CULTIVATING CREATIVE THINKING THROUGH THE

ESSENTIALS OF TRADITIONAL COMMUNICATION OF

INDONESIAN SYMBOLS AND CULTURAL MEANING

Prepared to fulfill scientific writing study program final

examination

INGE SALSABILA SURYAMAN

NIM : 161003143

STUDY PROGRAM OF COMMUNICATION SCIENCE

BAKRIE UNIVERSITY

JAKARTA

2016

1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

It is my pleasure to acknowledge the roles of several individuals who

were instrumental for completion of my research.

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to Pratiwi

Ambarwati S.S., M.Si who encouraged me to pursue this scientific research

and taught me the art of presentation and communication theory. I truly

enjoyed studying in a conducive class environment that stimulates original

thinking, initiative, and created innovative ideas among students which are

greatly appreciated.

I would like to acknowledge the valuable input of experience from

my peers, who contributed to many discussions that helped this scientific

research and was always willing to help resolving the most difficult

modelling issues.

This scientific research would not materialize without the financial

support of Bakrie Foundation for Education, and I would like to recognize

the important roles of Prof. Ir.Sofia W. Alisjahbana, M. Sc., Ph. D. as the

rector of the university. These acknowledgments would not be complete

without mentioning my research takes place in National Museum of

Indonesia.

My deepest appreciation belongs to my family for their patience and

understanding. With regards to numerous questions about my future

academic endeavors from family and friends I shall answer in the words of

sir Winston Churchill:

Now, this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But

it is, perhaps the end of the beginning.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDMENTS 2TABLE OF CONTENTSABSTRACT

34

Chapter I: Introduction1.1.Background

5

1.2.The Purpose of Study

7

1.3.The Benefit of Study

7

1.4.Time and place

7

Chapter II: Theoretical Study2.1. What is Culture? 92.2. Shared Language 92.3. Characters and Language in Indonesia 102.4. Hindu Buddhist Inscription 112.5. Javanese culture 122.6. Gamelan’s role in Javanese rituals 132.7. Cultural Context Affect Communication 14

Chapter III: Study of Methodology3.1. Research of Methods 153.2. Kinds of Research 153.3. Analysis 153.4. Kinds and Source of Data 153.5. Technique of Data Collections 153.6. Respondent 163.7. Technique of Data Analysis 17

Chapter IV: Result of Scientific Research4.1. The Role of Gamelan in Communication 174.2. Communication and Creative thinking 184.3. Constructing Meaning and Symbols 19

Chapter V: Closing5.1. Summary 23

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ATTACHMENT

3

ABSTRACT

Thinking is the extraordinary process we use every waking moment

to make sense of our world and our lives. Creative thinking starts with you,

and with a broad knowledge base, a creative person can make a wider range

of communication and connections. Knowing and understanding the culture

of the one or more with whom you’re communicating is the least one can do

to be prepared to communicate on any level. A culture is a system of

symbols shared by a group of humans and transmitted by them to upcoming

generations. A culture is a way of life of a group of people, which are

handed down from one generation to the next through means of language

and imitation. In Indonesia especially the Javanese promoted cultural

expressions such as Gamelan, which often accompanies with dance moves,

wayang puppet performances, rituals and ceremonies. Another historical

tradition considered music as the direct expression of human emotions,

represent ants of the doctrine of imitation. As a result, the compositional

context in traditional communication appears profoundly create meaning.

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background

Creative thinking is inherently unpredictable. Through creative

thinking, old habits are broken and familiar patterns of thought are

transformed. Anything can happen. Predicting the future based on past

experience becomes inadequate when a creative breakthrough occurs. Like a

shimmering drop of mercury, creativity eludes capture. We can actively

encourage creative thinking, however. Rather than waiting for inspiration,

we can set up the conditions favorable to creativity. Based on observation

and on interviews.1

Creative people value existing knowledge. Since new ideas are often

derived from old ideas, it is foolish to ignore or dismiss the past. However,

creative people also love change. Never satisfied with routine answers to

familiar questions, they constantly consider new possibilities and often

challenge the status quo. With a broad knowledge base, a creative person

can make a wider range of communication and connections.

