82 Banyumas People’s Characteristics Symbolically Reflected on Calung Banyumasan Performance Suharto Department of Drama, Dance and Music, Faculty of Language and Arts, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia Received: Oktober 19, 2017. Revised: April 23, 2018. Accepted: June 10, 2018 Abstract This research aims at examining how Banyumas people’s characteristics are symbolically ex- pressed in Calung Banyumasan performance. This qualitative research employs a hermeneutic approach to examine any symbolic meanings in calung performance. The data are collected by literary study, document study, observation and interview, which are then analyzed using con- tent analysis and interactive analysis of Miles and Huberman. The research results show that some song lyrics identify Banyumas people’s images and characteristics such as equality and honesty (cablaka) just like the ngoko level language they use. The performance consists of opening, Lenggeran, Badhudan, and Baladewan acts in the process of illustrating the character of Banyumas people who love jokes and crowd. Some aspects arising in performance reflect Banyumas people as an egalitarian, straightforward, like-to-gather, and syncretic society. Keywords: Calung Banyumasan; Characteristics Symbolically; Banyumas People How to Cite: Suharto. (2018). Banyumas People’s Characteristics Symbolically Reflected on Calung Banyumasan Performance. Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research And Education, 18(1), 82-96. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/harmonia. v18i1.15524 Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 18 (1) (2018), 82-96 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id/nju/index.php/harmonia DOI: 10.15294/harmonia.v18i1.11570 round needs to be thoroughly studied. They only study senggakan “in plain view” and technically from musical perspective by mentioning it as an identity, but they have not thoroughly discussed the mea- ning behind senggakan. Therefore, the mea- ning of “noisy” impression proposed by Sutton can be examined. The music of calung used to accom- pany certain art performance has certain work which is well processed by its sup- porting artists, thus Banyumasan styled karawitan appears with style and work similar to karawitan which uses gamelan ageng. This work model, which is consi- dered typical, is also supposed to appear in adjustment to Banyumas people’s sen- INTRODUCTION When we pay attention, many song lyrics and dance moves in lengger, dagelan, and senggakan are very special and reflect Banyumas people. The expressions used in senggakan, for example, tend not to have le- xical meaning, but do exist in every calung performance (Murwaningrum, 2012a). Moreover, Sutton, (1991a) calls this activi- ty “noisy” or “busy”. Repeated appearan- ces of senggakan throughout performance are not necessarily presented without any meaning, primarily in the context of per- formance and culture as the background. Its musical aspect has been discussed by both researchers, but the cultural backg- Corresponding author: B2 Building, 2nd Floor, Sekaran Gunungpati, Semarang 50229, Central Java, Indonesia E-mail: suharto@mail.unnes.ac.id p-ISSN 2541-1683|e-ISSN 2541-2426 Suharto, Banyumas People’s Characteristics Symbolically Reflected ... 83 se. This artistic sense may appear based on the character of its supporting society, which is also reflected in a play style like that in calung style, which is not like that in gamelan ageng play. That songs with lyrics in thick Ba- nyumas dialect are added into calung play shows its distinctiveness. Specific nuance is produced by how quick instruments are struck, complementary plays and sengga- kans made by nayagas and sindhens. These plays create very ramé (boisterous) im- pression. However, the word ramé in some studies is considered something positive, not something negative, by certain com- munities, primarily in the context of art performance (Mulyana, Haryono, Sima- tupang, & Mada, 2012). According to the research conducted by Mulyana, the ramé dimension which appears in art world exists in many regions with a meaning far from negative element. This means that the organizer and the players want their performance to be ramé. What does ramé in Calung Banyumasan art performance with different cultural background mean? The research conducted by Priyadi, (2003) proposes that Banyumas people’s character may be examined from their daily behavioral elements in social inter- action, figures’ character, taboos, and pro- verbs. These elements may exist in calung performance, including song lyrics, per- formance presentation, and the content of performance itself. Since art is the expres- sion of people’s culture, then art content, including calung, may reflect the character of people who produce such culture. It is very interesting to study their relationship. A cultural analysis is based on an idea that daily life stretches out in a mea- ningful arrangement (Mulder, 1996). This concept explains that esthetic activity through calung performed by Banyumas people is something inevitable which has important meaning for their lives. The ine- vitability and meaning-making takes place in the world of shared knowledge, which is Banyumas culture, which may be analy- zed as a system of perception, classificati- on and other interpretation they may have. Priyadi’s dissertation (2010) entit- led “Dinamika Sosial Budaya Banyumas da- lam Babad Banyumas Versi Wirjaatmadjana” shows that the value system of Banyumas culture is based on cablaka which produces paradoxical/contradictive values as ref- lected in its figures’ character. The upheld values tend to be paradoxical, in which thesis is faced with antithesis, which then produces a synthesis. Meanwhile, the va- lue orientation of Banyumas culture is at traditional and modern positions, which may be observed from Banyumas people’s view on the meaning of life, work, percep- tion of time, and relation between human and human and nature. Previous researches conducted by Priyadi, (2003; 2007) show that Ba- nyumas people have a specific character called cablaka. Cablaka is the main model of Banyumas people’s character. Blakasuta, thongmelong, or cablaka has the same mea- ning, which is to talk as it is or frankly. Banyumas people with Banyumasan dia- lect has established an