Behemoth drums of Jembrana, a silent pulse

Jagadhita, Contributor, Denpasar

A group of farmers in the Mendoyo district of Jembrana were spotted taking a break after hours of hard work in the field. As they sat together in a hut, one of them started to beat a traditional drum vigorously, its percussive sound ringing across the field.

The simple musical instrument, a Kendang Kau, is made from a coconut shell covered with a skin -- a boar's bladder.

This traditional musical instrument was later developed into Kendang Mebarung, a giant drum, one meter in diameter and one and a-half meters high.

For the Kendang Mebarung, cow hides were used for the skin. This leather was also used to create thick cords attached to the instrument that helped control its pitch. Such drums, which were only found in Jembrana, were first created in the 1930s.

In the 1940s, almost all villages in the Mendoyo district had the giant drums. The popularity of these instruments prompted villages to compete to see who could produce the biggest ones.

Making the instruments was not easy and the process took several months. People spent a lot of time and energy carving them using simple tools like axes and chisels.

The basic material for the drum shell was the trunk of the Gintungan tree. Finding trunks large enough did not use to be a problem as Mendoyo had many forests with big Gintungan trees. But the next process was more difficult. After cutting off a portion of the tree, the craftsmen hollowed out the trunk patiently to create the drum shell.

After the drum was finished, it was beaten energetically. Villagers flocked to hear its vigorous pounding, which accompanied many leisure activities. Drumming quickly became an important past-time in itself.

Almost every afternoon, the villagers, especially the young, would come together at the Balai Banjar (village hall) to listen to the music.

Drumming contests became popular, usually involving the participation of drummers from other districts. The contests helped develop a particular style of drumming.

"The rules of the game were soon decided. It was agreed that the sound of a drum was beautiful if it was in harmony," said drum artist I Ketut Singgih.

The popularity of Kendang Mebarung reached its peak in 1945. Almost at every event, the villagers asked the musicians bring out the percussive giants.

"It was really fun to hear the beat of the drum, more so, if it was combined with the sound of the gamelan or angklung (bamboo musical instrument), " Singgih said.

As time went by, development swept the Jembrana area and its forests diminished rapidly. Many big old trees, including the Gintungan, were cut down.

Meanwhile, other musical instruments, including Western ones, were introduced and people started to abandon the Kendang Mebarung.

Some of these antique drums are still kept in storage at village halls. Even though they are about 60 years old, they are well-maintained and can still produce an impressive sound.

But while their wooden frames have not rotted and their cow hides remain strong, few are interested in playing -- or listening -- to them.

The young abandoned the drums because they found them boring and the way they were played monotonous, Singgih said.

The Jembrana administration tries to preserve the art of Kendang Mebarung by showcasing them regularly at the Bali Art Festival.

Today, there are only six old Kendang Mebarung drums in Jembrana. Places they can be found include Banjar Ngoneng, Yeh Embang and Penyaringan.

To play them well, one must know how to tighten the cords to produce beautiful harmonies.

The drummers who once played them -- if they are still alive -- are likely to be elderly and have little strength to carry a beat.

The question rings in the silence. After the drums are tuned, the cords tightened, who will beat them?