Sama Sepukul

Audio 6.3: Audio Example 3 in Chapter 6 of book: Margaret Kartomi, ‘Musical Journeys in Sumatra’, Champaign-Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2012. During colonial times, the Indragiri sultanate held celebrations that included music and dancing. Representatives of the local Malay people and of the “Suku Mamak” (‘Mamak ethnic group’) were present on such occasions. The “Suku Mamak” (also known as “Talang Mamak”), a forest-dwelling people, have lived in the region since pre-Islamic times and combine their indigenous religious beliefs with Islamic belief and practices. At palace celebrations, “Suku/Talang Mamak” artists performed music and dance just outside the palace. Sometimes they performed the “Tari Berarak” processional dance. The instruments used for accompanying the “Tari Berarak” comprise gong-chimes (the “celempung” and “tekelek”), a xylophone (“kelintang”) and double-headed drums (“gandang”). As can be heard in this excerpt, recorded in November 1984, the same instruments accompany the traditional art of self-defense (“silat”). The music features energetic rhythmic and melodic figures that are suggestive of the brisk movements of a performance of “silat” (art of self-defense). The performance was led by Bp Mochtar Sigit. Duration: 1 min. 21 sec. Copyright 1984. Margaret J. Kartomi.