Generally, we can say that communication is a process that allows us

to share and create meaning. We define communication as the simultaneous

sharing and creating of meaning through human symbolic interaction. It

might seem obvious but bears repeating; communication is complex.

Communication is an effort of how humans connect with their fellow

humans directly or indirectly. Direct communication was usually done face

to face or with the help of communication equipment, such as telephone. At

1 Stewart, Mary. Launching the Imagination: A guide to three dimensional design, 1952.

5

a professional level, art and graphic design projects are done in order to

communicate ideas and express emotions. Turning elusive concepts into

effective communication is not easy. Clay, ink, metal, fabric and other

physical materials must somehow stimulate an audience to see, understand,

and respond.

Previously, humans communicated indirectly by using certain

sounds such as kontongan which is still effectively use nowadays by people

in villages in Java and Bali. Kentongan was hit repeatedly at certain

frequency to give signal on dangerous situation or misfortune. Other means

of indirect communication is mail. In mails, people convey messages

through writing, via courier, given to addressed people. Inscription maybe

considered as initial form of mail correspondence, because it contained

announcement that needed or had to be acknowledge by related person or

people and because the message was not only written on status but also on

metals (copper, bronze, gold) and palm leaves.

Regardless of the medium used or the message conveyed, all

communication can be strengthening through dramatic and musical delivery.

For example, Gamelan predates the Hindu-Buddhist culture that dominated

Indonesia in its earliest records and instead represents a native art form. The

instruments developed into their current form during the Majapahit Empire.

In contrast to the heavy Indian influence in other art forms, the only obvious

Indian influence in Gamelan music is in the Javanese style of singing, and in

the themes of the Shadow puppet plays.2

Javanese gamelan music is widely used as accompaniment of

cultural events, like wedding ceremony, art show, and of many religious

ones. Each of the events has its own story plot and therefore it requires an

accompaniment of different sequence of song structures. For example, in a

shadow puppet show, the orchestra starts playing simple yet dynamic

structure of lancaranin the beginning. Before the story goes to a new scene,

2 Osnes, Beth (2010). The Shadow Puppet Theatre of Malaysia: A Study of Wayang Kulit with Performance Scripts and Puppet Designs. McFarland. p. 26.

6

the orchestra slows the tempo, softens the instrument playing, and prepares

to move into more elaborate songs, like those of ladrang or ketawang, giving

the audience an elegant impression. Historical and cultural literacy can help

to shaped another type of bridge, for Indonesian people by rebuilding the

essentials of communication bridge it must be strengthen the past, now and

future of Indonesia itself.

1.2. The Purposes of Study

By researching unfamiliar topics and analyzing unusual systems is a

source of delight for most creative people. On the other hand, this study

purposed to answer this several questions, like:

a. how can the traditional concept of Indonesia be communicated more

clearly?

b. How it can bewitch and connect to the society because of the history

behind it?

1.3. The Benefit of Study

The output of this study are to understanding of systematically,

sustained, creative thinking is required to significantly engaged in the

process. Realizing that every Indonesian culture is valuable, researchers

develop dramatic works by looking past the surface of Indonesian people’s

history to explore the substance of the communication in the traditional era.

By looking carefully, creative people see possibilities that other miss.

Cultivating the creativity through this research however, led by

passion and objectivity of the researcher itself. This study providing

accessible, rational, and write clearly in order to present the ideas. This will

help you to bursting your enthusiasm and understand the essentials of

traditional communication of Indonesian symbolic and cultural meaning.

