“ARTS OF BARONGAN”

EKA SUBEKTI

(2009-32-200)

This Article be submitted to fulfill The CCU task’s

Lecture : Junaidi, S.Pd

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

TEACHING TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACULTY

MURIA KUDUS UNIVERSITY

 ABSTRACT

Culture is most commonly used in three basic senses: excellence of taste in the
fine arts and humanities, also known as high culture, an integrated pattern of human
knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for symbolic thought
and social learning, the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that
characterizes an institution, organization or group. Culture consist of two : The
Traditional (Folk Culture) and The Modern (Pop Culture). This chance I will explain
more about folk culture : Arts Barongan especially.

Arts is the product or process of deliberately arranging symbolic elements in a

way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect. It
encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression,
including music, literature, film, photography, sculpture, and paintings. Barongan is one
of the most folk art among the community.In the art, Barong reflected populist traits.

There are 3 area which recognize Barongan as their culture : Blora, Bali and
Malaysia. In every area, they have different name and meaning about Barongan. In
Blora they called Reog, Malaysia neither too, Bali they called Barong. Whereas the
point is same, Barongan derived from the word barong, which in Javanese-Indonesian
dictionary, means the hair on the neck of a lion.

Keywords : Culture, Art, Barongan, Barongan Origin’s.

 INTRODUCTION

A. Background
Barongan. derived from the word barong, which in Javanese-Indonesian
dictionary, means the hair on the neck of a lion. Barongan itself was first made by Ki
Ageng Flea named full Ki Ageng Ketut Suryongalam. Ki Ageng lice was a village
headman or village head. Flea own village now located in District Jetis, located about
17 kilometers south of Roxburgh.
There are 3 Origin which recognize Barongan as their culture : Blora, Bali and
Malaysia.
In Blora, Art Barong is one of the most popular folk art among the community
Blora, especially rural communities. In the art of Barong reflected populist traits Blora
society, like nature: spontaneity, familial, simple, rough, hard, compact, and courage
which is based on truth. Barongan in art is an apparatus that resemble large Singo
Barong or lions as rulers haunted forest, and very savage. The figures in the story
Barongan Singobarong called kingpin Amijoyo which means the ruling of the tiger.
In Bali, Barong Dance is a typical Balinese dances originating from the treasures
of the Pre-Hindu culture. This dance illustrates the struggle between virtue (dharma)
and evil (adharma). Being virtue played by Barong, which is a dancer with four-legged
animal costumes, while a form of evil is played by Rangda.
In Malaysia, Barongan dance is a dance reog who danced in
Malaysia precisely in Johor and Selangor , and is a folk dance that brought Java while
settle there . This dance is a controversy because it is expressed as the cultural heritage
of Malaysia in the website 's official Ministry, Arts and Heritage Malaysia.
We can know Barongan in some area.Then, Barongan also from various
indigenous cultures. So,actually Barongan from where? Native culture of our country,
Indonesia or our neighbour, Malaysia’s?Initially, we just ignore Barongan, but after the
neighboring country to admit it, we would desperately maintain it. Why not since the
beginning we maintain, preserve and study our culture? Why after in other countries
precisely we are angry, admit and care about culture? What if all late and in vain?
Culture grab peoples in neighboring countries and what we can do? loss of a valuable
national asset.
B. The Formulation of the Problem
1. What is Barongan?
2. Why Barongan recognized by some area like Blora, Bali, Malaysia?
3. Was some area have different meaning about Barongan?Why?
4. Where is the true Barongan Origin?Blora, Bali or Malaysia?
 DISCUSSION

In this study, I use method of collecting sources from the internet browsing.In
the previous section, Introduction, mention that Barongan recognized by 3 regions:
Blora, Bali, and Malaysia.

A. Barongan

For the German nonpositivist sociologist, Georg Simmel, said that “Culture
referred to the cultivation of individuals through the agency of external forms which
have been objectified in the course of history". So, if there are some area recognize
Barongan as their culture it become to that opinion, Barongan have been objectified in
the course of history. In every area also has different history and meaning about
Barongan.

