Gendang Beleq,the rhythm and harmony of Lombok

Photograph by : Wahid Kurniadi

         In Sasak tribe community,there's a traditional art that combining traditional music instruments, this music is used to encourage the warrior from ancient kingdom in Lombok island when they going for war,but as the time goes by,the function of the music become change,these days the music is playing for special occasion like wedding ceremony (merariq),or when a baby get first haircut (aqiqah) or any other big celebration.

         The name "Gendang Beleq" mean big gendang, gendang is a traditional music instrument,a kind of drum, made from big tree trunk that had been holed in the middle, and covered by ox or cow skin in the left and right side, so when people hit the left  and right side it could make a rhythm.Playing in group of men from 13 to 17 people,there are few components from this tradisonal music such as :

• Two Gendang Beleq, called gendang mame ( male gendang) and gendang nine ( female gendang ) as a dynamic of music
• One Gendang Kodeq ( Small Gendang )
• Two reong, reong mame ( male reong ) and reong nine ( female reong ) as the melody of the music
• One perembak beleq as rhytmic
• Eight perembak kodeq or used to called copek as rhytmic
• One petuk as rhytmic
• One Big Gong as rhytmic
• One Penyelak Gong as rhytmic
• One Oncer Gong as rhytmic
• Two red or yellow flag called lelontek

  

  Photograph by : Wahid Kurniadi

                                                         These group of men were walking like parade while they were playing the music,they were also dancing during the music playing.The filosofi of the music is representing unity,wisdom,patient,beauty, and heroism which sacred by the Sasak tribe community,so by playing the music,those good point would stay remain in the tribe.

  

  Photograph by Wahid Kurniadi