Jakarta's `sahibul hikayat' a tale rarely told today

Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ahmad Sopiyan Zahid is the last of his breed, the final exponent of the story-telling tradition of Jakarta's native community.

Although Zahid, popularly known as Bang ("older brother") Zaid, has no direct competitors in his art form of Sahibul Hikayat, the 62-year-old is not raking in the dough.

"I'm already doing well if I'm asked to perform once a month. Many people today prefer to have a performance by a single organist and a singer who can sing dangdut or pop music at their wedding parties, rather than an old man talking by himself," Bang Zaid said.

In the past, he could receive up to Rp 1 million to travel to Cirebon in West Java or Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) for a performance, which lasts from two to three hours depending on the length of the story.

But those days are long gone, and he wonders who will carry on his tradition.

"I don't know who else will become a sahibul hikayat teller once I retire. None of my children show any interest to follow me," said Bang Zaid, who has also tried various other professions, including a stint as a jeweler.

"No one knows if this tradition will just be forgotten and lost forever."

Sahibul hikayat is said to have originated in the Middle East and reached Jakarta through the Malaysian peninsula. The stories, often about royalty, show influences from Persia and Egypt.

It's a one-man show, without any music or other accompaniment, and in many ways it appears to be a form of stand-up comedy. The only thing that brings the entertainment to life is the storyteller himself.

He tells a story, mimicking one role one minute and in the next changing to another, using body movements to convey the acts. The storyteller is also free to improvise in the middle of a story to put current events into context.

It takes wit, spontaneity, a thorough knowledge of Islamic teachings and resourcefulness to keep the audience's attention.

"There is no school for what I do. One must really have the passion and talent to become what I am now," said the father of six daughters.

He finished his studies at a madrasah Islamic elementary school and never continued on to high school.

His skills were passed down to him by his father, Mohammad Zaid, who also was a popular sahibul hikayat teller. Listening to his way of telling a story, reading various old books and observing what his father did during a show were his routine lessons in life.

"My first performance was back in 1971 after my father passed away," said Bang Zaid, who had several live radio shows in the 1970s.

The Betawi have been given short shrift by those who decide the Indonesian cultures that deserve the spotlight, but Betawi- themed TV shows, such as Si Doel Anak Betawi, Gado-Gado Betawi and Mandragade, were hits in recent years.

Unfortunately, these are often patronizing in their depictions, showing country bumpkins perplexed by the city growing up around them.

But there is also a regular Betawi traditional lenong theater performance on TV, another rare example of the arts of the inner- city Betawi community.

Like sahibul hikayat, lenong, samrah (Islamic music sung in chorus) and tonil (Betawi theater performance) are increasingly overshadowed by the art of Betawi pinggir (suburban Betawi) from outlying areas, such as Srengseng Sawah, Cileduk and Karang Tengah, all in South Jakarta.

"People focus more on the art and culture of the suburban Betawi, because they are more expressive and entertaining," he said.

"Lenong and Betawi leather puppets are also included in their art forms. They speak a more expressive Betawi dialect which to some people sounds so rural and straightforward. Me and my sahibul hikayat are part of inner-city Betawi," Bang Zaid said.

Betawi culture is actually a treasure trove of color, tradition, song, dance, clothing, cuisine, language and dialect. It absorbs and is influenced by varied cultures, such as Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic and Dutch.

In Jakarta, the Betawi are considered to be the hosts of these cultures, having emerged from the melting pot of races, ethnic groups and cultures of Indonesia in the 19th century.

"I don't yield, but we all have to admit that Jakarta grows too fast, with more people coming along with their tastes. I just can't cater to all of them. Others serve them well with movies, contemporary music and modern art performances," he said.

"I just have to live with what I get."