Gambang kromong binds together
Tionghoa, pribumi
Oleh: A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
 Gambang
kromong? Most Jakartan youngsters would probably only shake
their
heads in confusion if they were asked what gambang kromong
is.
This unique ensemble, which blends Indonesian
and Chinese instruments and
styles, is slowly disappearing from the public scene. Many
years ago it had
considerable influence on the capital's culture, but now,
amid the fast pace
of globalization, the music that binds native and Chinese
Indonesians
together seems to be forgotten.
To help preserve this music and substantiate
its unique role in promoting
cross-cultural understanding among Indonesian Chinese and
natives in
Jakarta, movie director Ariani Darmawan has made a documentary
film called
Dragons Beget Dragons.
The film will play in various cities between
April and May this year,
including Jakarta, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Malang
and Bandung.
Ariani said she started the project after
she saw a CD titled Music from the
Outskirts of Jakarta from the MSPI/Smithsonian Folkways
label four years
ago. She was amazed when she listened to the music; it sounded
peculiar but
fascinating. Ariani, herself an Indonesian of Chinese descent,
was even more
attracted to the music after she found that it was widely
played by native
Jakartans or pribumi (Betawi), and Chinese Indonesians or
Tionghoa Peranakan
(ethnic Chinese born in Indonesia).
After doing a feasibility study, she and a
group of friends decided to
produce a documentary film on gambang kromong.
The film was not only triggered by Ariani's
personal interest, but by her
drive to share the nearly extinct gambang kromong music
with the public.
The film, which is subtitled in English, begins
with the funeral of
prominent gambang kromong artist Tang Soei Ek. It continues
with
performances of the music as well as historical accounts
from Chinese
experts and gambang kromong players.
The film tries to capture the lives of Chinese
Indonesian gambang kromong
players, which are mired in poverty.
 The
players usually live on the outskirts of Jakarta, on land
where their
families settled many years ago. During the early days of
Dutch rule,
Chinese Indonesians lived in an area of downtown Jakarta
called Benteng, as
part of the Dutch policy to control them. Later, as the
policy changed, they
spread into outlying areas such as Bekasi and Tangerang.
They share neighborhoods with the native Jakartans
who call themselves
Betawi; they speak Betawi dialect and live at the same economic
level. Their
frugal lifestyle and openness flies in the face of the stereotype
of Chinese
Indonesians as rich and introverted.
That sense of openness is also manifested
in the music. It's a blend of
various cultures, notably Chinese, Sunda, Javanese and Melayu.
Like the
culture the players come from, it mixes with outside influences
without
relinquishing its distinct characteristics.
The film does a good job of describing the
history of gambang kromong
through the lengthy explanations of experts and senior players,
including 80
year old Masnah, also known as Pay Tjien Nio. But, it lacks
of focus. It's
unclear whether the film aims to explore gambang kromong
itself, or study
the mingling among Betawi and Chinese Indonesians as described
in its title
Dragons Beget Dragons, Gambang Kromong: the Acculturation
of the Chinese
Jakartans.
The film also features too many musicians.
Players can help provide a
comprehensive picture and offer different perspectives,
but the presence of
too many characters dilutes the movie's focus. The film
might have benefited
by focusing on one musician, such as Masnah, and making
her the dominant
character. This might have created a more complete picture
of the life of
gambang kromong players and their interactions with others,
especially the
Betawi.
Nonetheless, the film is well worth seeing
and certainly enriches
Indonesia's cultural heritage.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailfeatures.asp?fileid=20060411.R01&irec=0
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