Nuansa Journal of Arts and Design Volume 1 Nomor 1 September 2017 e-ISSN: 2597-405X dan p-ISSN: 2597-4041 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License Tembang in Dolalak Performance Art: Structure, Meaning, and Deconstruction Djarot Heru Santosa Keywords : ABSTRACT Performances; Dolalak Dolalak is a type of folk performance art popular in the Purworejo Song Lyrics; Structure; Regency, Central Java Province. Its existence is often associated Meaning; and with another folk performance art called Angguk. Both forms of Deconstruction. performance arts influence each other. Based on a study on a book written in 1938 by Th. Pigeaud with title on Javaanse Volksvertoningen (Javanese Folk Performance Arts), the name Angguk had been recorded at that time while Dolalak had not. Corespondensi Author Purworejo’s Dolalak was initially popularized by three santris Gadjah Mada University (religious students) named Rejotaruno, Duliyat, and Ronodimejo. Yogyakarta One of the popular elements of Dolalak performance is tembang. Email: [email protected] These tembangs are a form of sung folk poetry. It takes form in the oral language, using the Javanese language and containing elements. Up to 2010, found 210 Dolalak successful song lyric documented in writing. Besides poetry, the other elements of the song is a song. Dolalak song has a number of variations of the songs are quite unique and interesting when sang his poems. Discussion of the above problems, used an umbrella approach to Performance Studies (Art Studies appearance), was the study of the use of the song in the show Dolalak used models of Jacques Derrida's theory of deconstruction. Special analysis of linguistic elements used Dolalak song lyric theory proposed formula Albert B. Lord. Analysis begins with the deconstruction reveal pre- existing construction, namely the assertion that Dolalak the nuances of Islamic arts, especially seen from the use tembangnya. Starting from the existing construction, it found kontrakdisi of actual reality. Such contradictions give rise to ideas or a new offer in the way of understanding of Dolalak seen from the song and use. This research has resulted in findings that means a new understanding of Dolalak as folk performances seen from the use of poetry tembangnya, namely that Dolalak an art form that is simple, straightforward, uncomplicated, irregular, choose words that are popular, easily understood, and choose the theme of daily life. Song lyrics Dolalak more concerned with sound rather than sense or meaning. This condition reflects populist Dolalak as performance art. 23 Vol 1 No 1, September 2017 INTRODUCTION in the trance segment, the delivery of messages, etc. This research discusses one of Tembang is a form of poetry that is humans’ cultural products in the form of art, sung. The aesthetic power of a tembang specifically folk art performance. Art, as one when it is performed does not only lie in the of the cultural products of the people of spoken lyrics but also in the aspect of Indonesia, must be explored, preserved, and musicality, which is the intonation of the developed, as an endeavor to awaken tunes in which the lyrics is sung. The Indonesian people’s awareness of the combination of both aspects becomes more importance of maintaining the values of beautiful in the performance when the their nation. Indonesian culture consists of singing is accompanied by certain musical various regional cultures. This diversity instruments. does not only create difference and variants, The existence of tembang in a but also enriches and strengthens the performance art serves to stimulate and nation’s culture. influence the feelings of the listeners or One of the cultural products in the audience. The lyrics can be used to convey form of traditional performance art is certain messages while the melody and Dolalaki, which developed in the Purworejo rhythm can create a sense of aesthetics for Regency, Central Java. This form of those who are listening. The element of performance art shares many similarities tembang in a performance art sometimes with another performance art named does not exist independently, but it often Anggukii. Both are particular in a way that accompanies other forms of performance they contain Islamic themes, which is arts, such as Wayang, Ketoprak, Ludruk, especially obvious in one of the Jathilan, Kuda Lumping, Kuda Kepang, performances’ supporting elements that is Angguk, Dolalak, etc. One of the folk religious singing. performances in the form of a folk dance The problem examined from this using the element of tembang as its main artistic object is the existence of the supporting element is the Dolalak elements of the tembangs. The songs sung to performance in Purworejo. This kind of accompany the dance and performance in tembang eventually became well-known in Dolalak became popular by the name of its own rights by the name Dolalak’s Dolalak’s tembangs. Dolalak’s