1.4. Time and Place

This study took place at the National Museum of Indonesia,

Saturday, December 30, 2016. National Museum of Indonesia is an

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archaeological, historical, ethnological and geographical museum located in

Merdeka Barat street, No.12 Central Jakarta, Indonesia. The museum has a

collection of 61.600 prehistoric and anthropological artifacts, and 5,000

archaeological artifacts from all over Indonesia and Asia. The museum

collections are among the richest, the most complete, and the best of its kind

in Indonesia and one of the finest in Southeast Asia. For further information,

http://museumnasional.or.id/. Open hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,

Sunday, on 8.30 – 14.30; Friday on 8.30 – 11.30; Saturday on 8.30 – 13.30,

closed on Monday and holiday.

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CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL STUDY

2.1. What is Culture?

Culture is an amorphous concept even in the most rigorous of

theoretical discussions of intercultural communication. Typically, it is

defining as a symbolic system, which includes issues of perception,

cognition and understanding. A culture is a system of symbols shared by a

group of humans and transmitted by them to upcoming generations. A

culture is a way of life of a group of people, which are handed down from

one generation to the next through means of language and imitation.3

A major component of a culture is its system of values, beliefs, and

material products. First culture includes beliefs systems that involve stories,

or myths, the interpretation of which can give people insight into how they

should feel, think and behave. Second, culture includes value systems.

Values are formed based on how we learned to believe things ought to be or

how people ought to behave, especially in terms of qualities such as

honesty, integrity and openness.

Third, culture is also defined by material products such as food,

clothing and music. Thus, culture provides people with a general cognitive

frame work for an understanding of the world, and for functioning in it.

Culture mediates relationship among men and between men and their

environment. It is the primary determinant of how a person views reality

both consciously and unconsciously. Moreover, it provides the context

which enables human beings to communicate.

2.2. Shared Language3 Hofstede, D., & Hofstede, G. J. 2004. Cultures and organizations: software of the mind.

9

A shared language is the basis on which all communication is built.

Language is the mother of all knowledge known to human. When a baby is

born, the first thing he does to communicate with his surroundings

especially his mother is by sign language, like crying, to indicate thirsty or

discomfort, when he reaches 1-2 years old, he is taught to recognize certain

objects around him with words used in his mother language. This is the first

human knowledge when under five years old. Growing up he eventually

learns the letters of the alphabet and read writing.4

Writing are letters tied together, which are symbol of sounds spoken

by human, and farms a series of words with a certain meaning, and serves as

a communication tool between human beings who have the same language.

Writing a letters tied together, which are symbol of sounds spoken by

human, and forms a series of words with a certain meaning, and serves as a

communication tool between human beings who have the same language.

Writing as a communication tool will be useless, if the reader does not know

the language in the sign system.

More than 90% of mankind period is the time when writing not

known what we call prehistoric time, spanning over two million years,

starting from the time the first human fossil was found. Mankind only began

to known writing about 5000 years ago, which was known as the history

period. This explains the process of the human intelligence starting with

‘sign language’ oral language and finally written language.

2.3. Characters and Languages in Indonesia

India as in Indonesia, consists of many ethnic groups, which have

languages and characters, some of which have been developed in Indonesia

from the 5th to the 15th century, those are Pallawa, Nagari and Tamil. The

Pallawa characters came from the Pallawa dynasty im India, and several

variant have been found in other regions of Southeast Asia, such as Campa

(Vietnam), Khmer (Cambodia), Thailand, Laos, Burma (Myanmar) and

Indonesia. In Indonesia it developed into characters of old Javanese, old

4 Stewart, Mary. Launching the Imagination: A guide to three dimensional design, 1952.

10

Sundanese and old Balinese. In the 16th century ‘Past Pallawa’ characters

appeared in several areas in Indonesia, including Lampung, Batak and

Bugis.5

The presence of Chinese people, in Indonesia is known since 5 th

century A.D., but it really began to flourish in the 14th century. However,

acculturation of the Chinese and the local culture was not very significant.

This can be seen from items of cultural heritage such as inscriptions. Any

inscriptions found in Indonesia written in Chinese script, must have been

written by Chinese people themselves, as the Chinese characters are

complex and not easy to learn; nowadays the Chinese script has about 4000

characters. In addition, there are many dialects of Chinese language, each

with its own features. Chinese inscriptions are mostly found on tombstones,

spirit boards or shenwel, coins, or on decorative ornaments.