1. Barongan In Blora.

In Blora, Art Barong is one of the most popular folk art among the community
Blora, especially rural communities. In the art of Barong reflected populist traits. Blora
society, like nature: spontaneity, familial, simple, rough, hard, compact, and courage
which is based on truth. Barongan in art is an apparatus that resemble large Singo
Barong or lions as rulers haunted forest, and very savage. The figures in the story
Barongan Singobarong called kingpin Amijoyo which means the ruling of the
tiger.Barongan art form dance group, which might mimic the motion of a giant
lion. Singo Barong role in totality in the presentation is a very dominant figure, while
there are some figures that can not be separated, namely: Bujangganong / Pujonggo
Anom Joko Lodro / devils cavalry / reog Noyontoko Untub. In addition to the above
figures Barongan arts performances also have some equipment that serves as musical
instruments, among others: Kendang, Gedhuk, Bonang, Saron, demung and
kempul. Along with the development of time there are several additional modern
instruments in the form of drums, trumpet, big Kendang and Keyboards. Sometimes in
some performances are often combined with artistry mixed juice.
 2. Barongan In Bali.
Different area, has different name too, In Bali Barongan is called Barong. It
same with Barongan. But, Following World War II, the term became important, Albeit
said that “Different meanings, in other disciplines such as cultural studies,
organizational psychology and management studies”. In Bali,Barong Dance is a typical
Balinese dances originating from the treasures of the Pre-Hindu culture. This dance
illustrates the struggle between virtue (dharma) and evil (adharma). Being virtue played
by Barong, which is a dancer with four-legged animal costumes, while a form of evil is
played by Rangda, namely the sinister figure with two pointy fangs in her mouth.
Barong generally describes the combination of lions, tigers, and bulls. In the body
decorated with ornaments from the skin, pieces of mirror glass, and also features the
feathers of pandan leaf fibers. Barong is played by two dancers (interpreter saluk /
interpreter Bapang): one dancer took a position in front of the motion plays Barong
head and front legs, while the second dancer is behind the hind legs and tail plays a
Barong.

3. Barongan In Malaysia.
In Malaysia, Barongan dance is a dance reog who danced in
Malaysia precisely in Johor and Selangor , and is a folk dance that brought Java while
settle there . This dance is a controversy because it is expressed as the cultural heritage
of Malaysia in the website 's official Ministry, Arts and Heritage Malaysia. The same
site shows a description of the story reog is described as the story of
Prophet Solomon with the animals that can talk, when there is a tiger and a peacock that
interact with the dance . This gives rise to anger the people of Roxburgh and negative
sentiment the people of Indonesia to Malaysia. At the time of this investigation revealed
that the cultural heritage known as the "dance Barongan" in Malaysia was
importing suddenly peacock , a symbol of the main attractions of the dance, of
Roxburgh .
 In the twentieth century, "culture" emerged as a concept central to anthropology,
encompassing all human phenomena that are not purely results of human genetics.
Specifically, the term "culture" in American anthropology had two meanings: (1) the
evolved human capacity to classify and represent experiences with symbols, and to act
imaginatively and creatively; and (2) the distinct ways that people living in different
parts of the world classified and represented their experiences, and acted creatively.
Now, We should not be confused why Barongan may be recognized by the 3
regions, the answer is because the culture are created, shared, learned and change in
different area. Johann Gottfried Herder (1744–1803) argued that “Human creativity,
which necessarily takes unpredictable and highly diverse forms, is as important as
human rationality. Moreover, Herder proposed a collective form of bildung: "For
Herder, Bildung was the totality of experiences that provide a coherent identity, and
sense of common destiny, to a people."

B. Barongan and Culture.

Barongan growing among the public. Aside from being a means of

entertainment, Barongan also serves as a means to enhance unity and mutual
cooperation. Because the arts to forge unity then the Dutch and Japanese colonial period
activities are very limited. Even the once banned altogether, because the occupiers can
not worry if art reog unity among the fighters are tough.
It should be underlined, art Barongan not exist without meaning.Arts and culture
is very political. History has been written with the lives and blood. So apart from the
issue of nationalism or internationalism, this is the history of a folk art, whose presence
still exists today. Hope it useful to review the analysis and friends.
According to this opinion : In 1860, Adolf Bastian (1826–1905) argued for "the
psychic unity of mankind". He proposed that a scientific comparison of all human
societies would reveal that distinct worldviews consisted of the same basic elements.
According to Bastian, all human societies share a set of "elementary ideas"
(Elementargedanken); different cultures, or different "folk ideas" (Volkergedanken), are
local modifications of the elementary ideas. This view paved the way for the modern
understanding of culture. Franz Boas (1858–1942) was trained in this tradition, and he
brought it with him when he left Germany for the United States. So, If there are 3 area
recognized that Barongan is their culture, I think it is fair, because they have different
idea and mind set about that culture, also the different history. So, we must be wise
respond that problem.

CLOSING

A. Conclusion

After we discuss about Barongan arts in different area, we can concluse :

1. Barongan. derived from the word barong, which in Javanese-Indonesian

dictionary, means the hair on the neck of a lion.

2. Barongan is recognized by some area because culture are created, shared,

learned and change in different name, meaning and history in every area.

3. Barongan growing among the public. Aside from being a means of

entertainment, Barongan also serves as a means to enhance unity and mutual
cooperation. It should be underlined, art Barongan not exist without
meaning.Arts and culture is very political. History has been written with the
lives and blood.

B. Suggestion

Barongan is a culture that continues to grow and has many enthusiasts, so many
areas that recognizes that Barongan is owned. We are as the future generation has an
obligation to maintain, preserve, maintain it by continuing to study it so as not to
become extinct, or even disappear in swallowed by time. Be the young generation who
love the culture of the nation. Culture is a reflection of our personality.
References :

1..http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tari_Barongan
2. http://www.pemkabblora.go.id/04_barong.php
3.http://banyumili-medias.blogspot.com/2009/12/sejarah-reog-
barongan.html
4. http://history-our.blogspot.com/2010/11/sejarah-tari-barong-bali.html
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture

6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art