An Endangered Creature called Gambuh
If you have ever been curious about Indonesia’s Majapahit Kingdom, you might like to see a performance of Gambuh – a ritual theatre which potrays classic Hindu-Javanese court culture during the Golden Age of the Majapahit era (1292-1527). The costumes are elaborate in addition to majestic in addition to the main characters speak in addition to sing in Kawi which was an ancient literary language. After the rise of Islam, Gambuh was transported to Bali, where the item has survived for over 500 years, completely unchanged. at This specific point Bali’s oldest performance tradition will be close to becoming extinct.
Why? I decided to watch a performance at the village of Batuan, outside of Ubud in addition to I felt as if I had stumbled into another realm; the female performers hypnotically danced as their eyes stared far into the distance. The musicians played meditatively on long, low-pitched flutes, which are unique to the Gambuh gamelan ensemble. in addition to the male performers charged energetically across the stage before halting in addition to posing with their legs outstretched, like birds. Yet despite feeling enchanted by the magic of the performance, something didn’t feel right. Although the two-hour performance had been condensed, the spectators had slowly disappeared. Hardly anyone watched the show to the end.
A complete Gambuh performance lasts for six hours in addition to its story will be part of a romantic poem, the Malat, wherein the fictional Prince Panji will be separated via his fiancée Candra in addition to searches for her over many years. Concerned about the endangered art, the Italian dance performer, Cristina Wistari Formaggia established the Gambuh Pura Desa Ensemble from the Balinese village of Batuan in 1993. “We wanted to create a space where everybody could come in addition to learn Gambuh. In Batuan, like in many various other villages, rivalries are the threat of Balinese society in addition to therefore I didn’t want to ask the help of any pre-existing group, yet instead create an endeavour where all the people could learn both the music in addition to the dance,” Cristina explained in an interview with Odin Teatret.
I Wayan Bawa in Ur Hamlet
After Cristina passed away in 2008, the performer I Wayan Bawa helped to steer the group. Bawa met Cristina in 1985 in addition to they both studied under I Made Djimat, one of Bali’s greatest dance masters. I was privileged to meet Bawa at his artist studio in Batuan. As the sunlight filtered through the window, hitting his dream-like, swirling paintings, I sat down in addition to was treated to a cup of Balinese coffee. I could not guess Bawa’s age – his eyes were bright in addition to his long grey hair shimmered freely down his back. He was incredibly charismatic in addition to when he read passages of ancient Kawi, I felt as if I could remember an old part of the soul which had been locked away.
“We have had a school for Gambuh for children since 1997. at This specific point only three districts are performing Gambuh, in Batuan, Gianyar in addition to Denpasar,” said Bawa. He also has concerns about its survival. “Gambuh will be a technically in addition to musically difficult performance which demands a lot of learning in addition to originally the item was only performed twice per year during the big ceremonies because the item will be a sacred dance, not commercial. Because of This specific, the chance to learn Gambuh will be limited because we practice in addition to perform only twice per year. Cristina helped us practice in addition to perform more often to preserve the dance in addition to reintroduce the item to the people. In June This specific year, I will be performing with the children in an art event in Denmark – the Mask of the Future.” Later from the evening, he showed us a gamelan practice for the boys in addition to explained in which since they are not ready to understand meditation, easier songs are played at first to hold their interest.
I learnt more about Gambuh from the home of Milvia Terenzi – a homeopathy practitioner – who was also a Great friend of Cristina. After Cristina passed away, Milvia helped to manage the school For two main years in addition to organised venues in addition to translations. “Cristina was the only European allowed to dance from the temples because This specific was a temple dance. This specific will be why she became Balinese Hindu. Dance was her life, she gave everything she had to her dance,” said Milvia. “Cristina travelled almost every night via Ubud down to Batuan to practice. at This specific point her masks are in a museum in Sicily, after she passed away we sent everything to the family. She had so many beautiful masks.”
I wanted to find out more about Gambuh’s demise. “the item’s too difficult to perform. Firstly because of the language which will be Kawi, many people are required for the performance in addition to the instruments are also ancient, so the item’s out of fashion. the item’s too expensive. Everybody forgets about the item. the item’s a long show – at This specific point everybody wants to see the shorter dances,” said Milvia. With these thoughts in mind, we seated ourselves down to watch a recorded Ur Hamlet performance.
Gambuh Desa Batuan Ensemble perform in Ur Hamlet
Although based on an old European play dated 1200 AD, the post-modern Ur Hamlet play incorporated Gambuh theatre along with many classical Balinese in addition to Japanese performances. Balinese in addition to Indian songs were combined with very modern-day settings such as mothers pushing prams, carrying plastic shopping bags in addition to men wearing office attire running around the stage mid-performance. The result was spell-binding, perhaps one of the most profound theatrical performances I have ever seen.
Gambuh had been brought back to life. Cristina had helped This specific ancient art form to evolve for a modern-day audience. Ur Hamlet was produced by award-winning theatre director Eugenio Barba who founded Odin Theatre in Denmark, in addition to Eugenio in addition to Cristina had collaborated closely on the project. Cristina played the character of Orvendil (ruler of Jutland in addition to Hamlet’s father) in addition to I Wayan Bawa played the character of Fengi (Orvendil’s brother in addition to Hamlet’s uncle). “We performed at Kronborg Castle in Elsinore, Denmark, which was the original castle of Hamlet. For Ur Hamlet we had to learn to keep the rhythm of Gambuh inside even if the music changed,” Bawa explained.
For over 500 years Gambuh has remained unchanged, yet perhaps This specific will lead to its demise. in which will be why explorative perfomances such as Ur Hamlet are so important. “I don’t think in which the collaboration with many styles will contaminate or deteriorate the art (of Gambuh). On the opposite, I think in which the item will stimulate them to understand different ways of performing in addition to make them more solid in what they already know. I think in which This specific multi-cultural project consolidates the group, also economically in addition to gives them the chance to keep nursing the group in addition to stimulating. To somehow give a sense of identity to the group,” explained Cristina. yet my thoughts returned to the lonely performance I had seen in Batuan – if they are not able to see their audience, how will they survive?
Further information
M.C. Formaggia, Gambuh,(2000) The Lontar Foundation
Odin Teatret: http://odinteatret.dk/
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An Endangered Creature called Gambuh
An Endangered Creature called Gambuh