Dances

Dances

The songs and dances of Aceh generally reflect prayers art. Aceh's dances are dynamic and performed collectively rather than individually.

The Identity of the Acehnese Dances

In all Acehnese tradional dances red colours of stripes are clearly seen in the cloth. The characteristics of these dances represent:(1) Islamic Value, Islam plays an important role in the life of the Acehnese people. Besides, the dances are also the medium of communication in spreading the faith in the society. (2) Democratic. In accodances with the democratic Islamic value, the art growing in the Acehnese society is to dealt with the daily humanism activities (3) Collective. None of the Acehnese dances is done by only a dancer; rather, the dances are always played together by a group of dancers, which describes the characteristic of the people of the Acehnese who love to work together, friendly and in unity. (4) Dynamic. The sounds of stepping feet, beating the chests, thigh or shoulders with the movements which starts slowly and gradually become faster and faster, and followed by songs and sounds of rapa'i (kind of tambourine) show a great dynamic of Acehnese traditional dances. (5) Vocal. None of the Acehnese tradional dance that has no vocal. All are followed by songs and poems recited by the dancers.

In old times dances were either performed at the courts for sultans and their guest or in the villages as entertainment after hard work in the fields. Today dances are mostly performed at special government functions, but in many areas local dancing traditions and groups carry on the heritage. Each region of Aceh has own version of dances or its own indigenous ones. The costumes used are basically long sleeved tops and sarongs wrapped around the waist and colors are often brilliant. Women usually wear head pieces, but the use of jewelry depends on the aspect of life that is depicted by the dance. The Acehnese dance all have certain characteristics in common. Islamic values are often spread in Aceh through the dances. The dances deal with daily social activities. All Acehnese dances are performed by a group and are dynamic with stepping feet, beating of chests, hips and shoulder

Acehnese music performed on tradition string, wind and percussion instruments. Most of them seem to have Chinese origin, but at least the "arbab" is indigenous. The "arbab" is a three string zither made of wood from the jack fruit tree. The strings are made of very strong bambo, rattan, or from horse tail horse. One example of wind instrument is the "seurunee kalee ", which is a single reed wood-wind with one hole in the back and seven in the front. Other include various kinds of bamboo fluetes, such as "buloh peurindu", "bansi" and "suling". Gong are made of brass or dried goat skin and are sounded with padded wooden hammers. They come in three sizes and called "gong" , "canang", and "mong-mong". The "Rapaii Pasai" is tambourine made of goat skin. The "Rapai Pasai", for example, was introduced by the Samudra Pasai Kingdom as an instrument to call citizen to gather. The "Tak Tok" is made of bamboo and is very simmilar to Javanese "angklung". The players of traditional instruments are usually men, while women sing and play tambourines. A traditional band consists of leader, four or five players and one or two boy sopranos.

In Aceh there are 50 types of dances, 20 kinds of music, 10 forms of literature and 9 traditional arts. Some popular dances are the Seudati, Laweut, Pho, Meuseukat, Guel, Ula-ula, Lembing, Rapa-ie Geleng, and Saman Lokop. Popular music forms include: are Rapa-ie, Seurunee Kalee, Rebana and Tob Daboh. Some of the popular dances are:

Ranub Lampuan
"Ranub" is Acehnese for betel leaf. Betel leaf (or sirih) in Acehnese is called' ranub'. It is a kind of vine tree which is easily found in the region. Betel leaf plays an important part in the Acehnese's life since it is used as an extra chewing after meals. Also, the leaf is also used as a sign of respect to the guest. Serving the betel leaf to guests has now developed as a kind of dance. It is very popular in Aceh and usually played "Serving betel leaf to the guest" as a dance has become a popular way of welcoming prominent guest to Aceh and also at opening ceremonies The dance is performed by 9 women dancers and accompanied by the sound of the traditional musical instrument of 'seurunee kalee'. At the end of the dance, the dancers come to the guests and give 'the sirih'. It should be noted that the guests are expected to take the sirih although they do not have to chew it.

Peumulia Jamee
This dance is almost the same as the 'ranub lam puan' dance. It is also performed to welcome guests. Whenever this dance is performed, the ranub lam puan is omitted. This dance is also as a symbol of hospitality. The dance is accompanied by 'seurunee kalee', and its music is reminiscent of long-gone exotic Arabian nights. The dancers sing a welcoming song beginning in the traditional Islamic fashion, "Assalamu alaikum

Seudati

The "Seudati" dance existed in pre-Islamic times, but became a way to spread Islamic value to the Achehnese people. The name can de derived from the "syahadatain" which means confession of faith by saying " Kalimah Syahadat". "Seudati" is performed by 8 male dancers commanded by a leader ("syeikh") and his assistant ("apet syeikh") . Two narattors read a poem. It is danced in standing position and starts with "saleum" (salam). Only stepping feet, snapping fingers and beating of chests accompany the movements. The Seudati Inong is the same dance, but performed by women

