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JAKARTA: The sound of tambourines has returned to the slim alleys of southern Jakarta after a protracted pandemic hiatus, marking the month of Ramadan with distinctive Islamic devotional music native to the Indonesian capital.
Domestically referred to as rebana biang, tambourines have been utilized by the Betawi group of Jakarta for the previous two centuries. Larger than these used elsewhere in Southeast Asia and with no steel jingles, the hand held drums are additionally performed throughout different non secular celebrations, however it’s particularly Ramadan that has historically been related to their sound.
Right now, the custom is being saved alive by the final remaining rebana biang ensemble, Sanggar Lestari Budaya.
For many years, the group consisted solely of members of the family, with the strategies of taking part in and producing the rebana handed down from era to era. It was solely within the 2000s that the great-grandson of its founder, Mohamad Natsir, began to show the music to those that weren’t his kin.
“He was the one who opened area for individuals who aren’t household to be taught rebana and type their very own teams,” stated David Rahman, 30, who just isn’t a member of the family however took over the ensemble this 12 months, after Natsir’s dying.
The group now has seven members, all between the ages of 25 and 30.
Whereas they’ve been experimenting by including different devices to their performances, rebana stays the core of their artwork and to carry out with them, a musician must grasp it the way in which their great-grandfathers did and be taught 12 conventional rebana strokes.
“Collaborations are supposed to appeal to individuals to affix us,” Rahman stated.
“I’ll maintain the unique strokes unchanged.”
To maintain the unique type, nonetheless, the younger musicians will discover it more and more troublesome to keep up their devices.
There is just one grasp artisan left in Jakarta who could make the rebana: Abdul Rahman, a member of the prolonged household of Sanggar Lestari Budaya.
Already 80 years previous, he admits that his eyesight just isn’t good anymore.
It takes Rahman two weeks to provide the three totally different sized drums that type a part of the rebana. Generally it takes longer, as supplies are sourced from different components of Indonesia and will be costly. It prices about $350 to make one instrument.
“The uncooked supplies, similar to wooden and sheepskin, I take from Loning village in Kebumen, Central Java,” he instructed Arab Information.
Rahman says his son has learnt among the craft, however his expertise nonetheless require sharpening.
For now, the musicians aren’t attempting to borrow tomorrow’s sorrow and are all targeted on observe through the fasting month.
“Practising throughout Ramadan is a joyful expertise,” the group’s chief stated.
“We’ll certainly acquire a (religious) reward as it’s a good and blessed month.”
They’ve already earned a heat welcome from members of the Betawi group, after their performances had been suspended for 2 years by coronavirus lockdowns.
Catur Widarsono, a watchman who lives subsequent to the group’s observe room in Ciganjur, stated the neighborhood felt desolate with out the sound of rebana biang through the pandemic and everybody was joyful to listen to it once more.
“(For us) residents, when there are actions similar to rebana throughout Ramadan, it turns into serene, the ambiance within the neighborhood turns into serene,” he added.
Mohammad Alwi, whose household additionally lives close by, instructed Arab Information he was glad the sound of music was again.
“Due to the pandemic, their routine was much less,” he stated.
“I’m glad to listen to them (once more), particularly through the month of Ramadan. It reduces the anxiousness the pandemic had introduced.”
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