Sujud Sutrisno sings for his supper from door to door<\/p>\n
By Ahmad Solikhan<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): A skinny man with a small drum and tape
\nrecorder hanging from his neck weaves his way in and out of a
\nrabbit's warren of kampongs, with laughing children dogging his
\nevery step.<\/p>\n
He is no ordinary wandering singer. Sujud Sutrisno, 46, is
\nknown for entertaining with ribald songs that keep people
\nlaughing throughout the performance.<\/p>\n
He sing songs he created himself or popular children's songs
\nwhose lyrics he alters.<\/p>\n
Sujud's faithful commitment to his profession has won him huge
\npopularity among people of all ages. It has allowed him to go on
\nstage with world-class musicians, star in a movie and win awards.<\/p>\n
Born in Klaten, Central Java, Sujud began singing on the
\nstreet when he was 11 with his father, Wiro Sumitro, who was a
\ngamelan player.<\/p>\n
After his father died in 1972, Sujud dropped out of junior
\nhigh school and sang alone in the street to help his family
\nsurvive.<\/p>\n
His reputation grew and he is widely acclaimed in Yogyakarta
\nfor the entertaining songs he warbles in a husky voice,
\naccompanied by a lively drum beat. He wears a jovial false
\nmustache and dark eye shadow which makes him look like he is
\ncontinually crying.<\/p>\n
He usually receives between Rp 100 and Rp 200 from each
\nhousehold. Some well-to-do admirers often hire him to sing
\nseveral songs for up to Rp 1,000 each.<\/p>\n
Sujud said he was often overwhelmed by such orders. When he is
\ntoo tired to sing, he will switch on the small tape player
\nhanging from his neck, lip-synching and cavorting to the tune.
\nHis enthusiastic performance usually does the trick.<\/p>\n
Thanks to his reputation, Sujud was chosen to appear in
\nPelajaran Cinta (Love Lesson), a romantic film starring Rano
\nKarno and Lydia Kandow, in 1979.<\/p>\n
But he has repeatedly refused offers from dangdut music groups
\nTeratai and Intan Sahara to join them as a drummer whenever they
\nperform at Yogyakarta's Purawisata People's Entertainment Park.
\nHe politely said that he did not want to be bound by a contract,
\nbut wished instead to have the freedom to wander, singing his
\npeculiar songs which are especially popular among children.<\/p>\n
He said it was difficult to alter the lyrics of dangdut -- an
\nIndonesian hybrid of Arab and Indian music -- to suit his style.
\nBesides, singing on the street earns him a lot more money than
\nsinging on stage with a group.<\/p>\n
"People may say that being a street singer is not prestigious
\nbut it is OK, I can earn about Rp 26,000 a day," he said proudly.<\/p>\n
There has been a dramatic rise in the number of street singers
\nin Yogyakarta since the economic crisis began in 1997, but hardly
\nany of the newcomers are cut out to be singers. Many have no
\ninstruments and only clap their hands while singing at busy
\nstreet intersections and shopping centers.<\/p>\n
Their presence is a nuisance for the general public. Those who
\ndo not want to have their peace disturbed by the wandering
\nsingers put up stickers on their door reading Ngamen Gratis,
\nmeaning the singers can sing if they want to but they will not
\nreceive payment.<\/p>\n
But the sticker does not apply to Sujud, whose reputation led
\nhim to perform at Jakarta's Ismail Marzuki Cultural Center in
\n1979, because he has steady clients in 20 neighborhoods
\nthroughout Yogyakarta. He visits each neighborhood once every
\nthree weeks to ensure his fans are not bored with his routine.<\/p>\n
The father of two children is on the street from 9 a.m. to 5
\np.m., confining his operations to housing complexes and
\nconsidering it "taboo" to perform at places like restaurants and
\nrecreation sites. He said he was aware that showing up at such
\nplaces would ruin the people's good time. Neither does he sing on
\npublic buses, believing he will be damned for causing more
\ninconvenience on the crowded buses.<\/p>\n
In his standard outfit of knee-length shorts, vest, sneakers
\nand a cap, Sujud is often hired to perform in other cities like
\nJakarta, Semarang, Surakarta, Purwokerto, Magelang, Madiun and
\nJambi. He sets a fee of Rp 350,000 for a show outside Yogyakarta;
\na show in Yogyakarta costs Rp 150,000 for a commercial event and
\nRp 100,000 for a noncommercial event, plus accommodation.<\/p>\n
Sujud, who has created 45 songs, usually sings between 15 and
\n20 songs in each show.<\/p>\n
He claimed that one of his shows was recorded by a Westerner,
\nwho reproduced it on cassettes and compact discs in the U.S.<\/p>\n
He complained he received no royalties from the sales.<\/p>\n
"In fact, I want to bring the case to court but I don't have
\nthe money," said Sujud, who has changed drums four times in the
\ncourse of his 35-year career.<\/p>\n
In 1988, he received an award from Yogyakarta governor Paku
\nAlam VIII for his dedication to arts and culture.<\/p>\n
Sujud loves his profession and does not have the slightest
\nidea about when he will hang up his drum for the last time. "I
\ndon't even think of changing professions. What's more it is
\ndifficult to find a job nowadays."<\/p>\n
He once joined the Alam Theater and performed in several plays
\nwith Sapto Raharjo, one of Yogyakarta's leading artists. He has
\nalso performed on the same stage with international performers
\nlike Jamaica Percussion Solo, Indian Drum, Ron Reeves Percussion
\nAustralia, Chinese Drum Music and Percussion Orchestra from
\nSwitzerland during the First Indonesian International Drum
\nFestival in 1992.<\/p>\n
The wandering "drum artist", as Sujud is affectionately known,
\nlives in a modest house in the Badran neighborhood of the city.
\nHe admitted he was not as energetic as he used to be. One day, he
\nsaid, he would retire to help his wife look after her food stall.<\/p>",
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