Central Sulawesi strives to revive traditional bamboo music

Irvan NR, Palu

It is rare nowadays for youngsters and students to play traditional musical instruments, raising concerns among the older generation that traditional music may vanish.

One of these traditional musical instruments is the bamboo instruments from Central Sulawesi.

Primarily performed by senior citizens during welcome ceremonies for government officials and during Independence Day functions, the music is also used to enliven social occasions like weddings and religious functions for both Muslims and Christians.

The instruments are played in a group of 30 to 40. The instruments, made from bamboo, are various, ranging from flute to clarinet to form an entire bamboo orchestra.

Central Sulawesi music and cultural observer, Tasrief Siara, said that almost none of the younger generation in Tolitoli regency, Central Sulawesi, could play the bamboo music instruments anymore.

He added that the traditional instruments had been gradually replaced by modern musical instruments which are beginning to enter villages in the province.

He said that the young people were not to blame for abandoning the instruments but that the education office and tourism office had not been creative enough to preserve traditional music.

Tasrief acknowledged that the education office had initiated efforts to revive the skill in several villages after the outbreak of the sectarian conflict in 1998.

He cited Central Lore district in particular as an example of how extracurricular training in the art of playing the traditional bamboo music could become a focus in elementary schools.

Tasrief remained concerned however, that these efforts were not sufficient.

"Why don't they organize a bamboo music festival involving the whole region of Central Sulawesi. Many will certainly be interested," he suggested.

Head of the Central Sulawesi Cultural and Tourism office Liberty Pasaribu said that he was concerned about the fate of bamboo music. He promised to organize annual festivals without limiting the age of contestants. He believed this would encourage youngsters to learn how to play the music.

He said that traditional music was one of the attractions for foreign tourists in Central Sulawesi. Some of them have even asked where the bamboo musical instruments were made, but the office had little data on that.

"Many tourists come here to ask where the instruments could be bought as souvenirs," he said.

Raw materials to produce bamboo musical instruments are abundant in the villages. But special skills are needed to create them. It takes a month to complete one ensemble of the instruments.

The principal of Bariri elementary school in Central Lore, Yohanes Tombo, said that it required months of training before the children could play the bamboo music well. Besides breath control, note and song mastery were also needed.

He said that the bamboo orchestras involved 35 to 40 children.