egalitarian culture, which is to acknowledge equality among its people. The researches conducted by Priyadi (2003, 2007, 2010), from Banyumas people’s character to people’s view on the relation with the nature, have not specifi- cally studied how art and culture as a form of cultural expression take a role in the dynamics of people. Do art and culture, including Calung Banyumasan, also reflect the dynamics of people as observed from the form of performance and performance elements? Banyumas people’s character is ref- lected in the existing value system in their socio-cultural life. Calung is born and de- veloped from a dynamic people’s social life, which in its birth is a civilization and part of their cultural system. Songs in ca- lung have lyrics in Banyumas typical lan- guage, which reflect Banyumas people’s character (Suharto, 2016). According to the rhythm of songs, its gendhing playing style which refers to gamelan ageng is the symbol of low-class people’s culture which repre- sents low-class culture, in which they want to reflect on how the priyayi play gamelan as Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 18 (1) (2018): 82-9684 a representation of a bigger culture, which is Javanese culture. Song lyrics and how they are sung in Banyumasan music like Calung Banyuma- san, for example, cannot be separated from those characteristics. The expressions in use –some community groups say it rude– is the reflection of people’s daily life. Ho- wever, those expressions are considered rude only by ethnocentric people, who view art from the different cultural cor- ner like kraton culture, which is inciden- tally created from a new culture to restrict themselves (kraton) from low-class culture. Culture belongs to people, which is collectively used as guideline or terms of reference for relevant people. People’s behavior is not free from culture, which is essentially the complex of knowledge, values, ideas, and faiths or beliefs which controls them (Bachtiar, 1985). The relevant guideline may become model selectively used by supporting people to communi- cate, to preserve and to connect knowled- ge, to behave and to act, not only to fulfill life necessities, but also to solve constantly evolving life challenges (Geertz, 1993). Meanwhile, Geerts also defines “Cul- ture is a system of arranged meaning and symbol, in the sense that individuals de- fine their world, express their feeling and provide valuation; a meaning pattern his- torically transmitted, realized in symbolic forms through media where people com- municate, monumentalize and develop their knowledge and attitudes toward life; a collection of symbolic equipment to re- gulate behavior, extra-somatic source of information. Since culture is a symbolic system, the cultural process must be read, construed and interpreted (Bauman, 1978; Kuper, 1999). Banyumas is a region smaller than the whole region of Javanese culture, which is called bigger culture. Differences in character from a bigger culture will usu- ally make Banyumas people’s character and behavior different. Cultural changes brought from the center of culture only reach the elites, while low-class peop- le who live in the remote area remain to maintain culture hereditarily acquired from their ancestor. Because of its local nature, Banyumas culture becomes an integral part of a more general culture adopted by the Javanese. However, its remote geographical locati- on from the center of kraton‘s power and the inherent view of life make Banyumas people’s various cultural aspects different. Banyumas people have been estab- lished with characters of having popular spirit and acceptance of given condition because of helplessness. These behaviors are then called sense of inferiority from ot- her economically, politically or culturally stronger or superior strata. Banyumas culture is also formed from a combination of the elements of old Javanese culture and local public life pattern. In its journey, Banyumas culture is influenced by New Javanese culture as bigger culture, Sundanese culture, Islamic culture, and Western culture. It is pre- valent that a bigger culture influences a smaller culture. Moreover, the elements of Old Javanese culture (Ancient and Middle Javanese) is influenced by Indian cultu- re (Hinduism-Buddhism) which has long time ago been disseminated by a priest na- med Aji Saka (Yusmanto, 2006). Based on the background above, the main problem is how the calung Banyuma- san performance presentation may descri- be Banyumas people according to musical and non-musical meaning in its perfor- mance. METHOD Approach and Focus of Study This qualitative research employs a hermeneutic approach with Calung Ba- nyumasan music and socio-cultural inte- ractive-adaptive patterns underlying the process of emergence of calung music and its development until now as the objects of study. This is on the reasoning that calung music and all of its musical systems which forms calung music develop to acquire support from people of the extensive area from several regencies. Suharto, Banyumas People’s Characteristics Symbolically Reflected ... 85 In this symbolic study, calung art performance is in this case construed as “text”. This method is made only to under- stand the analysis in use. In this study, the researcher tries to construe a work as rea- dable text. According to the hermeneutic perspective, a researcher may construe an art performance or event by first paying attention to the views of artists in the com- munity to which the art belongs and then proposing his/her interpretation (Ahim- sa-Putra, 1999). This study focuses on lengger calung performance presentation which contains many symbols such as music, dance, lite- rature, etc. Each of these elements has its own symbol system. However, according to (Turner, 2008; 1974), visual symbols bear the meaning at two levels: first, whe- re such symbols are placed, and; second, in the social context where such symbols appear. That lengger calung performance is essentially a performance which study is conducted to the elements of performance, constituting the performance. However, formal elements cannot be ignored as its supporting elements. Lengger calung per- formance consists of some formal elements such as music, dance and, sometimes, theater, and for the influence of pheno- menological thinking, it focuses