Next comes the Latin script. This script was first developed by the

people of Ancient Rome on the Italian peninsula. It was introduced to

Indonesia by Europeans, in particular the Portuguese who came here in the

early 16th century. They spread the script by using it for agreements written

on paper, for memorial stones such as padrao, for inscriptions on buildings

and on tombstones. The Latin script is used by many languages, such as

Portuguese, Dutch, English, French, and so on.

The oldest written proof of Islam in Indonesia was a tombstone

found in Leran (near Gresik, East Java) written in Arabic characters and

language. The tombstone bears the name of the dead woman, Fatimah binti

Maimun, in 1082 AD. Islam was also widespread to the island of Sumatra,

Kalimantan, Maluku, Sulawesi, etc. Arabic writing in Indonesia had

developed significantly. Besides using Arabic characters with Arab

pronunciation, several areas developed those characters with local

pronunciation. Modification of Arabic characters with Javanese

pronunciation is called ‘pegan’ while those characters with malay

pronunciation are called Jawi or Arabic Malay.

2.4. Hindu Buddhist Inscription

5 http://museummnasional.or.id/

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When Hinduism and Buddhism from India were spreading in the

society, several artifacts produced around the 4th – 16th century AD

characterized a form of community that supported religiousness. Relics of

the society at that time were mainly found in Java, Bali, Sumatra and some

of them in East Kalimantan. The long and intense influence of Hinduism

and Buddhism is believed to occur in Java and Bali. Therefore, Hindu-

Buddhist relics were found abundantly in the two regions.

Based on written sources produced in this period, the terms of “catur

warna” the four stratas; Brahmana, Ksatrya, Waisya and Sudra had been

widely known. But in reality, classification of the society at that time was

very loose, not as strict as taught by Hinduism in India. The reliefs of

Borobudur temple portray social activities to the society in that period, such

as the presence of the noble and the commoners, people fishing, buying and

selling activity in the market, the rich giving charity to the poor, street

musicians, the royals surrounded by their maids, and so on. Some reliefs in

sukuh temple also describe scenes of the nobles and the commoners.

Hindu-Buddhist community in Indonesia was agrarian. They farmed

and worked their own paddy fields in fertile areas by the river, valleys and

lowlands. They lived in villages surrounded by paddy fields. It was all

recognized in inscriptions and temple reliefs portraying the village hall,

villages, as well as fragmented views of paddy fields and villages in the era

of Majapahit, the 14-15th century AD.

2.5. Javanese Culture

The Javanese culture is one of the oldest civilizations and has

flourished in Indonesia. It has gradually absorbed various elements and

influences from other cultures, including native reverence for ancestral and

natural spirits, Hindu and Buddhist dharmic civilization, Islamic values, and

to a lesser extent, Christianity, Western philosophy and modern ideas.6

Nevertheless, Javanese culture especially in the Javanese cultural

heartland; those of highly polished aristocratic culture of the Keratons in

6 Lindsay, Jennifer. Javanese Gamelan. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1979

12

Yogyakarta and Surakarta, demonstrates some specific traits, such as

particular concern with elegance and refinement, subtlety, politeness,

courtesy, indirectness, emotional restraint and consciousness to one’s social

stature. Javanese culture values harmony and social order highly, and abhors

direct conflicts and disagreements.

These Javanese values are often promoted through Javanese cultural

expressions, such as Javanese dance, Gamelan, Wayang and batik. It is also

reinforced through adherence to Jaanese traditional rules in ceremonies,

such as Slametan, Satu Suro, Javanese weddings and Naloni.

