Profile of West Java Culture
Ditulis pada: August 15, 2021
West Java culture is often identified with Sundanese culture. This is because most of the people of West Java are descendants of the Sundanese. That is why most of the culture in the province of West Java is thick with Sundanese nuances.
West Java province itself is located adjacent to the nation's capital, Jakarta. The eastern part is directly adjacent to the province of Central Java. Meanwhile, in the west, it is bordered by the province of Banten which is the result of the expansion of the province of West Java.
Although the Sundanese are the largest tribe in West Java, this tribe is not the only tribe in West Java. Based on local regulations that have been made, in the province of West Java, there are three official tribes, namely the Sundanese, Cirebonese and Betawi tribes.
This is also what causes a little conflict in the community, especially from the people of Cirebon. This conflict is related to the plan to change the name of West Java Province to Pasundan.
Because, with the name Pasundan, it has the same meaning as the land inhabited by the Sundanese. In fact, in West Java itself there are several tribes.
If forced to change the name of West Java to Pasundan, the people of Cirebon at that time threatened to secede from the province. This is because the use of the name Pasundan is considered not to recognize the existence of the Cirebon and Betawi tribes as part of the West Java population.
West Java Culture
West Java culture itself is very diverse. Some of these West Javanese cultures have even been known at the world level, such as the art of angklung. This is a matter of pride for the province which has an area of 34,816.96 km2.
Angklung itself is a type of musical instrument that has a double tone and is widely developed in traditional life in the Sunda region. This musical instrument uses bamboo as its raw material, which is played by shaking it.
The tones that come out of this instrument come from the sound that vibrates due to the impact of each body of the bamboo pipe.
To protect it from recognition by other countries, angklung has been registered with the United Nations as part of the Masterpiece of Human Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage.
This recognition has existed since November 2010. So with this recognition, the angklung has been recognized as a musical instrument originating from West Java, Indonesia.
However, there has never been any literature that explains exactly when this angklung musical instrument was discovered. However, it is estimated that since the Neolithic era, this angklung music has existed.
This is reinforced by the shape of this instrument which is still very simple and in accordance with the traditions that developed in the Neolithic era.
This musical instrument has been known to the Sundanese people since the days of the Sunda kingdom. At that time, angklung was used to inflame the spirit of the soldiers on the battlefield.
This function was then carried over when Indonesia entered the Dutch colonial period. That is why, the Dutch government had banned this angklung music from being played because it was feared that it would be able to arouse the fighting spirit of the people of West Java.
This angklung is usually made using black bamboo or also known as awi wulung and white bamboo or awi friend. The tone that comes out comes from the sound of a bamboo tube that looks like a ball and is found in bamboo segments that vary in size from small to large.
In everyday life, angklung is often used to play a song offering to Dewi Sri who is believed to be the goddess of fertility. This is because in the past, Hindu culture was one of the most widely embraced cultures in West Java.
Jaipong
Jaipong dance is one of the cultures of West Java that emerged after the independence of Indonesia. To be precise, in 1960, a West Javanese dance artist, Gugum Gumbira, created a new dance creation aimed at creating a dance that would be used as a social media for the people of West Java.
This dance combines the art of music and the art of movement by using the traditions of the people of the archipelago, especially from West Java.
Although it is included as a new type of dance, jaipong is developed from various types of folk art that have existed since ancient times. For example the arts of Tap Tilu, Kliningan and also Ronggeng. These three types of traditional arts became the breath of Jaipong art developed by Gugum Gumbira.
The Jaipong dance works that were first recognized by the public were the Daun Pulus Keser Bojong and Rendeng Bojong dances. The first dance is classified as a female dance, while the second dance is a male and female pair dance.
At the beginning of its appearance, this jaipong dance had become a controversy. Because, this dance is considered to highlight the elements of eroticism and vulgarity so that it is considered not in accordance with the eastern norms adopted by the community.
However, Jaipong dance enthusiasts are actually increasing. Especially since this art began to be exposed by the mass media and especially when in 1980, TVRI (Indonesian Government Television) as the only television media at that time gave Gugum the opportunity to perform his work on the small screen.
Since then, the Jaipong dance has become widely known by all people in Indonesia. This is indicated by the increasing demand for this Jaipong dance performance. Whether it's for activities organized by government agencies or in the context of private community celebrations.
With the existence of this jaipong art, it creates a big contribution for dance activists to be even more creative in making folk dances. At the community level, this interest in jaipong dance can be seen from the proliferation of jaipong dance courses which are always filled by students participating in the course.
Sisingaan
Sisingaan is one of the cultures of West Java originating from the Subang area. This art is a type of art that uses tools such as stretchers with lion dolls on which there is a person as a rider.
This art itself began to be known since the 70s. However, there are also those who claim that since the Dutch colonial era this art has existed. This is symbolized by a stuffed lion which is a symbol of the twin lions which is a symbol of the Dutch colonialists at that time.
At this time, almost all villages in the Subang area have the Sisingaan art group. That is why in Subang every year the Sisingaan festival is held as a forum for the enthusiasm of the community in maintaining the distinctive culture of the Subang region.
Indirectly, this has become a separate tourist attraction for Subang district. The enthusiasm of the community itself is quite large in participating in the event.
Because the winners of the festival will be given the opportunity to represent Subang at cultural events at the regional, national or even international level. At this time, Sisingaan art has even spread to several areas around Subang, such as Sumedang, Purwakarta or also Bandung Regency.
