'Lesung' music pounding its way into listeners' hearts<\/p>\n
By Bambang Tiong<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Traditional arts are not only a way to win
\nover foreign tourists to the country's cultural riches, but also
\nyield much needed foreign exchange for the country.<\/p>\n
Prambanan, the small city which is the capital of Prambanan
\nsubdistrict in Klaten regency, Central Java, is a place of
\ncultural interest. It is home to such ancient archeological sites
\nas Rorojonggrang, Plaosan and Boko temples.<\/p>\n
Tlogo village chief H. Thoyibi is trying to popularize lesung
\n(mortar) music through the legend of Rorojonggrang.<\/p>\n
According to legend, Rorojonggrang was a princess in the
\nkingdom of Boko. A prince named Bandung Bondowoso asked for her
\nhand in marriage, but Rorojonggrang said he would first have to
\nbuild a thousand temples in one night.<\/p>\n
Bandung Bondowoso possessed supernatural powers and, deeply in
\nlove with the princess, accepted her condition. He ordered
\nthousands of genies to help him build the temples during the
\nnight.<\/p>\n
Rorojonggrang was anxious because she did not know beforehand
\nof the prince's powers. She did not love the prince and set out
\nto thwart his efforts. She woke up the villagers and told them to
\nset about their daily activities. Boko was an agricultural area,
\nwith most of the locals working as farmers, and they began to
\npound rice.<\/p>\n
Rorojonggrang went to Bandung Bondowoso and told him to stop
\nconstruction of the temples because it was day break. They
\ncounted the temples; at 999, the total was short of her
\nrequirement.<\/p>\n
Smarting at being made a fool of by the princess, Bandung
\nBondowoso angrily declared: \"As we are short of one temple, you
\nwill now become the replacement.\" Rorojonggrang was immediately
\nturned to stone, becoming what legend says is today's Prambanan
\nTemple.<\/p>\n
Before the advent of machinery people used the traditional
\ndevice of the lesung (mortar) to pound the rice with a instrument
\ncalled alu. The process produces a nontonal sound known as
\nrhythmical music. Lesung music groups consist of six people, with
\nthree performing the nutu, or the movements of rice pounding, one
\npounding the mortar's inner sides, one jabbing it from within and
\nthe other acting as the vocalist in singing lyrical songs like
\nCaping Gunung, Lesung Jumenggung. All participants must wear
\ntraditional Javanese attire.<\/p>\n
An expert in the art, H. Thoyibi said the survival of lesung
\nmusic was important to ensure the continuance of a culture now
\nforgotten by most of the younger generation.<\/p>\n
\"Culture is a nation's asset. If well managed, it can bring
\nforeign exchange to the state. It's a pity if it's forgotten,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
It's not easy to find the right elements for a successful
\ngroup.<\/p>\n
Ratno Raharjo, the 56-year-old instructor of Thoyibi's lesung
\ngroup, said many factors were important. First, the participants'
\ncostumes and makeup should suitably reflect the rural origins of
\nthe art. Group members should have simple faces like actual
\nvillagers and all elements of the performance must be adjusted in
\nkeeping with the desired rural setting.<\/p>\n
The cost of establishing a group is about Rp 5 million, broken
\ndown to about Rp 3.5 million for the purchase of the lesung and
\nalu and the remainder for costumes and other equipment.<\/p>\n
Ratno said the best mortars were made of wood from jackfruit
\ntrees between 40 years and 50 years old. Ideal dimensions are a
\nlength of 3.5 meters and 80 centimeters in width, with a cavity
\nabout 2.5 meters in length and 60 centimeters wide. He said the
\nmortars were good for pounding rice, producing a crystal clear
\nsound which echoed well.<\/p>\n
He said the best pounding instruments were made from old
\ncoconut trees of about 40 years because the wood was heavy and
\nhard; it elicits a loud sound when pounded against the mortar.
\nBest dimensions for the alu are a length of 1.5 meters, a
\ndiameter of 8 centimeters and 30 centimeters for its top.<\/p>\n
Ratno handles seven groups in the area of Prambanan. With
\nregular practice, the groups, established in March 2000, plan to
\nhold their first show in August on the stage of Rorojonggrang
\nTemple in Prambanan.<\/p>\n
\"I don't have any target in the first show, but I am sure a
\nlot of overseas tourists will be interested in it, and it also
\nhas good prospects for the development of tourism in Indonesia,\"
\nsaid Ratno.<\/p>",
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