2.6. Gamelan’s role in Javanese rituals

The word Gamelan comes from the low Javanese word ‘gamel’,

which may refer to a type of mallet used to strike instruments or the act of

striking with a mallet. The term karawitan refers to the playing of gamelan

instruments, and comes from the word rawit, meaning ‘intricate’ or ‘finely

worked’. The word derives from the Javanese word of Sanskrit origin,

which refers to the sense of smoothness and elegance idealized in Javanese

music. Another word from this root, Pangrawit, means a person with such

sense, and is used as an honorific when discussing esteemed gamelan

musicians.7

The high Javanese word from gamelan is gangsa, formed either

from the words tembaga and rejasa referring to the materials used in bronze

gamelan construction (copper and tin), or tiga and sedasa referring to their

proportions. Gamelan is the traditional ensemble music of Java and Bali in

Indonesia, made up by predominantly of percussive instruments. Although

the popularity of gamelan has declined since the introduction of pop music,

gamelan is still commonly played on formal occasion and in many

traditional Indonesia ceremonies. For most Indonesians, gamelan is an

integral part of Indonesian culture.

7 Wardono, Soewondo, Teori Karawitan Jawa. Madiun, Indonesia: Warga (1984).

13

Gamelan role in rituals is so important that there is a Javanese saying

“it is not official until the gong is hung”. Some performances are associated

with royalty; such as visits by the sultan of Yogyakarta. Certain gamelans

are associated with specific rituals, such as the Gamelan Sekaten, which is

used in celebration of Mawlid an-Nabi. In Bali, almost all religious rituals

include gamelan performance. Gamelan is also used in the ceremonies of the

catholic church in Indonesia. Certain pieces are designated for starting and

ending performances or ceremonies.

When an ending piece is begun, the audience will know that the

event is nearly finished and will begin to leave. Certain pieces are also

believed to possess magic powers, and can be used to ward off evil spirits.

In the court tradition of central java, gamelan is often played in the pendopo,

an open pavilion with a cavernous, double pitched roof, no side walls, and a

hard marble or tile floor. The instruments are placed on a platform to one

side, which allows the sound to reverberate in the roof space and enhances

the acoustics.

2.7. Cultural Context Affect Communication

In Indonesia, gamelan often accompanies dance, wayang puppet

performances, or rituals and ceremonies. Typically, players in the gamelan

will be familiar with dance moves and poetry, while dancers are able to play

in the ensemble. In wayang, the dalang must have a thorough knowledge of

gamelan, as he gives the cues for the music.

Gamelan can be performed by itself in “klenengan” style, or for

radio broadcasts-but concerts in the western style are not traditional. It can

affect greatly, since all communication has been developed over time, in

both written, spoken and non-verbal forms, through the cultures that use

them.

Knowing and understanding the culture of the one or more with

whom you’re communicating is the least one can do to be prepared to

communicate on any level. Gamelan is also found outside of Indonesia.

There are forms of gamelan that have developed outside Indonesia, such as

14

American gamelan in the United States and Malay Gamelan in Malaysia.

Gamelan has also become quite widespread along the Southeast of Sri

Lanka, particularly with the Tamil community and in Colombo at the

Indonesian Embassy.

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

3.1. Methods of Study

The case study approach refers to a group of methods which

emphasize qualitative analysis. Data are collected from in-depth interviews

and longitudinal studies. The case study approach seeks to understand the

problem being investigated. It provides the opportunity to ask penetrating

questions and to capture the richness of Indonesian culture.

3.2. Kinds of Study

Researcher explore the phenomena of the qualitative approach to

cultural assessment is the ability to probe for underlying values, beliefs and

assumptions. The other great benefit with a qualitative approach is that the

inquiry is broad and open ended, and the qualitative researcher typically

does not have a preconceived, finite set of issues to examine.

3.3. Analysis

Developing a wide range of solutions to every problem is the

quickest way to master composition. Small, quick studies are often used to

explore the possibilities. By translating a mental image into a rough sketch,

you can immediately see whether the idea has potential. Without a careful

composition, a great idea may be lost. Furthermore, the best way to have a

good idea is to have a lot of ideas.

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3.4. Kinds and Source of Data

For this study, researcher use the primary and secondary data, where

both of this data still connecting. The task of data collection begins after a

study problem has been defined and research designed. Data collection or

systematic gathering of data has been systematically observed, recorded,

organized.