Saman

"Saman" the most popular dance in Aceh and the dance that has become well-known abroad with the name "Thousand hands". It has its origin from the Alas ethnic group and is normally performed to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. and other important occasions. Eight to twenty male performers kneel in a row on the floor and make different kinds of torso movements accompanied by songs, clapping hands, slapping chests, slapping hands on the floor, etc. The songs are praises to Allah or prayers. The dance starts with slow movements and increases its tempo gradually to great speed and finally come to a sudden stop. There are many different regional versions of "Saman"

Meuseukat
"Meusekat" is almost the same as "Saman". The only difference is that "Meusekat" is performed by women and originates in west and south Aceh.

Pho
The word "pho" derives from "pheubae po". "Peubae" means weeping and "po " is an honorable indicator. The dance was developed from the old dance "bineuh" and originated in the 16th century in south Aceh. It was beginning performed at the death of Sultan or noble man as an expression of loss and sadness. Over the years it started to appear in the "manoe pucok" ceremony ("bathe" and "new bud" respectively) in the days before a wedding when the bride is bathed. During this ceremony the bride is seated in full traditional attire and accompanied by her parents. After a "peusejuk" ( a cooling ceremony) the dancers appear. They led by a "syeh" who produces songs that decribes the life of the bride from birth until marriage. It is about how much the parents have done, how much they have spent on her and how they have taken care of her. Now the moment of departure has come and the bride will leave her parents for a new life with her husband as wife and mother. the newlyweds are also blessed and wished a prosperous future. The songs are often so sad not only the bride and parents, but also the participans, sob togeter.

Laweut

"Laweut" was developed in early days of Islam in the Pidie area of northern Aceh and means a kind of prayer to the Prophet Muhammad. " Lawaeut" is also called "Seudati Inong" for its similarity to the "Seudati" dance and that it is performed by women, eigh of them with a "syech" ( leader). Normally it is performed in a standing position, accompanied by song and sound of snapping fingers, stepping feet, beating thighs and clapping hands from dancers

Tarek Pukat
The "Tarek pukat" dance depicts the life of the fishermen in the coastal area. This includes making nets, rowing boats, catching fish and pulling the net which actually is meaning of "Tarek Pukat". The dance is cheerful, dynamic and accompanied by songs or traditional musical instruments.. Each dancer has a rope and during the dance these ropes are woven into net. The dance expresses hard-work which is done cheerfully and dynamically in hope that they have a good catch.

Marhaban
This dance was normally only used for celebration of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. , but due to its popularity has begun to appear also on other occasions. There are 20 performer, 10 women and 10 men, accompanied by special tambourines. The dance is often followed by prayers to the Prophet.

Rapai Geleng
"Rapai" is the name of a tambourine used to accompany songs and dances. "Rapa-ii Geleng" is a dance specially developed with this tambourine in mind. The movements are almost the same as in the "Saman" dance, but the 11 to 20 male dancers handle one tambourine each, which gives the dance a very distinct and enjoyable flavor. A song with Islamic teachings accompanies the dance.

Prang Sabil
"Perang Sabil" is a new creation, composed in order to commemorate the war against foreign invaders. This very dynamic dance, accompanied by music, is performed by 8 women and 8 men. The women carrying rencongs (Acehnese blade) and the men swords ("Peudeung"). The dancers describes how the rencong and Peudeung is used in a real war and the dance itself can be hurtful enough if a dancer loses his concentration.

Bines
"Bines" comes the Alas people and is developed from the folk tale "odeni maleleng". This tale tells us about the fate of young woman committing adultery and punished by her own village people with death. The mother of girl walks crying around the body of the girl, layng on leather pad. The dance describes the grief of the mother and a sad song in local language accompanies the movements.

Didong
"Didong" is most popular Gayo dance, and dance groups of 20 to 40 men and women compete in different aspects of dance, such as song, movement and voice. It can be performed at any kind of occasion.

Ul-Ula Lembing
A dance strongly influenced by Malay traditions and very popular in east Aceh. It is performed by four couple in traditional Malay attire.

Alee Tunjang
Originally a dance for the start of the harvest that despicts traditional rice milling. Performed by four couple moving beautifully to the music from "serunee kalee" . They carry "lesung" (rice mortar) and "alu" (pestle), 2 to 3 meters long.

Daboih
The famous "Daboih" is hardly a dance, but merely a show of the performers ability to withstand diffeerent kinds of sharp blades. The actors stab themselves to the special sound of tambourine "rapa-ii". The show can be rather dramatic at times. Even electric chain saws can be used ! Keep away if you have a bad hearts.

Lansir Madam
Lansir Madam is an odd remnant from colonial era and can be described as a "Dutch Square dance".

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