on the performance itself. This view emphasizes that music, including songs, is created for singing, thus the event of singing should be the center of all analyses on the song. Si- milarly, dance is created to be performed/ presented, thus the event of dancing, for example during the performance, should be the center of any analyses on dance (Si- matupang, 2013). Calung performance from its start to the end is a series of art performance events which in this approach is conside- red text. Since performance is considered text, it must be read and interpreted. The- refore, the approach employed in this rese- arch is essentially a study of performance. The study is focused on performance presentation by finding the symbolic mea- nings in the acts of lengger calung perfor- mance often presented. This study is asso- ciated with Banyumas people’s character to examine whether this performance ref- lects Banyumas people’s life. Pursuant to the research problems, the following data are needed. The sour- ce of data in the form of the document comprises demographic data of Wangon village of Banyumas regency, art group’s document, musical notation of songs in possession of group “Wahyu Sejati”, and photos and recordings in the form of Video Compact Disk. Besides offline data, videos are also taken from the Youtube page. The document data, which belong to Wahyu Sejati and Studio Bintang, are uploaded to the video-sharing website Youtube. Informant needed in this research constitutes Banyumas humanists, calung artists, historians, leader of group “Wa- hyu Sejati”, players of “Wahyu Sejati” and children involved in lengger calung trai- ning. Societal elements involved in calung preservation and supporting community are also taken as the main sources of data. lengger calung performance becomes the primary source of data in this rese- arch. Acts in performance presentation are carefully observed. The elements of performance which becomes the source of data involved in performance are calung players, host, and audience. Data Collection Technique Observation is conducted to lengger calung performance both at stage and taken from performance document in the form of VCD obtained from the owner of lengger calung group, which is group Wahyu Seja- ti of Wangon Village, Banyumas and from some recording studios which often record it. The observation includes songs sung, dance moves and types of accompanying music, with the center is the performance presented. Observation is also performed during the group’s trainings. Thorough interview is necessary to obtain necessary data. Interview is addres- sed to the players of lengger calung of Wa- hyu Sejati and Probo Laras, supporting com- munity, academicians, local humanists and Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 18 (1) (2018): 82-9686 ing, Lenggeran Act, Badhudan Act, and Baladewan Act. Pre-Opening and Opening Before show starts, the master of ce- remony will give a code to the operator to prepare anything with regard to sound system setting. This is to anticipate any technical error during the performance. After such uborampe are complete, the mu- sic players play their instrument for three songs, and after the music instruments stop, the master of ceremony (MC) will call all sindhens to come to the stage, and the opening starts. In this pre-opening act, the calung group always presents songs with vib- rant rhythm and happy tone. This part is a symbol of notice to surrounding society that the performance has started. Gend- hings usually played in an opening include Sekar Gadung, Gudril Banyumas, etc. These opening gendhings are chosen for their ex- citement from lancaran type, aiming at in- viting audience or as a mark that calung performance will immediately start (Walu- yo, 2017; Yusmanto, 2006). In the opening of a calung music per- formance of many group, an MC will open the show by greetings addressed to the host, audience, and guests, and introdu- cing the crews of calung music (group). In this opening, the MC will also congratulate the host for his/her son/daughter’s mar- riage or circumcision, and pray that Allah SWT will always bless them. The perfor- mance starts when the opening ends. A ritual to pray to God and a thank you note to the audience and guests as well as request for blessing have become tradi- tion and never been missed in any lengger calung or ebeg performance. Offerings con- taining various foods and food ingredients such as kembang telon, banana, and other market snacks are put onto a tampah, and is then placed in the middle of stage. In this act, Master of Ceremony (MC) plays a quite important role in guiding, gi- ving introduction speech and giving warm tone to the performance. The offerings are placed in the middle of stage to symboli- art performance critics. Document Study. Document Study is necessary to re- veal the history of art in Banyumas, types of script, especially of songs and music of calung from time to time, performan- ce recording in the form of audio visual (Compact Disk Video/VCD) in possession of group leader, studio Studio Bintang, or those distributed in the society. Data Analysis Technique This research employs song com- position analysis (content analysis) and interactive analysis of (Milles, 1984). The content analysis is needed to analyze the formal data of music works often played in lengger calung performance covering instrumentation (ricikan), songs, play style, etc. Data collecting process may be si- multaneously performed with qualitative analysis referring to an interactive analy- sis model as proposed by Miles and Hu- berman (1994), including data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. In data reduction, the researcher selects, focuses and simplifies the data obtained from the interview which are selected based on the designated scope of the problem. As pro- posed by Miles and Huberman, reducing data means selecting and summarizing the main things, focusing on important things, and then searching for the theme and pat- tern based on the collected data. Presen- ting data is a process to arrange informati- on obtained from the interview, document, observation and literary study descriptive- ly presented in the form of description of words and pictures of the development of lengger calung performance form. The last one is the conclusion. