Theater keeps traditional ties

By Yenni Kwok

JAKARTA (JP): There is a new buzzword for artistic styles. It is cengkok.

Coined by Ki Hadi Sujiwo Tejo in a discussion of "Theater and Tradition" recently at Taman Ismail Marzuki in Central Jakarta, the Javanese-rooted cengkok has connotations beyond its formal meaning, which is "accent" as well as "singing style".

Madurese speaking Indonesian have a different cengkok from Banyuwangi people. A pesinden, or Javanese traditional singer, from Surakarta has her own cengkok, distinct from an East Java pesinden.

In the discussion, with ethnomusicologist Endo Suanda, cengkok took on a broader meaning. It became a style or characteristic inherited from surrounding cultures or traditions.

"I imagine that cengkok is born and nurtured by tradition," said Sujiwo, who is also a dalang (traditional puppeteer) and Kompas daily's celebrated cultural correspondent.

Indeed the relationship between traditions and theater seems to parallel the mother-child relationship. They have a bond that is difficult to break. And the child is likely to inherit its mother's physical or spiritual traits.

Sujiwo easily pointed out the traditional traits among Indonesia's leading theater groups.

Bengkel Teater's Oedipus and Rituals of Solomon's Children reminded him of a Javanese warrior dance. In Teater Populer's Jayaprana Loyansari, some characters posed as if they were in a Balinese dance. Yogyakarta based Teater Gandrik has some of the traits of Central Javanese ketoprak, while Teater Koma is seen as a modern version of ludruk.

He even compared two performances by Studiklub Teater Bandung, Kartoluwak and Julius Caesar. He said that Kartoluwak, which was based on Sundanese tradition, had received good reviews. What about Julius Caesar?

"The costumes were Roman, but it was in Indonesian. It sounded like dubbed TV soap opera," Sujiwo scoffed.

"Cengkok is a basic ingredient. It needs to be learned," said Sujiwo. He argued that many theaters were dying because they had not developed with cengkok.

Members of the theater community who attended the discussion agreed. Says Ratna Sarumpaet, leader-director of Satu Merah Panggung: "Young theater groups need traditions to develop their characteristics."

Nevertheless, there were disagreements about whether tradition was the only source of cengkok. What happens if a theater group does not base itself on local traditions? Does it become a prodigal son who wanders off and fails?

Endo clearly doesn't think so. He thinks that cengkok is formed not only by tradition, but also by modern, western culture.

Style

"If we see cengkok as style, depth or a system, doesn't modern theater also have cengkok? It has its own cengkok, originated from western, eastern, northern or southern traditions," he said.

Endo sees nothing wrong with basing one's self on western traditions. Because some "prodigal sons" will eventually pay homage to the home traditions.

Musicians like Slamet Syukur or Tony Prabowo may depart from western music, but they then turn to traditional arts, without leaving their western characteristic.

In turn, they develop their own cengkok. "City cengkok, that is," Endo said.

This is the difference between Endo and Sujiwo. Endo said, "I don't suggest theater should go back to traditions. Modern theater will create its own cengkok."

Sujiwo, however, argues that the need to explore traditions is not merely philosophical or ideological. "This is not romanticism on my part -- saying our traditions are divine," he said.

Instead, adopting traditions could be purely practical. Sujiwo says traditions sell because they are unique. He talked about a Sundanese gendang player going to the United States. Being the only expert there, the player was commercially successful; he was invited all around the country.

Sujiwo complained that only a few theater groups incorporated traditional arts into their performances, but Dindon WS of Teater Kubur said that traditional traces were not always visible.

In some Teater Kubur performances Dindon opened with prolonged drumming on empty oil-drums. Oil drums were never present in Bode traditions. Yet, the prolonged musical intro is uniquely Bode.

"Memories of the past will always accompany a creative process," Dindon said. "If we study people's creations, we will probably find that they can't be detached from the artist's memory."

Sujiwo also acknowledged the spiritual presence of traditions. "I don't suggest transferring traditions to the modern theater," he said. "It is more like a spiritual adaptation of traditions."