverse factors such as natural surroundings, religion, faith, politics, or social legend, for example. Social legend has often influenced musical composition, as musical performances accompany the performance of these social legends. In Indonesia each sub-culture has its own social legend. The Pasundan sub- culture in west , for example, has a legend called Sangkuriang. In there is the Calonarng. Some legends exist in more than one sub-cultural area, such as the legends of the Panji,1 the Ramayana and the . In this paper I will discuss the involvement of legend, specifically the Ramayana, in the life of Indonesian traditional music. THE RAMAYANA EPIC The first type of Ramayana uses the IN BALI old Javanese language, the second THE RAMAYANA HAS BEEN uses a mixture of new Javanese and KECAK IS A GENRE OF known in Indonesia since the middle Javanese language,2 as does performing arts which presents a beginning of the eighth century. By the third. The third Ramayana of combination of music and dance the ninth century episodes from the society has many diferent based on the Ramayana story. The Ramayana had been carved on the versions. Kecak is an extraordinary art form, walls of the temples (the both visually and musically. About temples of and Brahma). In DIFFERENT FORMS OF RAMAYANA fifty or more dancers sit in a circle, Indonesia the Ramayana epic lives INVOLVEMENT IN INDONESIAN and in addition to dancing as they and flourishes in areas which in the TRADITIONAL MUSIC sit, they also function as vocal past were strong Hindu kingdoms, instruments producing the sound such as the kingdom 'cak' in various rhythmic in , the Mataram combinations. These sounds Hindu kingdom in central make rich interlocking Java, the kingdom patterns and create an in , and likewise in extraordinary weaving effect. Bali which has the largest These sophisticated patterns, Hindu population. which can make a person's hair stand on end, were The Ramayana (and also the inspired by the sound of Mahabharata) in its spread thousands of monkeys. from , was adaptated by Indonesian poets. In the GENDER WAYANG IN BALI process the cultural themes of the Indian Ramayana which IN BALI THERE IS A were not relevant to special type of ensemble Indonesian culture were that accompanies wayang altered. It is estimated that kulit (shadow puppet 40% of Indonesian Ramayana theatre) which is known as differs from the original gender wayang. It is given version (Soewito Santoso this name because the main 1990:75). And it is this instrument of the ensemble Indonesian Ramayana which is the gender. In the influenced many forms of Mahabharata performance its traditional Indonesian music musical ensemble uses only 1 in Java and Bali. two pairs of genders. To accompany the Ramayana Traditional Indonesian music performance, however, two is influenced by at least three pairs of genders would be kinds of Ramayana. These insufficient for the range of consist of the old Javanese AS I HAVE ALREADY expression required. The genders Ramayana, the new Javanese mentioned the Ramaya is alive and are thought to be unable to support Ramayana (the Serat Rama and Serat flourishing in Java and Bali. So in the movements of the monkeys and Lokapala), and the Ramayana which discussions of traditional Indonesian giants which dominate the lives and flourishes in wayang music, I will focus primarily on Ramayana's scenes. For this society such as the Sapta Kandha). these two islands. purpose the Balinese add a pair of

SPAFA JOURNAL 3 1 kendhang (drums), a set of ceng- sanget angikibi, Sang Resi sumembah munggwing padanta ceng (cymbals) and several gongs. The vocal element in this ensemble Kanekaputra, kang anjog saking prabu, Myang kagunganta singsim, is provided by the dhalang (puppeteer) who sings a narrative of wiyati. saksat sampun prati, katon asta each scene. The singing is known as suluk. In this type of Ramayana (The smoke from the incense rises pukulun, wulaten narapati. Rama presentation the dhalang's singing is taken from extracts of the old above the knight as he kneels in dewaningsun. Javanese Ramayana. meditation. Although guarded by (I think only of you, both night and THE MUSIC IN JAVANESE AND his soldiers there is still fear in his day. Since we cannot meet, I am