tembangs tembang. refer to the lyrics sung to accompany In the form of Dolalak’s tembang Dolalak performance.iii there are characteristics that can also be seen The definitions of the word ‘tembang’ in the tradition of religious singing, are (1) lyrics accompanied by music (to be especially in Islamic singing, such as sung), singing, (2) poems (KBBI, 2008: Perjanjen, Berjanjen, or Slawatan. These art 1430). Based on these definitions of forms had been popular in the Bagelen ‘singing’ or ‘tembang’, the word ‘tembang’ region, Purworejo (Th. Pigeaud, 1938). The is more accurate than the word ‘singing’. similar characteristics can be seen in the Therefore, the term Dolalak’s tembang linguistic aspect, namely the words used to means the lyrics sung during Dolalak worship God and Prophet Muhammad performances.iv PBUH, as well as the words adapted from The existence of Dolalak’s tembangs the Arabic language. In the aspect of has its own certain role, function, and musicality, these tembangs have almost meaning in the performance, one of which is similar intonations and tunes. related to the movements of the dances, the Another significance characteristic means of summoning indangv ‘holy spirit’ shared by Dolalak’s tembang with the Nuansa Journal of Arts and Design. e-ISSN: 2597-405X , p-ISSN: 2597-4041 previous Islamic singings is in the use of The object of this research is an musical instruments to accompany the artistic phenomenon in the form of a tembangs, namely rebana or terbang. performance art; therefore, the main According to R.M. Soedarsono, works of art approach used in this research is that of with an Islamic touch came from a similar performance studies. Artistic activities are a tradition, which is spreading the Islamic cultural product that can be related to the teachings or da’wah. Its origin is the conditions of the society at the era. The Slawatan, whose characteristic is the use of analysis on Dolalak’s tembang conducted in rebana (or terbang), singing praises this research uses the deconstructive especially for Prophet Muhammad PBUH approach. The concept of deconstruction and his followers (R.M. Soedarono, 1976 appeared in the postmodernism era, in late dan 1994: 4). 20th century as a respond to and resistance Dolalak’s tembangs are an interested against modernism. subject to study because the study can The deconstructive perspective is examine the form of the tembangs from the used in the endeavor to find meanings other linguistic and musicality aspects. This study than those that are usually found in a text. It is also important in finding the existence is does not ruin the existing orders, but it and aesthetics in folk performances. Another tries to break away from them, as well as interesting subject to study is the system in finds new centers where meanings could which tembangs is inherited from possibly be hidden still. Signification of a generations to generations by the society in text, according to Jacques Derrida, is which it exists. Moreover, since Dolalak’s marked with its spread over a timeline, tembangs exists as an oral tradition, the which means that meaning cannot be limited process in which they are inherited is only in a certain context, but it must be unique. dynamic, so that it allows the way for new Based on the background discussed meanings in accordance with their contexts above, through the concept of (Easthope, 1991: 113 in Faruk H.T., deconstructive analysis, the following 1999:150). problems are formulated as the subject Before the analysis is conducted in discussed and disclosed in this research: order to answer the main question, (1) How is structure of Dolalak discussion on the supporting problems is song lyrics? conducted using relevant approaches and (2) What kind of linguistic aspects theories. and meaning that song lyrics Analysis on the construction of used in a Dolalak performance? structure of Dolalak’s tembangs is (3) How do the initial construction, conducted using Milman Parry’s theory of contradictions, and new Formula, which was further developed by construction Dolalak’s song his student, Albert B. Lord. References on lyrics? the theory of formula in this research are 2. Theoretical Framework and Method of taken from the formulations expressed by Research Albert B. Lord (Lord, 1981:30). In order to answer the Dolalak’s tembangs can be aforementioned research questions, a set of considered as sung folk poetry, which relevant theories and an appropriate means that a study of folk poetry is a study methods are employed in this research. The in the field of literature, specifically oral following are the theories and method that literature. Studies on sung folk poetry in are used in this research. Europe and other parts of the world have 2.1 Theoretical Framework been conducted by Parry and Lord. Their 25 Vol 1 No 1, September 2017 research materials concerned folk epic sung aspects in the lyrics of Dolalak’s tembangs.