Kuda lumping also called jaran kepang or jathilan is a traditional Javanese dance featuring a group of warriors riding a horse. This dance uses a horse made of bamboo which is woven and cut to resemble the shape of a horse. This horse wicker is decorated with colorful paints and fabrics. The lumping horse dance usually only shows scenes of hussars, but some of the lumping horse performances also feature trance, immunity, and magical powers, such as the attraction of eating glass and the body’s immunity to whipping whips. Jaran Kepang is part of the Reog dance performance. Although this dance originates from Java, Indonesia, this dance is also inherited by the Javanese who settled in North Sumatra and in some areas outside Indonesia such as in Malaysia.
Kuda lumping is a dance art that is played with the property of an imitation horse, which is made of woven bamboo or braids. None of the historical records are able to explain the origin of this dance, only verbal history passed down from one generation to the next.
It is said that the Kuda Lumping dance is a form of appreciation and support of the common people for Prince Diponegoro’s cavalry in the face of the Dutch colonialists. There is also a version that states that the Kuda Lumping dance depicts the story of the struggle of Raden Patah, who was assisted by Sunan Kalijaga, against the Dutch colonialists. Another version states that this dance tells about the war exercises of the Mataram troops led by Sultan Hamengku Buwono I, the King of Mataram, to face the Dutch troops.
Regardless of its origin and historical value, the Kuda Lumping dance reflects the spirit of heroism and the military aspect of a cavalry or cavalry troop. This can be seen from the rhythmic, dynamic, and aggressive movements, through the waving of woven bamboo, imitating the movements of a horse in the midst of war.
Often in the Kuda Lumping dance performances, there are also attractions that show supernatural powers with a magical smell, such as the attraction of chewing glass, slashing arms with machetes, setting oneself on fire, walking on broken glass, and so on. Perhaps, this attraction reflects the supernatural power that in ancient times developed in the Javanese Kingdom environment, and was a non-military aspect that was used to fight the Dutch troops.
In East Java, this art is familiar with people in several areas, such as Malang, Nganjuk, Tulungagung, and other areas. This dance is usually performed at certain events, such as welcoming guests of honor, and as a thanksgiving, for the wishes granted by the Almighty.
In the performance, there is no need for a special choreography, as well as gamelan equipment like Karawitan. The gamelan to accompany the Kuda Lumping dance is quite simple, only consisting of Kendang, Kenong, Gong, and Slompret, namely a flute with a shrill sound. The poems that are sung to accompany the dance, usually contain an appeal for humans to always do good deeds and always remember the Creator.
In addition to containing elements of entertainment and religion, the traditional art of Kuda Lumping often also contains elements of ritual. Because before the show starts, usually a rain handler will perform a ritual, to keep the weather sunny, considering that the show is usually done in an open field.
In each performance, this Kuda Lumping dance presents 4 dance fragments, namely 2 times the Buto Lawas dance, the Senterewe dance, and the Begon Putri dance.
In the Buto Lawas fragment, it is usually danced by only men and consists of 4 to 6 dancers. Several young dancers rode woven bamboo horses and danced to the music. In this part, the Buto Lawas dancers can experience trance or possessed by spirits. The audience did not escape the phenomenon of this possession. Many local residents who witnessed the performance fell into a trance and danced with the dancers. In an unconscious state, they continue to dance with energetic movements and look compact with other dancers. To restore the consciousness of the dancers and the audience who are possessed, in every performance there are always the datuks, namely people who have supernatural abilities whose presence can be recognized by the all-black clothes they wear. These progenitors will provide an antidote to the awareness of the dancers and the audience
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