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Calung Banyumasan Presentation Order The order of a presentation usually consists of pre-opening, opening, presen- tation and closing. Presentation often per- formed consists of Pre-opening and Open- Suharto, Banyumas People’s Characteristics Symbolically Reflected ... 87 ze their gratitude to God and to pray for smooth course of performance. The host, lengger holds a bowl containing yellow rice and some coins, symbolizing the hopes of all performance supporting parties that they will be blessed and earn living from the performance. Likewise, coins are put into a washbasin or plate, which are then disseminated to the audience at the start of performance. This sequence must be performed, particularly when the perfor- mance is a promise (ujar kaul) of the host (interview with Legono (50). The song Sekar Gadung is often sung in an opening, particularly during offe- rings ceremony. Gending with wetanan tone gives distinctive nuance during this ritual. In the scene of these acts, the grand ritu- al nuance is particularly felt to give quite deep meaning for those who understand it. People who usually watch lengger ca- lung will understand that a performance has just started if such songs and offerings scene are played. Therefore, any person who is going to become a host of such event will readily perform it. The solemn tone is created by music players, lengger dancers and also audien- ces. The audiences and music players seem to be used to this kind of ritual in lengger calung performance. A lengger lanang dee- med as senior may become “supernatu- rally very powerful” that some mothers approach the stage to have their children blessed by the lenggers. The lengger then prays for the toddlers and kisses their fo- rehead while their mother brings them to the edge of stage for the lengger’s “bles- sing”. According to Bawor (59), the leader of lengger calung Wahyu Sejati, some of the people still believe that lenggers have po- wer to bless people and even heal disease. According to some witnessing audiences and the mothers, this supernatural power is caused by indhang that has possessed the lengger, giving him healing power. This opinion is supported by a Banyumas hu- manist, Gitosewojo (72). Lenggeran Act This section takes fairly long time since some audiences participate in sin- ging, dancing and mbancer (tipping). This often called lenggeran act gives opportuni- ty to the audiences to get onto the stage to dance with the dancers (lengger). The com- munication pattern between audiences and players changes from one-direction to multi-direction. Moves used in this part are those commonly played, in the sense that they are self-taught moves since there is no standard (pakem). These moves tend to be monotonous and repeated, as explained by Bawor. They are reworked to make moves of each sekaran clear, thus a sekaran will differ from the other. In addition to seblak sampur, gerak ukel and gerak geol, there are now some additional moves such as pent- hangan tangan, entragan, lampah tigo, kose- kan and penthangan sampur. However, this depends on lenggers’ skill. SMKI students often add more moves to them (Interview with Bawor, May 2017). Meanwhile, lenggeran act usually uses Gendhing Malangan and Sekar Gadung. However, those gendhings are of lengge- ran standard. When there are many re- quests for songs, then they will adjust to the rhythm of the performance. Lenggeran which is thought to be a Hindu influence, as an expression of celebrating after the harvest, is still favored by the Banymas community until now. In this loose round, the audience was given the opportunity to dance together (Koentjaraningrat, 1994; Priyanto & Jurusan, 1980; Yusmanto, 2006). Opportunity to respond to received message comes to an end. The musical communication process is analogized as a tree in which the root is performance players and the audiences are at the top of it which may ramify depending on their aesthetic experience. Esthetic experience is, according to (Regelsky, 1981), action learning and, according to Jamalus, (1988), musical experience, which causes the audience’s various reactions. Audiences involvement in an art per- formance is no a disturbance, but is inten- tionally created, as proposed by Meyerhold (1999) that audience in performance is the Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 18 (1) (2018): 82-9688 fourth creator after scriptwriter (McAu- ley, 2002, p. 238). Emigh (1996) considers that performance is not merely an event of self-expression or demonstration of standard techniques, but is an interactive event between performer and others (au- dience) in the context of the certain show. That the role played by non-performing participants is very important, researchers should pay attention to this aspect in re- search of art performance (Simatupang, 2013). Badhudan Act Bandhudan act performance is always awaited by audience in lengger calung per- formance. In this act, the audience will be entertained by a combination between mu- sic plays, either instrument or songs, and dance as well as banyolan/dagelan (jokes). Bandhudan act may take more than an hour depending on how much time the host desires it will take. This will get lon- ger if a high-rated “badud” is hired. This Bandhud appearance on the stage marks the end of lenggeran act and beginning of Bandhudan part. Bandhudan serves to refresh the tone, presented on stage to in- vite laughter with jokes and funny moves, in which badud may directly interact with the audiences. In this Bandhudan part, the audience may also request for songs and dance with lengger and Bandhud. A reque- sted song is usually written on a paper and given to Bandhud and lengger dancer. This request is sometimes inserted into a box of cigarette or in the form of cash. Upon receiving gendhing demand, lengger dancer will sing the requested gendhing and dance with Bandhud. Bandhudan makes a performance more attractive, of course, if the Bandhud is able to balance the playing pattern. A Ban- dhud will perform his/her entertainment duty by teasing lengger, singing songs with funny lyrics, and performing dance moves which are usually his/her own creativity and spontaneous, following the rhythm of music such as kendang playing. That is why, according to (Budiarti, 2008), Band- hud is a dancer of