Betawi culture to highlight first ever street festival

Betawi culture to highlight first ever street festival

This is the last of two articles on the upcoming Jaksa Fair
written by Lenah Susianty.

JAKARTA (JP): The forthcoming three-day Jaksa Fair, the first
street festival ever held in the city, will feature Jakarta's
native Betawi culture.

The fair aims to promote tourism industry in the street and to
revive the old Betawi culture.

To start on Friday, the fair is organized by the Association
of Jl. Jaksa's Tourism Industry Organizers (IKJS) in cooperation
with the Municipal Tourism Office, and is planned to become an
annual event.

"Currently, tourists' average staying period in Jl. Jaksa is
only two to three days because they use Jakarta only as a transit
point, "T.Ismoejanto Sk, deputy chairman of the organizing
committee, said here Monday. "With the fair, we hope they can
extend their staying period to more than three days and in the
future we hope to use this event to attract more tourists."

"We also want to highlight the Betawi culture because this
city is the hometown of the Betawi whose culture nears
extinction," said program coordinator Ukke Kosasih. "Many people
living in Jakarta for years still do not know the culture and
even the Betawi artists cannot keep performing because they do
not have enough funds to finance their activities."

Programs

The programs of the fair to be presented by Betawi artists
are:

* Ondel-ondel: A couple of giant puppets usually designed to
welcome special guests or simply to act as guards of a carnival.

Experts believe their role is not just as mascots of a
carnival as they also symbolize the Betawi's ancestors who guard
their descendants in their village.

The male ondel-ondel represents the tough guy from the old
days of Betawi. Its stiff, black mustache and bright red face is
intended to show how strong-hearted he is. The female one looks
as stiff, her white face meant to reflect her pure and innocent
personality.

Most ondel-ondels are 2.5 meters high and 80 centimeters in
diameter.

* Krontjong Toegoe: In the 1930s, keroncong music was very
popular. And somehow, well-liked keroncong singers were called
buaya keroncong or the stars of keroncong. Until today there are
places which still retain their dedication to this kind of music
and are known for keroncong bands. One is the Tugu area in
Cilincing, North Jakarta. Tugu residents are mostly of Portuguese
descent and they have a keroncong group known as Krontjong
Toegoe.

The origin of keroncong, like any other Betawi music, is from
anywhere but Betawi. It is believed that the music was originally
Portuguese and played on boats in a river or from house to house
on Christmas. Portuguese nuances are very strong in this music.

Its instruments are the violin, ukulele, mandolin, guitar and
cello; its lyrics: kaparinyo and moresco; and even the costumes
of the band members (with scarves around their necks) are still
reflecting the Portuguese origin.

* Tanjidor : In the 18th century, when Jakarta became bigger
and the Dutch landlords who lived in the capital were forced to
move to Cibinong and Citeureup (in the southern outskirts of
Jakarta, near Bogor city), Tanjidor musical groups began to shape
up.

Tanjidor musicians used a lot of wind instruments such as the
tuba, trumpet and trombone and played waltz and march music with
songs in Dutch. However, they had a very significant Betawi soul
and later they started to play also Malay music such as Surilang
and Jali-jali. The Tanjidor groups were previously dominated by
male musicians. Only recently did they start to invite female
masked dancers to dance along with their music.

The Tanjidor groups were also associated with the Chinese
Lunar New Year (usually takes place in January or February). One
week before the lunar new year or on the New Year's Day a lot of
Tanjidor groups from Bekasi or Tangerang made a many trips to
Chinese areas in Greater Jakarta. Sometimes they traveled even to
farther areas such as Sukabumi and Bogor in West Java. They
performed door-to-door (in exchange for money) or at special
venues. Usually these traveling musical groups consisted of less
than five persons and were all male.

During the fair, we will see performances by the Pusaka Putra
Mayang Sari group chaired by Marta.

* Gambang Kromong: When Chinese males began to settle on this
land in the 17th century, they started to search for
entertainment since most of them came here without their spouses.
They then tried to introduce their music to Betawi musicians. The
result is Gambang Kromong with its very mixed Chinese and Betawi
musical instruments. To mention a few are the gong and gendang
mixed with ningnong and kongahyan which is similar to the Chinese
violin.

