SELONDING FUNCTION IN MODERN ERA IN KARANGASEM

REGENCY

Written by

I GEDE PUTU SATYA ISWARA

2201571009

DEPARTEMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES

UDAYANA UNIVERSITY

2023
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1. 1 Background

Bali is well known for its nature beauty, art and culture. Beauty natures
such as lakes, beaches, mountains and many more attract people from local or
foreign to visit Bali for their holidays. All regency in Bali have their own
interesting beauty nature, art and unique culture that cannot be found in other
regency.

One of the uniqueness of art and culture is Gamelan. Gamelan is a well-

known percussion instrument, it is part of every Balinese ceremony and cultural
activity. Gamelan which is also one of art form which related with ritual context
in Bali. Gamelan usually played in panca yadnya rituals. Panca yadnya is five
form of offering by Hindu in Bali for its creator. Therefore, every gamelan has
each function according to ritual or ceremony hold by village community. For
example, gamelan wali, gamelan bebali or gamelan balih-balihan. This gamelan
performs in every religious ceremony, art and cultural festival and other cultural
activity.

In Bali, every regency has own characteristic of gamelan. Such as gamelan

Selonding which is founded in Tenganan Pegringsingan and Bungaya village, in
Karangasem Regency. Selonding is a percussion instrument which consist of
blades made of iron. This gamelan Selonding is very sacred to the people who
own it and perform as part of religious ceremony only. To play this instrument,
Selonding played by two hand use panggul as a beater. Unfortunately, until today,
there is not much literature that can explains when was this Selonding found and
where were the place.. Some study or literature said, Selonding estimated found in

th
9 century, during the reign of Sri Kesari Warmadewa.
 According to local myth in Tenganan and Bungaya, said that people in
Tenganan hear a rumbling sound from the sky that came in waves. First wave was
fell in Bungaya and the other wave fell in Tenganan. After the disappearance of
that sound, they found 3 blade of Selonding and 3 blades were further developed
into current gamelan Selonding. Since then, Selonding will performs in every
ritual ceremony hold in the village of Tenganan and Bungaya villages. Nowdays,
Selonding not only performed in a religious ceremonies but also for other event.

For Tenganan and Bungaya people, gamelan Selonding has become a

secret instrument. Bur, for those who live outside of Bali Aga villages, Selonding
no longer has a sacred function because not only played in yadnya ceremonies but
also performed in an art festival or as an entertainment at tourism object. This
phenomenon is very interesting because it discussed about how secularized and
transformation in the function of gamelan Selonding, from sacred art to profane
art. By the transformation of the function, Selonding also used as an education
media for art student. And also as a research media to study the gending, record
the gending and measure the tones, which used to be strictly prohibited by the
Tenganan people on their sacred Selonding.

1. 2 Phenomenon

Phenomenon what happened in nowadays is a friction or change of

Selonding function from sacred function to profane function (secularized). It
happened because the changing times and globalization. In Tenganan, the local
community viewed it as a sacred instrument and should only played in ritual
context, such as accompanying usaba ceremonies, rejang ileh, and mekare-kare.
But, outside of Bali Aga village the people sees Selonding just as an ordinary
instrument and can be played any time without looking the context of the
ceremony, such as played in art festival. Selonding first came out of Tenganan
when a team from Kokar Bali was doing research on selonding and also one of the
selonding figures in Tenganan village was invited to teach about Selonding at
Kokar. Kokar as an art school has a important role to play the development of
Selonding today, because the teachers and students of Kokar indirectly introduce
about Selonding to public. Today, Selonding found all over in Bali but with a
different function to the one found in Tenganan.

1.3 Problems

1.3.1 What's the problem which happened with Selonding nowadays?

1.3.2 What's caused Selonding has a desacralization?

1.3.3 How people's opinion about desacralization of Selonding?

1. 4 Aims

1. 4. 1 To find out the caused of the change of Selonding function.

1. 4. 2 To find out the impact caused of the change of Selonding function.

 CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL

Theory or concept which used in this writing is sacral and profane

concept. According to Durkheim, religion makes a classification about human
experiences to two categories, such as sacral and profane. Something sacred was
explained by Durkheim by using the example of totemism adopted by the native
tribes of Australia.

In totemism, humans associate themselves with animals or plants and

consider all symbols sacred, so they are treated specially. In totemic religions,
animal and plant symbols are revered. Certain animal and plant symbols
symbolize certain clans of tribes. The animals and plants are sacred and must not
be killed, harmed or even approached except during certain celebrations. The
sanctity of the totem is absolute in that society. Its sanctity can be felt by each
individual, especially in religious celebrations and rituals.

At these rituals and celebrations, totems infiltrate and govern human self-
consciousness. When worship takes place where dances, songs, incantations and a
feeling of serenity and tranquillity pervade each individual, that very second the
individual loses his or her individuality and enters into the mass of the Sacred. An
unusual feeling of floating, which is inexpressible, but real and transcendental.
The veneration that exists in rituals or festivals in every religion is not for totems
or Gods, but to keep individuals from forgetting the importance of the clan and to
give a sense that the sacred is something different and of a higher level than the
profane.
 From there comes the view of the classification of sacred and profane. The
concept of sacred relates to that which is holy, sacred, religious, divity and beyond
the reach of human thought. While, profane is real word, daily life what can be
reached by humans. Something sacred is considered higher in degree or dignity
and will be treated specially than the profane.

Emile Durkheim gives seven indicators of the sacred, namely as follows.

First, the sacred is an aspect of what is experienced, calling for a recognition or
belief in power or strength. Second, the sacred is characterized by obscurity, it is a
matter of power and vagueness. Third, it is non-utilitarian. Fourth, it is non
empirical. Fifth, it does not involve knowledge. Fifth, it does not involve
knowledge. Usefulness and daily life are alien to the sacred, while work is
primary to the profane. He states that this holy quality is not intrinsic to the object
but is imparted to it by religious thoughts and feelings. The sacred is not an aspect
of the empirical world but is above it. Sixth, it is supportive and empowering.
Seventh, it imposes obligations on its adherents and worshipers.

Refer to that views, can be seen that the sacred is given by humans based
on the attachment of certain symbols and special attention given by the people
who support the culture. The cultural diversity of the Balinese Hindu community
is characterized by many religious rites. religious rites use sacred symbols. These
sacred symbols can be in the form of statues, weapons, ceremonial equipment and
even musical instruments. The sacredness and profanity of a thing or object
depends on the treatment given by the community. For example, a ceremony
equipment such as janur/young coconut leaf which used to make a penjor. As
usual, that can be used only once. The equipment which compiled called banten.
Before use in ceremony, banten is a sacred thing. But, after ceremony its become
a profane matter which called lungsuran. It’s prohibited to recycling the
lungsuran.

For another example, reconstruction for a sacred Selonding in Pura Ulun

Danu Batur. In the process, the selonding blades are made using different
materials from the usual selonding which is has larger size than Selonding as
usual. A sacred Selonding made used special materials and preceded with a ritual
before made. While, new selonding made of recycled iron materials which
processing time is short. Sacred and non-sacred selonding have differences in
their treatment. Sacred selonding is preceded by a ceremony and ends with a
pasupati ceremony after completion.

However, non-sacred selonding gamelan does not reach pasupati, only

dipelaspas and offerings or banten every certain day, such as tumpek krulut.
Sacred selonding requires larger offerings than usual. There is a difference in
treatment between sacred and non-sacred gamelan. Secularized is transformation
to free something sacred from metaphysical and mythical interpretations. also
called the process of worldlization. from a sacred instrument to profane
instrument caused by many things, such as rationalization, education,
commercialization and globalization. Rationalization is a process to make
something rational (reasonable). For example dispelling myths related with
Selonding. Education is related with science, such as teaching about Selonding to
public. Commercialization related with economic factor, such as making non-
sacred selonding (duplicates) for sale.