improvisation. Therefo- re, a Bandhud must skillful in dancing, not only lengger dance, but also other types of dance, since he/she has to improvise in va- rious genres of dance to make it attractive and funny. Bandhudan is presented using Ba- nyumas dialect in its communication, both between co-players and with audiences in a straightforward manner without any par- tition, symbolizing that all of them on the stage are one. They are considered equal and of the same level, thus anyone will be involved or be targeted, either in the form of satire, greeting, or singing and dancing together. They symbolize themselves ega- litarian panginyongan people. Anyone in- cluding the host must feel it, thus he/she must also sing and tip. Host’s participation is indeed expected and he/she will do it with pleasure when so requested during Bandhudan or Lenggeran. Baladewan Act Baladewa dance is presented in Ba- ladewan act. This dance is one of the dan- ces in lengger calung performance growing and developing in the distribution area of Banyumas culture, including the admi- nistrative regions of Banyumas, Cilacap, Purbalingga and Banjarnegara Regencies (Agustina, 2017). In Baladewan act, general- ly in lengger calung performance, a dancer gets onto the stage after changing to Bala- dewan dancer costume. Baladewan dance illustrates the character of Baladewa. Bala- dewa also plays the role of king of Mandu- ra in Mahabharata story. This character is illustrated as a gallant and hot-tempered but funny character. Songs used in Baladewan act are usually of cheerful and gallant rhythm that the costume, make up and moves pre- sented reflect gallant and vigorous charac- ter. In the past, Baladewan dance in lengger is performed by highly experienced lengger dancers (senior dancers), since after per- forming lengger dance, they must perform a gallant Baladewan dance. Baladewan dance is a male gallant dance, that even if the dancer is female, she has to perform it in a gallant way ( in private interview to Suharto, Banyumas People’s Characteristics Symbolically Reflected ... 89 Legono, Januari 2017; Agustina, 2017). Songs usually presented are those with sigrak rhythms such as Bendrong Ku- lon, Kulu-kulu and Ricik-ricik. These songs are sung in a medley way. However, as dancers are about to enter the stage, gend- hing Kulu-Kulu is often played. Kulu-kulu is derived from the word “kuluh” which me- ans kuluh or shabby and rumpled fabric or gombal usually used for kelud/or to clean dirty item. This song must be presented in Baladewan act to give the meaning of “clea- ning up”. This song also bears the meaning of finishing as cleaning up since the perfor- mance is about to end, thus the condition must be clean before leaving (interview with Legono, 2017; Bawor, 2016). According to Bawor, the leader of “Wahyu Sejati”, Baladewan dance must be presented as the closing of performance. However, for some reason, such as for its far distance from residence or in the field, a Baladewan dance does not necessarily change her costume. All dancers on stage must perform Baladewan dance with songs with gallant rhythm such as Bendrong Ku- lon, Kulu-kulu, or Ricik-ricik. Every time Ba- ladewan dance is presented, all audiences, host, and all performance crews will un- derstand the meaning, as if it is a symbol that lengger calung performance will im- mediately end, and they who still want to further dance will understand it. Banyumas People’s Characteristics in Calung Performance Presentation Some of Banyumas people’s charac- teristics are reflected in a calung perfor- mance. These characteristics may be in the form of personal matters, social life, natu- re, or philosophy of life. Some of these cha- racters may be described below. Syncretic Society A supplication reading ritual is made at the start of every calung performance, preceded with MC’s Islamic introduction and sentences using opening words such as Basmallah with an expectation that Allah SWT will bless them. However, such Isla- mic recitations are simultaneously made with “spell” reading ritual performed by senior lengger while a plate containing yellow rice and coins is mutually held with the host. They are then dissemina- ted to the audiences from the surrounding area who watch the performance. Similar- ly, lengger’s blessing of toddlers directly brought by their parent to lengger is consi- dered as bringing luck. Gitosewojo who is also a dalang (puppeteer) in the 80s and MC in celebrati- on events also performs such ritual, which sometimes starts with burning incense, or fragrance, to start any event he participates in. According to Gitosewojo, “Frankincen- se or incense is a symbol of fragrance that is worth giving to respected ancestors” Egalitarian Society An egalitarian society is reflected throughout calung performance. Howe- ver, the most prominent act showing egali- tarian people’s characteristics is Bandhudan act. Some art expressions reflecting egali- tarian society appear in this act. Glowehan or glewehan made by mocking others, host and lengger show that they are equal. They perform glowean but do not intend to of- fend others, since all of them understand, thus anything happens are considered fun- ny and makes them laugh. Straightforward attitude (cablaka) ari- ses in this egalitarian society and even eve- ryone talks straightforwardly without con- sidering any consequence of it (blakasuta). In this Bandhudan act, anyone may become object of the joke. Egalitarian character also appears in every song played either by sindhen, lengger, penyenggak or Bandhud. Banyumas songs with Banyumasan dialect show such egalitarian character. Cablaka is a character spontaneous- ly expressed by Banyumas people of any phenomena appearing before them wit- hout cover. Therefore, Banyumas people’s cablaka should be considered as an attitude of frankness, open mind, intimacy, or free- dom expression to state anything without anything covered up (tanpa tedheng aling- aling). Some Banyumasan songs are always Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 18 (1) (2018): 82-9690 played in every art performance in Ba- nyumas, for example, according to Bawor, the song ‘Eling-Eling”. This song describes the life of Banyumas people to a large de- gree, and even describes the philosophy of Banyumas people that we may only submit to God, while we are equal among