The music was very popular among the Betawi-Chinese high
society. It was played in parties and during Cap Go Meh festival
(a Chinese ritual ceremony where people paraded around statues of
gods from Chinese temples). Chinese repertoires were its main
menu, including the Go Nio rindu (Go Nio Misses Someone), Thio
Kong Len (a Chinese name) and Engko si Baba (Baba's Older
Brother).

Chinese

Until early this century, Gambang Kromong songs were still in
Chinese.

* Rebana Ketimpring: To most Betawi, Islam is not merely a
religion. It is also a way of life and art. Rebana ketimpring is
one of the Islamic arts of Betawi. It is performed at wedding
ceremonies, circumcision parties, celebration of newborns and the
like.

Rebana ketrimping is a musical group consisting of three
persons whose job is to accompany the bride and bridegroom, or a
boy who is about to be circumcised. The musicians usually play
giant rebana of around 20-25 centimeters in diameter or a hand-
held tambourine and sing lyrics cited from the Koran or stories
set around the birth of Prophet Mohammad.

* Topeng Betawi: This is probably the most unimpaired art of
Betawi. There is music, dance, song, play and comedy all in one
show. The artists' make-up, their hip movements, their witty
humor, and the play of words and show of magic reflect its down-
to-earth character. The dance is performed at the beginning of
the show, and the rest takes a theater form. Most of the stories
are about the colonial era in the 1920s to 1950s. A special
character, known locally as Bapak Janthuk and who always wears a
mask, usually appears in the closing act. He speaks words of
wisdom in an amusing way.

* Lenong Denes: When the Malays came to Sunda Kelapa (the old
Jakarta port) in the 17th century, they brought along with them a
new form of theater called Durmuluk. The Betawi adopted the art
and called it Lenong Denes which probably originated from the
Dutch dienst, meaning official or formal.

Lenong Denes is a kind of opera, with its chanted dialogs
accompanied by Gambang kromong music. The artists wear prince-
like costumes since their stories are based on tales of the One
Thousand and One Nights tale.

As of today, there are only three groups of Lenong Denes in
Jakarta. Lack of artists and the expensive costumes have hampered
the development of this popular theater.

The Jaksa Fair will present one of the surviving groups named
Jali Putra, headed by Rojali or Jali Jalut.

* Panjat Pinang (climbing oily tree): This is a popular game
among children and adults. An oil-polished, 20-meter high skinned
palm tree is erected in the middle of a lawn. Anyone can take
part in this game. Prizes are hung on the top of the tree.

Lenong

* Lenong Rumpi: Actually, Lenong Rumpi is the name of a group
which has modernized the traditional lenong or Betawi theater by
inserting daily urban life anecdotes and settings. Members of
this group are popular singers, musicians, models, fashion
designers and movie actors and actresses. The group is well-known
now because of its regular performances on the private television
station RCTI.

* Sahibul Hikayat: The Betawis adopt this storytelling art
from the Malays. Most of the stories are Persian and Egyptian
delivered in a witty and humorous style all night long.

Until today, Sahibul Hikayat is still very popular among the
people of Kemayoran, Kebon Sirih, Salemba and Tanah Abang areas
in Central Jakarta. The most well-known and well-liked living
story teller is Achmad Sopiyan Zahid who will exhibit his talents
at the fair.

* Rancak: This is another storytelling art which is almost
forgotten. With Gambang Kromong music in the background, a couple
of storytellers improvise and recite poems. It is different from
Sahibul Hikayat in that it originally came from China and the
stories are Chinese ones, including Sam Pek Eng Thay or the
Chinese version of Romeo and Juliet.

Rancak tellers spend about eight hours delivering a story.
They also have to use the right gestures, expressions and
sometimes perform mimes as well. That is the reason good stamina
is needed to be a good rancak teller.

Dance

* Sembah Nyai: Guests are very special persons and have to be
treated as such. That is how the Betawi and most Indonesians
receive visitors. This Sembah Nyai dance is to express their
gratitude towards the guests. At the end of the show, accompanied
by Samrah music in the background, a dancer offers betel leaf, a
symbol of relationship, to the guests.

* Ngarojeng : This is a relatively new dance, created in 1989
by choreographer Wiwiek Widyastuti. It is strongly influenced by
Sundanese and Balinese music and inspired by a pair of sacred
Gamelan ajeng which is played only at certain occasions. The
motions in the dance are expressions of appreciation of the
Betawi towards Gamelan ajeng.