Commodification according to Barker (2005) commodification is a

process which associated by capitalism. Where things, quality and symbols/sign
are converted into commodities. This phenomenon can be seen when many
ironsmiths make a gamelan such as Selonding for a profane interest beyond sacred
context. It means Selonding has a commodification function from sacred to
profane. Commodification happens because of external factors such as tourism,
education, art preservation, and economic factors. Converted process from sacred
to profane called descaralization.

Secularization is related to desacralization, which is the liberation or

freeing of the world from religious notions. In general, desacralization means de-
sacralization. In the sense of liberation from the sacred influence on everything
desacralization is defined as liberation from religious values and all kinds of
metaphysics in the sense of detachment from religion. Desacralization means
removal of sacred elements from something to profane (ordinary thing).

This tendency, according to Nashir (1999), happens because the process of

rationalization that accompanies modernity has created a secularization of
consciousness and weakened the function of the sacred canopy of religion the
sacred canopy of religion from the domain of the lives of its adherents, thus
creating meaninglessness in modern humans. Sacred things that functions as a
sublimation factor and strengthens human existence, replaced by things that are all
rational so that there is a deconstruction of the transcendence of human cognition
or the secularization of the inner world. For example, in the past selonding was
very sacred which was only found in the area of the Balinese Aga community and
was only played during certain ceremonies in the Balinese Aga community, but as
the times developed and the influx of outside elements, selonding began to be
duplicated as a non-sacred object for commercial and educational purposes.

It’s indicated by when gamelan Selonding coming out of Bali Aga

people’s, which is used as gamelan wali or ceremonies accompanying gamelan,
but now not only used to special ceremonies only, also used for profane things,
such as performed in festival and used for education media for art students. In
modern era like today, everything develops following the changing times. One of
them is thinking. Modern thinking assumes that knowledge must be disseminated
in order to advance the development of science itself. Like the duplication of the
Selonding gamelan and how it is made. This is useful for the preservation of the
instrument itself and enriches the treasures and public knowledge about selonding.
 CHAPTER III

OPINION

Bali, the Island of God, it is well known for its diversity of culture and
arts. In Bali, arts is part of the Balinese people way to live their lives. As a
livelihood and a way for them to show their devotion to their God, Ida Sang
Hyang Widhi Wasa.

In general, the people who live on the island of Bali are grouped into two,
namely the Bali Aga people and the Bali Majapahit people. The existence of this
grouping is used to distinguish the time of arrival of the two groups. Bali Aga is
the group that came to Bali first. Generally they inhabit the inland areas around
the mountains in Bali and are less affected by Majapahit. The Bali Majapahit
group, on the other hand, came later with the arrival of the Majapahit Royal troops
to Bali. They generally inhabit the plains and are exposed to and even carry the
influence of Majapahit.

The Bali Aga people have a different culture from the Balinese people in
general. Bali Aga culture is the result of syncretism between prehistoric culture
and Hindu culture so as to produce a form of culture that has different
characteristics from prehistoric culture, Hindu culture or Balinese Majapahit
culture. One example of Bali Aga culture is the existence of Salunding gamelan or
also called Selonding.
 The arts to show their devotion are by performing dance and gamelan in
every religious ceremony hold in the temples. One of the arts is Gamekan
Selonding, which has existed since the Bali Aga time. Gamelan Selonding is very
sacred for Balinese Hindu community, especially the people on the eastern side of
the island of Bali. Gamelan Selonding made of iron which is forged in such a way
that it takes the form of a flat blade. This Gamelan use a wooden framework to
hold the blades and each blade has various tones that produce beautiful tone. This
Gamelan has a pelog saih pitu or seven note pelog tunning, which is then divided
into several patets, such as the Puja Semara patet, Panji Marga, Sondong,
Kesumba, Sadi and Salah.