human. We must always be aware of our identity as God’s creation. Esthetic Society Songs with lyrics in Banyumas dia- lect are played during the performance, starting from Pre-performance to Balade- wan act. It is interesting to hear songs with lyrics containing local literature like cake- pan. Cakepan is a text/lyric form of literatu- re used in sindhenan. Such text is played by sindhen or swarawati in a karawitan perfor- mance and also by other penayaga (music player), including Bandhud in Bandhudan act. This cakepan literature usually has a theme of human life containing advice, character education, household life, life guide, etc. This also applies to cakepan of Banyumasan songs. Although there are only a few of them and no specific atten- tion is given, some cakepan sindhenan also contains advice, ideology and ideals or utopia. Utopia is the ideal of an ideology. The concerned ideology constitutes local genious adopted only by a certain society, that is the Javanese and, more specifically, Banyumas or Panginyongan people. The song Eling-eling, for example, is a remin- der for a human to always be aware of and remember Almighty God, that we must only be afraid of God, while we are equal among human. Cakepan in Banyumasan songs comprises, among others, wangsalan, pari- kan and isen-isen. Cakepan usually employs the beauty element, mainly current songs which has free form. Wangsalan means a type of poem in the form of cangkriman (quiz) with answer available within the content. Parikan means a poem of which stanza consists of sampiran and content. Parikan is divided into two types, which are two lines and four lines. Isen-isen me- ans certain phrases useful to fill a vacancy in parts unfilled with wangsalan or parikan. Similarly, this should apply to the work of Jalungmas dance moves. Wangsalan. Wangsalan is a type of Javanese literary text, particularly western part of Central Java including Banyumas, Brebes and Cirebon. Wangsalan usually played in Banyumasan music and Cire- bon tarling brings cheerful impression. Such songs have sigrak rhythm and con- tain amusing and funny lyrics because of their funny and beautiful puzzle content. Wangsalan is beautiful since it is a type of literature. The rhymes appearing in the phrases are beautiful and funny. This ref- lects the character of Banyumas people who love cheerful songs. Wangsalan is a sentence of song con- sisting of two phrases which contain the puzzle of which answer is given in the sentence. Since it is a puzzle, the answer will be found by connecting words in the sentence (Budiarti, 2016). According to Budiarti, there are 4 wangsalan, which are wangsalan lamba, wangsalan rangkep (cambo- ran), wangsalan memet and wangsalan padin- tenan. In the lyric of song “Ricik-Ricik”, for example, the phrase “Janur gunung, sakulon Banjar Patoman” is a question and the ans- wer will be found in the next phrase. The phrase “Kadingaren, kadingaren wong bagus gasik tekane” is the answer of puzzle in the previous phrase. The word “janur gunung” in Banyumas language means “aren” (su- gar palm) which is realized in the answer phrase ‘kadengaren’ that has rhyme at the end of word ‘aren’ in the end of word ‘ka- dengaren’. Banjar Patoman in Banyumas society is known as an area called Tasik, the name of an area in eastern part of West Java. Therefore, the phrase ‘Banjar Pato- man’ is answered by the phrase ‘wong bagus gasik tekane” in which the word ‘gasik’ is a wordplay of the word ‘tasik’. Wordplay in Javanese society including Banyumas usually has rhyme at the end of phrase or word of a parikan. “Janur gunung, sakulon Banjar Pata- mon/Kadingaren wong bagus gasik tekane” is Suharto, Banyumas People’s Characteristics Symbolically Reflected ... 91 the most popular wangsalan in Banyumas society. This wangsalan is also used by sind- hen to fill lyrics in similar songs other than “Ricik-ricik”. It can even be used to repla- ce any lyric, if sindhen forgets the lyric of a song she is singing and she may freely apply it. If there is more or less syllable, a sindhen may cut lyric or repeat certain word two or three times in adjustment to the song beats (interview with Yusmanto, 2017). Parikan. Parikan is a sentence con- sisting of two phrases, in which the first phrase and the second phrase has rhyme. Most of gendhing Banyumasan uses parikan and wangsalan. In addition, some gendhings also use pepantunan, for example: gendhing Rengong Manis, Bendrong Kulon, Ijo-ijo, Malang Dhoi and Dhober (Budiarti, 2016). Abon-abon. In sindehenan, abon-abon is often called isen-isen which serves to be intermezzo or complement. Abon-abon ac- cording to Kamus Umum Basa Jawa means ubarampe. Ubarampe means completeness or complement. Abon-abon is text in the form of word or words in which the mea- ning of sentence is not related to the text of main sentence (sindhenan), thus we may say it an intermezzo. Abon-abon or isen-isen text (cakepan) usually used in Banyumasan sindhenan includes rama, rama-rama, ramane, yo mas, kakang, etc. Abon-abon text in gendhing Ba- nyumasan, besides serving as independent decorator or adornment, is often put in ca- kepan or wangsalan, either at the start or in the end of cakepan. For example, in gend- hings Malang Dhoi (mas malange dhoi) and Renggong Manis (man-eman Renggong Ma- nis, man-eman renggong manis ramane). Words appearing in Abon-abon, which are intermezzo and complement of sentence in lengger calung performance, in- clude rama-rama, ramane and kakang. It is a reflection of Banyumas people’s daily life. According to Gitosewojo (72 years old), the words rama or ramane is used more than bi- yung or biyunge in isen-isen since pesinden symbolizes that a daughter in Banyumas people’s culture depends more on her fat- her (rama) than on her mother (biyung), since Banyumas people adopt patrilineal principle. It cannot be denied that the work of songs in calung presentation is full of va- luable esthetic elements. From the form of songs played to the work reflects Ba- nyumas people who have high musical sense, thus it is the people’s character. Banyumas culture is known as the junction of two axes, which are Javanese cultural axis and Sundanese cultural axis (Interview with Yusmanto, October 2017). This junction of two cultures is caused by the geographical location meeting of Java (eastern part) and Sunda (western part). In