* Topeng Gong: This is another creation of Wiwiek Widyastuti.
She crossed Betawi mask art with gong, both are well known among
the Betawi.

* Lambang sari: This dance is inspired by Bapak Janthuk, a
well-known character of topeng Betawi (Betawi mask). In lambang
sari, the masked character, Bapak Janthuk, teaches his kid to
sing and dance. However, he also gets angry when he finds his
wife is not at home.

* Bada'Hattam: Koran reading or Ngaji is one of important
aspects for the Betawi. The dance expresses the romanticism of
learning to read the Koran.

* Penganten sunat or circumcised bridegroom: To most Betawi,
every stage of life has its own meaning and ritual, especially
when it is related to religion - Islam. Circumcision, which is
the symbol of the beginning of a boy's life as an adult, is
usually celebrated by making a procession with the boy around the
village.

A penganten sunat or a boy to be circumcised has to wear a
kind of Middle East/Arabian outfit. He rides a horse or other
vehicle, accompanied by ondel-ondel and music of rebana, making a
tour around the village.

* Belenggo: A dance which is believed to originate from West
Java. The gestures are based on a traditional martial art called
pencak silat.

* Marawis: A procession with rebana as its main musical
companion. The procession is influenced strongly by the Arabic
culture and is usually only known among the Betawi of Arabic
origin.

* Ronggeng: It was previously a dance for one person, but
gradually it was performed by two. The gestures totally depend on
the rhythm of the music and the gong. Its comical gestures are
its highlights.

* The making of Purnam: Paper lanterns or purnam is usually
used to decorate Betawi parties and celebrations. It has various
forms, circular, triangular and rectangular.

* Kembang kelapa and sirih nanas: Kembang Kelapa banners are
used as decorations in wedding and circumcision ceremonies, while
sirih nanas (pineapple betel) is used as a wedding dowry. When
asking for a girl's hand, the family of the groom should bring
betel which is arranged in the form of pineapple. Sirih nanas
symbolizes the sweet part of life which has many obstacles, but
the couple can survive with great understanding between them.

Programs:

Friday, Aug.5

* 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Opening ceremony by Jakarta's Governor
Surjadi Soedirdja at Si Pitung tower (a traditional Betawi house
erected across the Jl. Jaksa for this special occasion) with a
procession of Ondel-ondel, Rebana Ketimpring, Sembah Nyai and
fireworks.
* 8:30p.m.-9:30 Gambang Kromong - Stage III
* 7:30 - 7:45 Ondel-ondel
* 7:30 - 9:30 demonstration of the making of Purnam
traditional paper lanterns.
* 7:45 - 8:15 Bada'hattam - Stage II
* 9:00 - 11:00 Sahibul Hikayat - stage I

Saturday, Aug.6

* 4:00p.m.- 4:30 p.m. Ondel-ondel
* 4:00 - 6:00 demonstration of the making of kembang kelapa or
banner of coconut tree leaves and sirih nanas or wedding dowry
* 4:30 - 5:00 Lambang sari - Stage I
* 5:00 - 5:15 Ronggeng - Stage II
* 6:30 - 6:45 Topeng gong - Stage II
* 7:00 - 7:30 Ondel-ondel
* 7:30 - 8:30 Gambang kromong - Stage III
* 7:00 - 9:00 demonstration of kembang kelapa and sirih nanas
* 8:30 - 10:30 Lenong denes - Stage I
* 8:30 - 9:30 Rancak - Stage III
*10:00 -12:00 a.m. Layar tancep (outdoor movie): Si Pitung and Mat Pelor

Sunday, Aug.7

* 10:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m.Ondel-ondel
* 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Demonstration of Purnam making
* 11:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. Games
* 11:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Angklung by the Nichiren Syosyu Indonesia
* 1:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m.Tanjidor
* 2:00 - 2:30 Ngarojeng - Stage I
* 3:00 - 5:00 Demonstration of Purnam making
* 4:00 - 5:30 Keroncong toegoe - Stage III
* 4:30 - 5:30 Topeng Betawi - Stage I
* 7:00 - 7:30 Tanjidor
* 7:00 - 9:00 Demonstration of Purnam making
* 7:30 - 8:00 Belenggo - Stage I
* 8:00 - 9:00 Marawis
* 8:30 p.m- 9:30 Lenong Rumpi - Stage I