From literacy books that writer has read, almost none of them described
when this Gamelan Selonding discovered or created. Though, there is an opinion
that Gamelan Selonding is believed to have created and discovered around the 9 th
century during the reign of Sri Kesari Warmadewa where a word analogous to
Selonding was mentioned in several inscription from the ancient Balinese
Kingdom. There is a hereditary credence about the emergence of Gamelan
Selonding. It is said, in Tenganan and Bungaya village, which are an ancient
village in eastern side of Bali, at that time a roar was heard from the sky, where
the sound came in waves. The first roar was heard in Bungaya, then also heard in
Tenganan Pegringsingan. After the roar disappeared, there were 3 blades of
Selonding found by the local residents, which were then developed into numerous
instruments as it currently exists. Therefore, Gamelan Selonding can be classified
as an ancient Gamelan for the reason that it is created or discovered before the 15 th
century.

Apart from that, there also an opinion that says, the lesser number of
musicians, the ancient the Gamelan is. This opinion is indeed and acceptable,
because, from what the writer observed, the number of ancient gamelan player,
such as Selonding, Gambang and Gong Beri are consist of less than 10 players.

Gamelan Selonding has 4 holes on its flat blade or matun poh (the volume
of both sides are equal), event if it is installed upsides down there will be no
alteration on the sound. These holes functions to hang the Selonding blades using
a rope call lait. The 4 holes not just found in Gamelan Selonding but also on
Gamelan Gambang.

Balinese gamelan generally have two holes in each blade and the way the
system arranges the blades is by hanging using a rope and lait (a small round
blade support located under the blade hole). The lait has the function of hooking
the rope that arranges the blades on the stump. In contrast, the Selonding gamelan
uses a system of two holes on each edge of the blade to hang the blade without
having to use a lait. The existence of two holes makes the blades that are hung as
if they are woven and intertwined with each other. The four-hole system on the
blade is only found in the Selonding and Gambang gamelan.

Selonding has its own characteristics in several villages. In Tenganan,

Selonding instrumentation consists of gong ageng, gong alit, kempul ageng,
kempul alit, penem, petuduh, nyongnyong ageng, nyongnyong alit. While in
Bebandem, Selonding consists of jegog, menanga, gangsa pemade, suir and
kebyok. Then in Bungaya it consists of penanga, penanga bali, gangsa agung,
gangsa alit, kasumba, petuk and pemarep.

In the Selonding gamelan, the tuning used is pelog saih pitu or pelog seven
tones consisting of 5 principal tones and 2 pemero tones. However, each tone can
be the main tone depending on the patet played. There are 6 patets on the
Selonding gamelan, including patets Panji Marga, Sondong, Puja Semara,
Kesumba, Sadi and Salah. When damaged, the selonding will be repaired by the
blacksmith. The blacksmith must come from the descendants or clan of Pande
Tusan. Usually Selonding repairs will be carried out ahead of usaba dangsil at a
landesan batu.

Gamelan Selonding in the Bali Aga community itself has central a

function as an accompaniment to local religious ceremonies. For example,
Selonding in Tenganan is used to accompany the Rejang dance and Mekare-kare
or Perang Pandan. In Bungaya, the Selonding gamelan functions as a pratima or
physical embodiment of the Bhatara Bagus Selonding, also played during the
usaba dangsil ceremony. Outside of Bungaya, the Selonding gamelan is played at
Puri Agung Karangasem during the pitra yadnya and maligia ceremonies. This is
the only time the Selonding gamelan is played outside of Bungaya village, as
Bungaya village is closely associated with Puri Agung Karangasem.

In Bali Aga villages, Selonding is highly sacred. Almost all ancient

villages have a shrine to the Selonding gamelan. It is because it is kept in this
sacred place that causes Selonding to receive special treatment from the
community. The people of Bungaya village do not play this instrument carelessly,
only certain people can play it, such as the penanga (pemangku Bhatara Bagus
Selondng). While only played during certain ceremonies, Selonding has been
preserved because there are still groups of people who play it. In addition,
Selonding also serves as a bond of solidarity between the worshiping
communities.