addition, the origin of Banyumas peop- le is believed to be from the meeting and movement of some Sundanese (from Paja- jaran kingdom) with Javanese (from Pasir kingdom) because of a marriage of two in- dividuals from different cultures, Banyak Catra from Pajajaran and Ciptarasa from Pasirluhur. This marriage causes move- ment of men of Sundanese culture to wo- men of Javanese culture (Priyadi, 1996). The influence of these two cultures is also reflected on the character of Ba- nyumas people’s traditional music as an expression of their cultures and arts, one of which is Calung play in Banyumasan sty- le. “There are 3 very popular songs in Ba- nyumas often played in calung performan- ce, which are Ricik-ricik, Eling-eling and Bendrong Kulon. The songs Ricik-Ricik and Eling-Eling have thick Javanese nuance while Bendrong Kulon has Sundanese nu- ance. Therefore, the songs Ricik-Ricik and Eling- Eling when played in Surakarta sty- le will convey a strong feeling of Javanese nuance, and, on the contrary, when played in Sundanese will convey the strong fee- ling of Sundanese nuance (Interview with Yusmanto, October 2018). These two types of rhythm produ- ce Banyumas specific color, particularly from the perspective of kendangan style. The song “Bendrong Kulon” will be sui- tably accompanied with jaipong rhythm”. These two styles go hand in hand depen- ding on the music players and the area. Ca- lung played by a group in the border area Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 18 (1) (2018): 82-9692 of West Java will tend to play Sundanese style, as reflected in kendangan style played (interview with Wendo, September 2017). Banyumasan gendings have an equal form with Surakarta and Yogyakarta sty- led karawitan, which are in the form of gangsaran, lancaran, ketawang, ladrang and gending. According to form perspective, there is gending Eling-eling with lancaran form consisting of four gongan. This form is mostly found in Banyumasan songs. Ac- cording to garap (work) perspective, there are two garap irama siji and garap irama loro. Agricultural Society Banyumas Regency is spread 1,327.60 km2 in the area or equal to 132,759.56 ha. It has plains & mountains consisting of the Valley of Serayu River for agricultural land, highland partially for settlement, people’s yard, and mountain partially for plantation and tropical forest located on the southern slope of Mount Slamet. These various conditions of and wide nature cause New Javanese culture brought from the Kraton (Palace) is une- venly disseminated to all corners of Ba- nyumas area. The people keep the culture they have hereditarily adopted with re- gard to faith, how to communicate, and ag- ricultural technology (Priyadi, 2002, 2003, 2010; Tohari, 2011). Characters like popular spirit, cablaka (transparency), exposure and society-life based culture are the pattern of traditional- agricultural life. This tendency is the result of the distance of Banyumas area location from the big kingdoms (Jogyakarta, Sura- karta). This causes their cultures generally develop slower than Negarigung cultures. Most of native Javanese ethnic group is located in rural areas, which are those collectively called Kejawen areas, compri- sing Jogyakarta, Surakarta, Banyumas, Kedu, Madiun, Malang and Kediri. (Ko- entjaraningrat, 1984). Banyumas people are not really different from the condition of Javanese in general. However, as pre- viously explained, the wide geographical condition causes Banyumas people’s cultu- res do not develop as fast as those of other Javanese areas, including the development of New Javanese language which does not reach rural areas. Most of the people in rural areas remain using original langu- age until now. They who live in villages in rural areas distributed in Banyumas area use Banyumas dialect. They have used this language far before New Javanese langu- age arises and is distributed to all areas. They are loyal to their language which is not interfered by any changes made by the Kraton (Palace) in its period until now. Only certain limited people are willing to use it, the priyayi (Priyadi, 2010; Gitosewo- jo, 2017). Calung Instruments as the Character Ag- ricultural Society’s Music Bamboo has become part of rural people’s life in Banyumas, that it is used in many occasions such as house construc- tion, chairs, beds, kitchen utensils, hous- ehold appliances, esthetic expression media, means of transportation, etc. (Yus- manto, 2006). In-house construction, some parts of the house use bamboo as raw ma- terial, including: structure (saka, blandar or penglari and pengeret), wall, roof and accessories such as glathak, wall decorati- on, lamp, etc.). Bamboo for rural people in Banyumas is identical to simplicity. Items made of bamboo are considered simple items. Therefore, a bamboo house is con- sidered as a simple house (Interview with Yusmanto, 2017). Calung is a type of musical instru- ment made of bamboo of grassy type (gras- sophone) with a different character from music instrument made of metal, in which this grassophone music instrument does not have sustain. For longer sound, it must be played by nritil (repeatedly struck as ne- cessary/necessary not value) thus it will not produce short sound since it has poor sustain (Wendo, 2017; Yusmanto, Novem- ber 2017). The sound heard from calung struck in a nritil basis seems to be straightforward and ramé (boisterous). This impression be- comes the character of Banyumas folk art Suharto, Banyumas People’s Characteristics Symbolically Reflected ... 