Traditional drums brings spirit of peace to Aceh

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

There is a saying in Aceh, meunyo ka dimeusurapai uroe lageum dipiyoh dimeusu budee, meaning that weapons should stop firing when the rapai drum is beaten.

That saying has inspired thousands of Acehnese to hold a two- day Rapai Pase festival -- with a parade of musicians leaving from Kutaraja in Banda Aceh on Sunday to Peurelak, East Aceh -- to greet the peace deal between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

The government and GAM concluded in July a fifth round of talks with GAM in Helsinki, producing a deal that could end decades of separatist fighting in the province and is scheduled to be signed on Aug. 15.

"I feel optimistic that with this festival, there will be peace in Aceh. Previous generations of Acehnese have proven it and now we must try," said Syamsuddin Jalil, a cultural observer who helped to organize the festival.

The Joint Commission for New Aceh (KBAB) has reported moves by both disputing parties to reject the peace process by mobilizing people to foil any signing of truce.

Twice the Indonesian government and GAM have signed a truce, but both were proven short-lived.

Under then president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, both parties agreed upon a humanitarian pause following the first ever negotiation with GAM in 2000, but it quickly broke down.

Gus Dur's successor Megawati Soekarnoputri ordered a major offensive against GAM under a martial law only five months after the second cease fire signed in December 2002.

The third chance for peace came only after tsunami killed nearly 130,000 people in Aceh last December.

Rapai pase is an Acehnese traditional drum that originated from Pase in North Aceh. The round instrument, made of wood and leather and measuring around 100 cm in diameter, is also said to have been used to mark the arrival of Islam in Pase. It is usually played during traditional rites or historical events.

The art form almost vanished during the decades of conflict and has never been played in public for the last 10 years.

The parade -- the biggest ever in Aceh's history -- started at 9 a.m. on Sunday, with the drummers -- mostly from North Aceh -- busily hitching their rapai to the trucks for the festival.

Before leaving Banda Aceh, 288 drummers beating 144 rapai drums delivered the spirit of peace as they rode around on over 10 trucks across Banda Aceh, belting out religious and peace- themed lyrics while pounding out a rhythm on their drums.

The group left the Darussalam area before heading to Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, Blang Padang field and arrived at the governor's office compound.

"Before heading to Peurelak, we toured Banda Aceh. We passed every inch of land to ensure the peace of Aceh," Syamsuddin said.

A rapai drummer, M. Yusuf Syam, a 50-year-old resident of Cot Muerong village in North Aceh, said he and other residents came to Banda Aceh especially for the festival.

"We feel really proud that we can take part in this peace campaign. This kind of festival is rarely organized by the provincial or local administration," Yusuf said.

Most of the drummers were older gentlemen.

"Young men rarely play rapai because it takes skill and strong physical powers," explained Sulaiman, 52.

The event, which will reportedly be entered as a new record at the Indonesian Museum of Records, was jointly organized by the Acehkita Foundation and around 50 other organizations.

"I hope that when the rapai music fills the air, peace will come true in Aceh," Syamsuddin said.