In modern era, Selonding not only as a sacred gamelan to accompanying

the ceremonies. Selonding is not strong enough to withstand the onslaught of
increasingly complex changes. Selonding then adapted in physical form,
musicality and function to follow the changing times so that experiencing
commodification.

Now, Selonding functioned as a medium of education, livelihood, art

commodity and entertainment. Selonding as a education media means that it is
open to be learned by anyone. What can be learned from Selonding is its history,
its function, how it is made and its gendings or songs. It aims to preserve the
Selonding in the midst of the times.

Selonding as a livelihood means that blacksmiths or gamelan makers rely

on their ability to make and repair Selonding or other gamelan as their job. Then
Selonding as an art commodity shows that selonding is an art object that has
economic value or selling value, including the sale of instruments, gamelan art
performances or the utilization of gamelan elements as a creative economy.
 Selonding as entertainment relates to the gamelan's function as a means of
entertaining and giving pleasure to its listeners. Gamelan performances are often
performed in traditional ceremonies and parades or art festivals as well as in
hotels or other tourism places as entertainment for tourists.

In the last few years, selonding has begun to receive attention from artists.
Artists are interested in creating new works with selonding media and exploring
this instrument. Previously, this instrument was rarely used outside of a sacred
context. As time goes by, Gamelam Seonding is began to be performed beyond of
a sacred and ceremonial context. Currently, more Artists are starting to use this
instrument as medium in creating their work of art, either contemporary or
traditional based on work of art. An example of a contemporary work of art using
Selonding as media is Piwal by I Putu Adi Septa Suweca Putra. Selonding also
inspired the creation of new form of gamelan that have their roots in Selonding,
such as Gamelan Pesel owned by I Wayan Arik Wirawan from Kesiman,
Denpasar. And Selonding gamelan that owned by Sekaa Weci Cwaram in Sanur.

In modern era, Selonding has a function beyond as sacred instrument.

Selonding in the previous years rarely received attention from artists. Only in
recent years has Selonding begun to be explored by creating new compositional
works with Selonding media. In the art festival, like Bali Art Festival (PKB)
Selonding is performed as entertainment for the community. Selonding is
performed with new concepts and compositions from young composers without
changing the standard. Sometimes it is also combined with instruments such as
reyong and suling. Besides performing instrumental music, Selonding is also used
to accompany dance creations with selonding accompaniment. In addition, art
festivals such as the PKB have the function of conserving and reconstructing
classical arts that are threatened with extinction due to a lack of enthusiasts and
knowledge about these arts. This phenomenon shows that Selonding is so flexible
that it can inspire the birth of gamelan rooted in Selonding and can keep up with
the changing times.
 CHAPTER IV

SUGGESTION

Selonding is known as one of the ancient gamelan in Bali. It is thought to

have emerged in the 9th century during the reign of Sri Kesari Warmadewa, as
evidenced by the mention of several Salonding-like words in the inscriptions of
the Old Balinese Kingdom. Selonding is only found in Bali Aga villages which
are generally located in East Bali, such as Karangasem. Originally, Selonding
functioned only as a sacred gamelan used to accompany ceremonies, such as
mekare-kare and rejang renteng. However, along with the times and the influx of
modern influences, Selonding began to leave the Bali Aga region and was played
not only as a sacred gamelan, but also a profane gamelan. Nowadays, many
Balinese gamelan composers are starting to look at gamelan selonding as a
medium for creating their works. Such as the work Piwal III by I Putu Adi Septa
Suweca Putra. Selonding has also inspired the birth of new gamelans rooted in the
Selonding gamelan form, such as I Wayan Arik Wirawan's Gamelan Pesel from
Kesiman and the gamelan of the Weci Cwaram Group from Intaran, Sanur.
Selonding is still preserved because there are still people who can play it. Events
such as the Bali Arts Festival also serve as a forum for the conservation of
classical gamelans that have begun to become extinct.