93 in general. This straightforward and ramé impression is also identical to Banyumas people’s character of straightforward or cablaka (Priyadi, 2007). Lengger play accompanied with ca- lung will give a very typical nuance. The songs, playing style, dance and senggakan will follow the rhythm of calung playing character. This musical instrument play tends to be sigrak and seems to be cheerful. Therefore, most of the songs played have cheerful rhythm. Ramé as a Reflection of the People who Love Togetherness Senggakan always appears in every song and almost throughout the perfor- mance. From the perspective of presenta- tion, senggakan in karawitan has ramé (bois- terous) impression. Therefore, senggakan may be interpreted as joint or sole vocal using cakepan parikan and or a series of words (sometimes without meaning), and even seems to be saru (less polite) which serves to support the realization of boiste- rous nuance in a gendhing presentation. This senggakan is quite flexible, of which meaning may be interpreted by anyone in a logical and contextual sense. Senggakan in gendhing Banyumasan takes a position as vocal gendhing, thus they will be quiet without senggak. Senggakan in Banyumasan music is Banyumas people’s expression of freedom. Senggakan with its generation of ramé (bois- terous), cheerful and sometimes seemingly vulgar nuances illustrates the expression of the art of Banyumas people who love freedom, equality and honesty (Murwa- ningrum, 2012b). Senggakan is an element of gendhing Banyumasan. Lengger perfor- mance uses gendhing Banyumasan as its ac- companying music. An indicator of successful perfor- mance for Banyumas people is ramé nuan- ce, which will be seen in the expression of songs in lengger, ebeg, or wayang (puppet) performance. It may be created by pesinden or nayaga, including dalang (puppeteer) through this senggakan, and audiences may have themselves involved in this ramé nu- ance by participating and getting onto sta- ge while mbancer (tipping). In the context of performance itself, performers intentionally create ramé nu- ance in performance since it is a symbol of the success of a lengger calung perfor- mance. That is why an individual is spe- cifically assigned to be penayaga as well as to play senggakan in a lengger calung group. The individual who plays senggakan must have the high musical ability, particularly in mastering Banyumasan gendhing and songs. This ramé nuance resulted from seng- gakan is the concept of Banyumas people intentionally formed to fill empty, quiet or meaningless spaces of life. This conditi- on also becomes the symbol of Banyumas people who prefer living in group and con- sidering all people as equal, thus any jokes in song lyrics and senggakan are merely in- tended to be entertainment and expression to create cheerful and ramé nuance. Ramé (boisterous) is not merely meaningless noisy as proposed by (Sutton, 1991) that senggakan is “noisy” or “busy” since there is indeed crowd which is seemingly busy and noisy. However, ramé has become a standard of success for art performance in Banyumas. Ramé is also caused by interaction between music players, singers and audi- ences. The audience becomes an integral part of the art performance in Banyumas. The existence of conditioned ramé has ne- ver existed without meaning or action. On the contrary, it always exists in the relation of the event between a cause and its effect, or an action and its reaction. The host will also feel his/her “ob- ligation” to create this ramé nuance. A performance may be stated as successful if according to people’s perspective, such performance is ramé (boisterous). Many audiences, many individuals tipping and existing interaction between players and audiences are the indicators. That interacti- on exists means that there is an expression of joy in the form of a smile, laughter, a mo- vement following song rhythm and dan- cing while tipping. Tipping scene for local Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 18 (1) (2018): 82-9694 people is not something pornographic, but communication between audiences and lengger dancers, thus all audiences, both they who tip or only watch become an in- tegral part of it. As stated by Gay McAu- ley, energy change occurs between players and audiences in a performance. Some of Banyumas people’s charac- teristics identified from calung performan- ce may be summarized in Table 1. Table 1. Banyumas People’s Characteristics in Calung Performance Character Act Type of Symbol Media of Expres-sion Meaning Egalitarian Society Bandhudan glewehan clemodan - Singing/song - Joke - Geol Equality Lenggeran - mbancer/nyawer - Dance- Song lyrics Intimacy Baladewan Epic dance (Baladewan) Dance moves Respect to hero Syncretic society Opening of performance - Offerings - Spreading yel- low rice - Prays/spells - Burning frank- incense - Blessing by senior lengger - Lengger kisses toddlers’ fore- head - Kembang telon (three types of flower) - Yellow rice - Coin - Offerings - Frankincense - Human is small in the eye of God - Respect to an- cestors/ elders Esthetic Society (in literature) Pre-opening Lenggeran Bandhudan Baladewan - Singing - Wangsalan - Parikan - Candaan Singing/song Banyumas people have highly esthetic sense of literature Esthetic Society (in music/ work) -Senggakan -Wangsalan -Garap lagu -Song composi- tion -Song composition -Garap lagu Banyumas people have highly esthetic musical sense Love joking / humor -Lenggeran - Senggakan - Parikan - Wangsalan - Mbancer - Smile - Multi-direction communication - Song lyrics - Garap lagu - Cash for mbancer - Vulgar language/ clemod - Communication with audience Banyumas people have high sense of humor Vulgar dance means intimacy -Bandhutan - Glewehan - Wangsalan - Garap lagu - Funny moves - Multi-direction communication - Song lyrics - Garap lagu - Geyol - Communication with audience Banyumas has a high sense of humor -Baladewan - Imitating hero’s moves Dance moves Respect to hero is an obligation Suharto, Banyumas People’s Characteristics Symbolically Reflected ... 95 CONCLUSION Songs accompanied with these comp- lete, classic calung instruments appear in every act in calung performance, compri- sing an opening, Lenggeran, Bandhudan and Baladewan. In the opening, and even pre- opening, songs played as opening gend- hing serve to be the symbol to inform sur- rounding people that a calung performance has started. In Lenggeran act, Banyumasan songs are used to accompany gambyongan and mbancer (tipping). In Bandhudan act, songs played serve to be guyonan (jokes) to invite audiences and anyone involved in such performance including players. And finally, in Baladewan act, songs played ser- ve to be closing. The interaction between calung players and audiences occurs particularly in Lenggeran (gambyongan) and Bandhudan acts. This interaction is intentionally made by players to make the performance ramé (boisterous), since ramé nuance is the sym- bol of the success of a performance. Ramé nuance may be created by playing instru- ments with quick tempo (nritil), senggakan, and funny wordplay made by Bandhudan players. 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