THERE ARE SEVERAL KINDS heart. God Kanekaputra descends sending Cundltamanik as a token of of wayang kulit in Java, one of which is called wayang kulitpurwa from the heavens). my love for you. When your ring and whose story is taken from either the Ramayana or the Mahabharata. This text comes from the Ramayana came, it was like your own sweet A performance of wayang epic (Setat Rama), 4 but does not kulitpurwa is accompanied by a mention any Ramayana character. hands stroking my hair. See how I ensemble. The same This kind of text is used to produce ensemble is used to accompany certain moods, as in the example am suffering, Oh Rama my love). either story. The order of gendhings above, to evoke the anxiety of a (pieces) is basically the same. The king meditating, irrespective of Because of its beautiful but only difference is in the suluk. whether that scene is taken melancholy tone, this suluk has been Although the dhalang sings the from the Ramayana or the used to establish a king's melancholy same melodies, the texts are Mahabharata. mood in the first scene of every different. Most of the suluk texts in wayang performance. the Ramayana story are taken from A Ramayana text which evokes a the new Javanese Ramayana. feeling of melancholy is a scene in The musical accompaniment for which Sita is in the gardens of style wayang wong 5 came The texts which are found in the Alengka where she receives Rama's from that of wayang kulit. new Javanese Ramayana and the ring, brought to her by . style wayang wong, Mahabharata, for the purpose of As she cannot meet her beloved although different from wayang kulit suluk, can be divided into two Rama face to face, she takes out her in its accompaniment, does not categories, these being neutral texts hair pin, called Cundhamanik, for differ in its use of ensemble or and non neutral texts. Neutral texts Hanuman to give to Rama. She gendhings. As with wayang kulit do not mention the name of any weeps and almost faints: the difference in the accompaniment Ramayana or Mahabharata character, is found in the text of the dhalang's for example: Siyang pantara ratri, amung singing.

Kukusing dupa kumelun, ciptapukulun, tana iyan kneksi. LANGEN MANDRAWANARA IN YOGYAKARTA ngeningken tyas sanga pekik, Mila katur, kang Cundhamanik, THIS IS A GENRE OF DANCE kaiuengku sagung jajahan, nanging Prasasat rageng ulun kang drama which uses dialogue and

32 SPAFA JOURNAL monologue in tembang (song) form, There are many new compositions in commanders are asleeep, King Rama accompanied by a gamelan Javanese gamelan music which have meditates until the God Naraha ensemble. The word 'wanara' been inspired by the Ramayana epic. visits him. means monkey, and the dance drama One composition takes the text does take its story from the which tells of Hanuman singing, 5. A wayang performed by human Ramayana which is dominated by accompanied by flute and drum, in dancers. monkey characters. The melodies the middle a resting group of the are specifically composed to fit the giant soldiers of Alengka. Unaware characters' monolgue and dialogue. that Hanuman is an enemy, the

Because they are so rich in feeling giants join in danncing and then fall REFERENCES and beautifully expressed, they are asleep because of Hanuman's performed as concert music in their beautiful singing! own right. This has enriched the repertoire of gamelan music. Brandon, James R. Theatre in . Cambridge, Massachussetts: GAMELAN MUSIC IN NOTES Harvard University Press, 1967 Groenendael, M. Victoria Clara. Wayang IT IS NOT ONLY THE MUSICAL Theatre in Indonesia, An Annoted accompaniment of traditional theatre Bibliograpphy. Dordreat Holland/ that the Ramayana influences. This 1. The Panji legend was derived Providence, RI, USA: Foris influence can also be found in from a fourteenth century historical Publications, 1987. concert music. Because of the literary event in the Kingdom in Josodipuro, R. Ng. Serat Rama. : beauty and philosophy of the east Java. Van Dorp & Co., nd. Ramayana (Serat Rama), song texts Mangkunagara VII, R.G.P.A.A. (ed). Serat of gendhings are often taken from 2. The Ramayana is less popular Pedhalangan Ringgit Purwa. 37 the Ramayana, although the in Sumatera and has not developed vols. Surakarta, nd. gendhings are not presented in then- in the performing arts. Sindusastra, R. Ng. Sasrabahu. context. These gendhings may be 6 vols. Bajai Pustaka performed to entertain guests at 3. Middle Javanese language is the Weltevreden,1930 weddings, wedding receptions, or Javanese language which was Soedarsono (ed). "Laporan Seminar other ceremonies. developed between the old and the Sendratari Ramayana Nasional new Javanese language. Tahun 1970." Yogyakarta: Panitya The texts most often chosen are The Penyelenggara Seminar Sendra Tari Disappearance of Sita,' Hanuman as 4. It tells of the time when King Ramayana Nasional, 1970. an Envoy' and 'The Great War of Rama nervously contemplates the Soewito Santosa (ed).Urip-Urip. Surakarta: Alengka.' eve of his attack on Alengka. When Museum Radya Pustaka, 1990. all the soldiers and their

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