The Popularity of Karinding among Bandung Society Hinhin Agung Daryana Institut Seni Budaya Indonesia (ISBI) Bandung Jalan Buah Batu No. 212 Bandung ABSTRACT The study focuses on the impact of the karinding popularity on Bandung society. In trying to understand its focus, the study uses interdisciplinary approaches including soci- ology and anthropology. It employs qualitative research method including data collection from oral and wri en sources. Since being played by a band called Karinding A! ack, karin- ding became popular in Bandung. Further, the popularity of karinding gave some impacts on Bandung people, both its practitioners and its audience. Some programs and activities considered as the result of the popularity of karinding include multiple activities such as tourism activities, networking development, educational activities, revitalization of tradi- tional arts other than karinding, music development, literacy development, and the develop- ment of the creative economy. Keywords: impact, popularity, karinding, Bandung, interdisciplinary approach INTRODUCTION karinding can be used as an educational Karinding is a musical instrument which medium to teach moral values to the com- originally served as a personal entertain- munity. The local wisdom contained in its ment, then later developed to have multiple simple form can serve as a way of life for functions in West Java. At fi rst, karinding was the people. known by Sundanese people as a means of Traditional music that was considered ge ing rid of pests in the rice fi eld. Today, out of date by the youths now is in contrary it has gone through various developments. point of view when karinding began to de- The best moment happened in 2008, when velop in Bandung. They have realized to there was an encounter between a commu- preserve karinding and Sundanese culture nity named Bandung Death Metal Syndi- in general. Moreover, karinding became cate with karinding that later developed as an opening gate to introduce other forms it is now. of Sundanese culture such as iket, pangsi, Initially, the public response was ordi- Sundanese le ers, heritage, and Sunda- nary for there were just a few people who nese religion called Sunda wiwitan. Cur- knew karinding. However, it did not dis- rently, karinding is believed to be a musical courage individual member of the commu- instrument that can raise the awareness of nity of Bandung Death Metal Syndicate to the youths to local values, especially un- introduce karinding and Sundanese culture derground musicians in Bandung. One of to the metal music fans in particular and the music gorups that brought this pheno- Bandung society in general. menon is Karinding A ack, a music group Basically, at that time they thought that formed by the pioneers of the metal com- Panggung Vol. 27 No. 4, Desember 2017 354 munity, Ujungberung Rebels (it is believed are inspired to perform various cultural ac- to be the fi rst and largest music community tivities or even explore the potential of each in Indonesia), whose each band has thou- individual that they later implemented in sands of fans. the form of creative cultural products with Conservation eff orts by utilizing the high economic values through karinding. development of Internet, technology and A sequence of interesting events related to mass media, as well as a local economic karinding during the period of 2008-2016 base development, are eff ective tools to took place in some areas in Bandung such popularize karinding. Karinding expansion as Soreang (Bandung Regency), Lembang to major cities in West Java has caused some (West Bandung Regency), and other cities movements such as tourism activities, ka- in West Java. rinding networking, educational activities, In particular, the fi gures (initiators) in revitalization of traditional arts other than Soreang and Lembang, as research loca- karinding, development of karinding music tions, consciously acknowledged that the and its forms, development of literacy asso- presence of karinding in their regions is ciated with karinding arts and development strongly infl uenced by the music band Ka- of a creative economic base. rat. Their pa erns of spreading and move- ment the music are very similar to those of METHOD Karat. They also admi ed that since they The problems examined in this study used social media, almost every product are focused on the impact of the popular- (songs and merch) that they launched was ity of karinding among Bandung people. appreciated extensively, both positively and To answer the questions, this study uses a negatively. Appreciation of their patrons qualitative method which is basically a ho- (fans) in social media could usually lead listic method that combines data analysis to invitations to perform in events such as with relevant aspects in order to produce music concerts, performances, gatherings, a description or a picture systematically, home bands, or wedding. factually, and