East Java Tourism News

CULTURE AND LIFE STYLE IN BANYUWANGI REGENCY

June 19th, 2006

GANDRUNG DANCE
The word Gandrung means Charm or captivation. Hundred years ago it was recorded that Blambangan always had a good crop. The farmer’s idea of creating the dance was presented short after thanksgiving harvest to Dewi Sri, the Goddess of paddy. This was how the Gandrung dance came into existence Gandrung, classical dance from the remnant of the ancient Blambangan Kingdoms, is a dance of which the guests are invited to come on the stage to dance along with the dancers. The turn are decided by the order of arrival of money to the dancers personally or through (gamelan player) by the quests in token of the next turn of the stage.

ANGKLUNG
Just like in the other places where “angklung” is available, “Angklung Blambangan” is from a unit of music instruments using spaces between parts of pieces of bamboo, arranged and set in such lap which produces tune of “slendro” (tune of the Javanese gamelan) but stricken like a saxophone.
There are many types of angklung for example Angklung Blambangan, Angklung Caruk, Angklung Paglak,etc.
PETIK LAUT MUNCAR
This traditional sea festival is held every 15th day of the month of Sura in the Javanese calendar, and is a thanksgiving celebration for year-round successes in fishing. The festival includes the Gandrung dance, performed in an “offering boat” loaded with 60 kinds of offerings which are thrown into the sea. The feature of this celebration is called “Labuh Sesaji.”
The next program is holding the Makam Gandrung, feast at the holegrave of Sayyid Yusuf, completed with Gandrung dance joined by all participants, burning fresh harbour, which are sometimes sprayed with water by all Muncar fishermen.

 

OSING,THE UNIQUE ETHNIC FROM BANYUWANGI

Different from other towns in East Java, Banyuwangi has a specific style of arts and culture. Various people from different ethnic groups as Madurese, Javanese, Osing, Banjarese, Bugis and others, mix in this town. Therefore, various dialects and languages of different ethnic groups are heard spoken in this town. Yet, in general, most of them understand and speak Javanese.

One of the ethnic has quite unique traditional culture and arts. The name of this ethnic is “Osing”.

Osing ethnic group are regarded to be the descendants of Majapahit refugees, when Majapahit was overthrown in the thirteenth century. Some of the specific traditional culture and arts such as “Gandrung Banyuwangi”, “Seblang”, and “Barong Dances”. Gandrung dance is performed in festivals and in folk or public rituals and formal ceremonies, because it is now regarded as a formal dance that symbolizes Banyuwangi city. Seblang is a “sacred” dance performed only in certain rituals on Friday, the third week of month. Seblang dance originates from Bakungan community, in Olehsari village, which is six kilometers from Banyuwangi city. This dance is also performed in the “Village-cleaning” ceremony or upacara “Bersih desa”. This ceremony is carried out every year, because the people there believe that if the ceremony is not carried out there would be some disaster that befalls the villagers. Seblang dancers can be performed only by the descendants of previous Seblang dancers. Not any women are allowed to perform Seblang dance. The dancers should be in trance when they dance. The Seblang ceremony in the coming year will be in May or June 1996. The another culture is Wedding Ceremony

Entry Filed under: East Java News