Cirebon school fights to keep traditional arts alive<\/p>\n
By Ida Indawati Khouw<\/p>\n
CIREBON, West Java (JP): If you ask townsfolk if they know
\nabout the karawitan (traditional music) school inside Cirebon's
\nKasepuhan palace, the answer probably will be no.<\/p>\n
The Pakungwati Karawitan High School's lack of recognition is
\npartly because of its location within the palace complex.<\/p>\n
But even many of those who know of the school are skeptical
\nabout the future of its alumnae. The karawitan school has only
\none specialty: Cirebon traditional dances.<\/p>\n
Its lack of popularity is obvious. The first grade has just
\nthree students, the second has five students and the third only
\nthree students.<\/p>\n
The school building is very modest: basically a long hall with
\nthe three classrooms separated by wooden partitions, and a
\nstaffroom.<\/p>\n
But the principal, Hadi Soerojo, said Pakungwati would
\ncontinue even if it had only one student. \"Our prime goal is
\npreserving the Cirebon culture,\" he said.<\/p>\n
And the students keep coming, while the teachers never lose
\ntheir enthusiasm even though they are paid a mere Rp 6,000 per
\nhour. There is no such thing as the monthly salary enjoyed by
\nteachers at regular schools.<\/p>\n
The Pakungwati school is named after Ratu Ayu Pakungwati, the
\nwife of Syech Syarif Hidayatullah, popularly called Sunan Gunung
\nJati, and one of the nine Islamic saints who propagated Islam in
\nJava.<\/p>\n
It was built in 1991 by the Keraton (palace) Kasepuhan
\nFoundation, which was established on Nov. 11, 1988, and also
\nmanages the school.<\/p>\n
The foundation's mission is to preserve Cirebon's cultural
\nheritage through tourism and the arts.<\/p>\n
Interest in the school was at first \"not bad\", Hadi said, with
\n30 students in 1991 and 20 in 1992 and 1993.<\/p>\n
Skepticism in the future of graduates is one reason student
\nnumbers have dwindled to 11.<\/p>\n
But people are also reluctant to send their children to a
\nschool that is privately owned (let alone by the palace).<\/p>\n
The private ownership forces students to go to the Bandung
\nState Karawitan School to sit exams.<\/p>\n
\"The laws require that there be only one state Karawitan
\nschool in each province. Cirebon is allowed to have one because
\nit has a peculiarity, the palaces,\" Hadi said, referring to the
\nfour keraton in Cirebon: Kasepuhan, Kanoman, Kacirebonan and
\nKaprabonan.<\/p>\n
The school's final practical exam is held in Bandung, about
\n180 kilometers from Cirebon. Students have to pay the cost of
\ntransport and accommodation for themselves and the musicians,
\nwhich can amount to Rp 400,000 per student.<\/p>\n
Seeking donations<\/p>\n
Most students come from poor families. Hadi said one student
\nunable to afford the transport costs often had to stay away from
\nschool.<\/p>\n
\"That's why we are always seeking donations, to keep the costs
\nlow.<\/p>\n
\"Last year we were able to subsidize the exam fee because we
\nreceived funds from the city administration.\"<\/p>\n
Every year the school receives Rp 15 million in operating
\nfunds from the city administration, but the Rp 10,000 monthly
\ntuition fee is still too expensive for many students.<\/p>\n
However, financial hardships do not seem to dampen the
\nstudents' commitment to preserving the Cirebon arts.<\/p>\n
Student Nani is a good example. Her father is a topeng (mask)
\nmaker from Kapetakan village.<\/p>\n
\"My father will do everything to send me to this school,\" she
\nsaid. \"His dream is to see me become someone who contributes to
\nthe Cirebon arts.<\/p>\n
\"I always attend classes, except when another inter-village
\nfight (involving Kapetakan) breaks out,\" said Nani, who is
\ncarrying on an arts tradition from her father and grandfather.<\/p>\n
Kapetakan is a notorious place, where residents of several
\nvillages are often involved in street brawls.<\/p>\n
The schools' only male student, Dodi from Gesik village, said:
\n\"I want to continue my study to the higher arts school, then I
\nwant to dedicate myself to preserving the arts.\"<\/p>\n
He agrees that preserving the arts does not provide a decent
\nliving.<\/p>\n
\"That's why I hope I can have a side job, maybe as flower
\ntrader like most people in my village.\"<\/p>\n
Desi has a different dream. \"I want to become 'ambassador' in
\narts and travel abroad introducing our culture,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Another student, Elis, is optimistic about her future.
\n\"Teachers of Cirebon dances are much sought after,\" she said,
\nadding that even now she could earn money from dancing.<\/p>\n
\"Students here can earn between Rp 15,000 to Rp 20,000 for
\neach Cirebon dance, so I think I can live from dance,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The school's curriculum is similar to that of regular schools,
\nbut involves extra hours learning and practicing dances.<\/p>\n
The dances are divided into three categories: Topeng (mask),
\nTayub (sensual folk dance) and Wayang (puppet).<\/p>\n
Topeng dance teacher Rusiyanti said Cirebon boasted 19 genres
\nof traditional dances.<\/p>\n
The school's teachers are professional dancers, and some have
\nacademic degrees in traditional arts.<\/p>\n
Despite the constraints on staffing and finances, the school
\nhas pioneered the preservation of such cultural heritage as
\nGamelan Sekaten, the music orchestra that once propagated Islam
\nin Cirebon.<\/p>\n
It also hosted a seminar last June featuring dance and music
\nexperts from villages with arts communities, such as Bongas,
\nGegesik and Indramayu.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cirebon-school-fights-to-keep-traditional-arts-alive-1447893297",
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