accurately about facts and 2. Community Involved in Shaping the relationships between observed phenome- Appearance of Karinding in Bandung na. This research includes observation and Some communities are closely related in-depth interview which were carried out to Karat and give a signifi cant infl uence on in Bandung, Soreang, and Lembang, invol- the development of karinding in Bandung. ving the members of the Karinding A ack Among them is the Ujungberung Rebels band (later shortened- Karat) and other kar- community. The acquaintance of karinding inding practitioners associated with data with Ujungberung Rebels community be- necessary for this study. gan when Bandung Death Metal Syndicate (BDMS) was formed. BDMS was initiated RESULTS AND DISCUSSION by some Bandung underground music fi - The spread of Karinding in Bandung gures, namely Amenk (Disinfected), Man 1. Area (Jasad), and Okid (Gugat), which aims to The acquaintance of Abah Olot with liven up death metal music that was rela- Bandung metal musicians has brought a tively quiet at that time. Developing local new story to the world of karinding in Ban- identity became their vision, because in ad- dung. From creative hands of the metal com- dition to its uniqueness, they also assume munity, karinding arises and transforms into that there was the same spirit with the mu- a new form. Regarding this, some youths sic they brought. Daryana: The Popularity of Karinding among Bandung Society 355 Since 2007 they add martial arts like in Bandung can be classifi ed into four sta- pencak silat and debus on their performance ges, namely: based on an advice of their friends. Since 1) Innovation then, a traditional art began to get posi- Karat is able to present relatively buhun tive responses from Bandung metal music (old) music in a new concept. fans and led to close relationship between 2) Communication Channels BDMS and Sundanese music groups. At There are three types of communication that point, Ki Amenk and Man got to know channels used by Karat, among others: (1) karinding, and their tutors were Mang Eng- mass media (printed and electronic); (2) in- kus and Mang Utun. Since then karinding ternet (social media); and (3) interpersonal quickly spread among the metal musicians communication. of Ujungberung Rebels until now. 3) Time Period Karat is a band that was born from the The time span of 8 years is relatively a event namely “Jumat Keramat” (“Sacred short time for Karat’s achievement. Increasing Friday”). It was a weekly activity held eve- numbers of players and researchers of karind- ry Friday at a place called Common Room. ing are a clear evidence of their success. From the search done by the writer on its of- 4) Social System fi c ial website, the Common Room Networks The similarity of the innovators’ mind- Foundation is a place facilitating the needs set in the eff ort of spreading karinding en- of dialogue and multidisciplinary collabora- couraged them to perform a series of pene- tions between individuals, communities, and trations that were initially impossible to be organizations with multiple backgrounds to possible. Problems are solved and goals can share their experiences and knowledge, with be achieved. both local people and foreigners. b. Factors Aff ecting Diff usion Process Regarding this, the Common Room is 1) Social Level a meeting point for people with diff erent The success of karinding spread in Ban- interests and becomes a strategic place for dung is caused by the backgrounds of the Karat in accelerating the spread of karin- Karinding A ack members, in which the ding. As they joined in the Common Room, members can be considered the trendse er they met a French who was interested in in the area of metal music in Bandung, and their music and off ered a recording session, even in Indonesia. so that the Karat’s fi rst song “Ma Hampura 2) Strategic Location 1” was produced. After the single was up- The central point of dissemination for loaded on Youtube, it soon a racted lots of information (Common Room) is fairly stra- friends and viewers, especially metal mu- tegic (located in Central Bandung) and it is sicians, and as the result, Karinding A ack the success determinant of the information was born. dissemination of karinding to other areas in 3. Diff usion Pa erns Bandung, such as East, West, South, and The birth of some groups of karinding North Bandung. Until now, the most ac- music in Bandung and its surrounding areas tive karinding music groups are commonly can be identifi ed as the impact of the Karat found in the region of West Bandung (Lem- popularity among the Bandung society. bang) and Southern Bandung (Soreang). Thus, the difusion pa erns are analyzed by 3) Adopters’ Characteristics using Rogers’ diff usion theory (1971: 5). Individual acceptance is regarded as a. Diff usion Process one of the main factors aff ecting the process Basically, the karinding spread process of karinding spread in Bandung.