yan on second thoughts: Rhythm of bamboos

STUNNING: A cultural dancer in traditional Sundanese garb

Saung Angklung Udjo (SAU) is the success story about a cultural heritage’s ability to survive in a globalised world.

The city of Bandung has more to offer besides its wealth of shopping and awe-inspiring volcano of Tangkuban Perahu.

In the bustling eastern part of this city in West Java lies Saung Angklung Udjo (SAU), a bamboo sanctuary which manifests beautiful harmony of vibrating bamboos and nature.

The journey to this musical village is nothing extraordinary.

It takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the traffic. And having seen how a traffic jam clogged the crowded streets earlier, I had to time my trip just right, leaving the hotel at 2.30pm and reaching the village at 3.30pm just before the show began.

A group of children, clad in traditional Sundanese costume, lined up to welcome visitors as they walked into the green bamboo hall of SAU.

Nostalgic feeling

I was soon fascinated by the spectacular short performances, starting with the wooden puppets (wayang golek), harvest celebration rites (helaran) and traditional dances.

I felt like I was stepping back in time – to my own childhood days -- as an orchestra of children of various ages held up their angklung (bamboo musical instruments) and brought forth the distinctive sonorous music native to
the highlands of West Java.

SAU adopts the philosophy of easy, affordable, educative, attractive, massive and cheerful performances that are essence of their ultimate show called Kaulinan Urang Lembur or villagers’ playtime.

It spreads the values of simplicity, co-operation, unity and togetherness as well as maintains mutual relationship between human and environment.

It also teaches visitors the true meaning of conservation for both the cultural and natural environments through simple and enjoyable ways.

As the show came to a close, the performing children invited visitors to join them in a group dance and games, making everyone feel as if they were stepping back in time to their own childhood days.

The show then closed with cheerfulness and happy laughters. Indeed, happy and dynamic performances from the local children have become the spirit of this unique place.

But the show did not end here though!

Soon we found ourselves holding an angklung each. In front of us stood a conductor – typically with a stick and a big board with a musical sheet spread out across it.

We were taught to play the angklung made with two bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame. It plays only one specific note which is produced by shaking the instrument rapidly from side to side.

Soon we all were shaking away to a full orchestra playing the angklung repertoire.

Yes, Petter-Pat, Petter-Pat, sing a song of falling rain; Doe a deer a female deer – suddenly my childhood days came alive!

I was able to sing over the mic the Chinese version of Petter-Pat, Petter-Pat and explained what it meant.

As we entered the grand finale of Buring Kakatua, we were able to create musical sounds that were pleasant and harmonious to the ear, evoking balmy breezes, swaying coconut tress and the merry bubbling of brooks.

Seated next to me was a tourist from Holland, Willem, 58, who was very excited about the show.

The Dutch music teacher enthused: “I’m amazed by what the children can do with the angklung. Their sense of music is awesome. It’s just terrific!”

His partner was quick to add, "I have never seen audience members stay until the show is over!"

True meaning

The musical experience gave true meaning to the world socialising by bringing together a roomful of more or less strangers in literally perfect harmony.

Way back in the early 30’s, in the beautifully inspiring land of Parahiyangan or lands of Gods and Goddess, a five-year-old Udjo Ngalagena became overwhelmed by the sound of angklung.

Angklung was a good friend to him and also to the rest of the villagers whom he lived with.

The introducer of the show said: “The harmony, the uniqueness of various melodic sounds and the joy it creates has escorted every child to adulthood, and adults to their marriages and even celebrations at harvest time.

Angklung represents happiness.

So, the boy grew up. He wanted the children of the next generation to experience the same angklung joy he once had.

In 1966, Udjo began learning the angklung seriously from the Master himself, the late Daeng Soetigna who founded angklung music in 1938.

He said: “I have received a mission from the founding
father of angklung, the late Daeng Soetigna, to continue introducing angklung to the people in the world and promote peace in the world through angklung art performance.”

In 1966, Udjo together with his wife, Uum Sumiyati, established SAU with the purpose and dedication to conserve West Java’s Sundanese traditional art and culture.

The children who play in the orchestra come from the surrounding kampong where SAU is also a place to meet their friends, besides playing the angklung.

SAU is an example of the success story about a cultural heritage that is able to survive the relentless march of globalisation. It demonstrates how a surviving cultural value can provide benefit and add a colourful life to society.

Angklung was officially declared a World Heritage item by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in December last year.

Indonesian’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism was reported as saying the reason the angklung was inscribed was that it had deep philosophical values for humanity such as cooperation, respect and social harmony.

SAU’s visitors number to one to two thousand a month, coming from many countries in Europe, America and Africa as well as local audiences.

Indeed, the stream of melodious sounds from the simple bamboo instruments and the laughters, cheerful smiles of the performing children have won the hearts of ethnic music lovers the world over.