Not once that I’d been stuck in multicultural gathering and people would start to exchange national songs. First, I cannot sing, that’s already something. But the fact that I’m not really aware of indonesian songs and would stuck in some songs that I know from West Java such as Manuk Dadali, Es Lilin, and Colenak. It is really embarassing. A Serbian even once sang an Indonesian song from Sumatera in his choir and I don’t even know the song he mentioned. He knows better than I do! How ignorant I was. So now I’d try to furnish myself with some knowledge. And share to you too.
Indonesia is vast, so is its musical tones. From east to west, we can witness how 500 ethnics in Indonesia express their traditional cognitive when they outhear their songs, enjoying aesthetic tone contour of sounded notes. Each tone represent each ethnic’s identity in the midst of other tunes in the world. Songs from Ambon, would differ uniquely with songs from Java, Dayak, Madura, Batak and else ethnic groups. But together, we can see it’s resemblence, a package of masse culture as globalization pattern in this era.
A study represents this resemblence in between archipelago tunes, categorized based on memethic structure. The study itself can be seen here.
This study shows 10 groups of songs, from which we can dive into who are Indonesian melodically.
1. O INA NI KEKE – from Minahasa
This is game song between boys and girls, it’s lyrics :
B (Boys) : O Ina ni keke, mange wisa ko
G (Girls ) : Mangewa aki wenang tumeles baleko
B (Boys) : weane, weane, weane toyo
G (Girls ) : daimo siapa ko tare makiwe…
B (Boys) : O girl where are you going ?
G (Girls ) : I want to go to wenang, to buy baleko (traditional cake)
B (Boys) : Give me one, Give me a little bit
G (Girls ) : It’s too late, its all finished… O INA NI KEKE – from Minahasa
2. PADANG WULAN – Central Java
This song’s about Javanese kids who are happy playing under the full moon.
Yo pra kanca dolanan ing jaba, Padhang wulan padhange kaya rina
Rembulane e sing awe awe, Ngilangake aja padha turu sore
Yo pra kanca dolanan ing jaba, Rame-rame kene akeh kancane
Langite pancen sumebyar rina, Yo padha dolanan sinambi guyonan
Let’s friends go play outside, together with a lot of friends
The sky is clear like daytime, let’s play with full of laughter
3. SARINANDE - Ambon
This is a song about Ambonese girl who seems to be sad, but it’s actually due to smokes that gets into her eyes (showing her hardworking attitude at home:
Sarinande, putri Sarinande, mangapa tangis, matamu bangkak?
Aduh mama, aduh lah papa, La asap api masuk di mata
Sarinade, Why are you crying with swollen eyes?
No Papa, No amama, it’s the smoke that gets into my eyes…
4. ATI RAJA - South Sulawesi
This is a really spectacular song about great gratefulness and one’s submission to the creator (One God, Monotheistic). This song is in legato mode, rich in lyrical content as well as instrumental.
Se’re se’re ji batara baule
Ati raja, naki jai pa’nganroi baule Rajale alla kereaminjo
Ati ati ati raja Nitarima pappala’na baule
Mannamo ki minasai baule Ati raja, kipanai’ ri palatta’ baule
Rajale alla taballetommi Ati ati ati raja Na batara angkellai baule
There’s only One God
God’s heart, only to You we ask
To the deepest of our heart
God’s Heart, accepts all wishes even only as-ifs
God’s Heart, make a wish, and He will fulfill them all
5. DEK SANGKE - South Sumatera
This song’s about disapointment in inter human relationship (not everybody’s like what they’re seen). This song rhymes really nicely.
Dek sangke, aku dek sangke, awak tunak ngaku juare,
Alamat badan ‘kan sare akkhirnye masuk penjare.
Dek sangke, aku dek sangke, ujiku bujang tak batanye tua bangke,
Anaknye ‘lah gadis gale.
Dek sangke, aku dek sangke, ujiku gadis tak batanye jende mude.
Anaknye ‘lah ade tige.
Dek sangke ture sangke,
cempedak babuah nangke…
I didn’t imagine, I cannot imagine
weak people says they’re strong, just to find difficulties in the end
I didn’t imagine, I thought unmarried,
actually an old guy, with young women as daughters
I didn’t imagine, I thought a virgin but a widow
with three children!
I didn’t imagine,
cempedak berbuah nangka! (it’s a proverb for the unexpected)
6. KAMBANGLAH BUNGO - MInangkabau
This is about Minang’s romance that cannot be pulled out of its cultural rute. It’s rich of methaporical poetic messages, masculin and yet feminin.
7. HUHATEE - Malacca
The song’s about relationship within young people
8. TANDUK MAJENG - Madura
About coastline life in the archipelago. With legato mode to describe those who lives in the sea and their heroism
9. MAK INANG - Riau & West Sumatera
The song is about one’s longing for home.
10. SIGULEMPONG - Tapanuli
This poetic song is about a man who longs for the woman of his dream
*This is to be continued*