3.5. Technique of Data Collections

There are several methods of collecting primary data, particularly in

observation the action or process of observing something or someone

carefully or in order to gain information, questioning someone or interview

someone to discover their opinions or experience, and descriptive methods.

3.6. Respondent

A respondent is a person who is called upon to issue a respond to a

communication made by another. In legal usage, this specifically refers to

defendant in a legal proceeding commenced by a petition, or to an appellee,

or the opposing party, in an appeal of a decision by an initial fact finder. In

this case of study, researcher have a discussion with Mr. Satrio as the

instructor in National Museum of Indonesia.

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Chapter IV

Result of Scientific Research

4.1. The Role of Gamelan in Communication

In the linguistic communication the main role is played by the

elements of noise, the consonants. It has never been doubted that music is a

kind of communication, the mediator of human relationships, but it has been

a question what music wants to express. Since the Pythagoreans, some

believe to find the key to interpreting its message in the common

quantifiable nature of the musical medium and the cosmos. 8

Another historical tradition considered music as the direct expression

of human emotions. Represent ants of the doctrine of imitation derived

music from the intonation of speech and the text seems for many to be a

support to “understand” music. Music separated from the primary source of

sound phenomena and their direct sensual effect constructed a specific

communication system. It possesses an inestimable potential richness of

discrete pitches and times, colors and sound intensity.

In Javanese mythology, the gamelan was created by Sang Hyang

Guru in Saka era 167, the god who ruled as king of all java from a place on

the Maendra mountain in Medang Kamulan. He needed a signal to summon

8 Kunst, Jaap. Music in Java: History Its Theory and Its Technique. The Hague: Nijhoff, 1949. An appendix of this book includes some statistical data on intervals in scales used by gamelans.

17

the gods and thus invented the gong. For more complex messages, he

invented two other gongs, thus forming the original gamelan set.

The earliest image of a musical ensemble is found on the 8 th century

Borobudur temple, Central Java. Musical instruments such as the bamboo

flute, bells, drums in various sizes, lute, and bowed and plucked string

instruments were identified in this image. However, it lacks metallophones

and xylophones. Nevertheless, the image of this musical ensemble is

suggested to be the ancient form of the Gamelan.

Varieties of gamelan are distinguished by their collection of

instruments and use of voice, tunings, repertoires, style and cultural context.

In general, no two gamelan ensembles are the same, and those that arose in

prestigious courts are often considered to have their own style. Certain

styles may also be shared by nearby ensembles, leading to a regional style.

The varieties are generally grouped geographically, with the principal

division between the styles favored by the Balinese, and Sundanese peoples.

In Bali, the Gamelan instruments are all kept together in a bale, a

large open space with a roof over the top of it and several open sides.

Gamelan are owned by a banjar, nobility or temples and kept in their

respective compounds. In case the instruments are all kept there together

because people believe that all the instruments belong to the community as a

whole and that no one person has ownership over an instrument.

Not only is this where the instruments are stored, but this is also the

practice space for the Gamelan orchestra group. The open walls allow for

the music to flow out into the community where the rest of the people may

enjoy it. Balinese gamelan cannot be heard inside closed rooms, because it

easily crosses the threshold of pain. This does not apply to small ensembles

like a gamelan gender.

There are many styles in Balinese gamelan. Kebyar is one of the

most recent ones. Some Balinese Gamelan groups constantly change their

music by taking older pieces they know and mixing them together, as well

as trying new variations on their music. Their music constantly changes

because they believe that music should grow and change; the only exception

18

to this is with their most sacred songs which they do not change. A single

new piece of music can take several months before it is completed.

Men and women usually perform in separate groups, with the

exception in Java of the Pesindhen the female singer who performs with

male groups. In the twenty-five countries outside Indonesia that have

gamelan. It may also incorporate dance or wayang.

4.2. Communication and Creative Thinking

To be fully effective, a creative person needs to combine the rational

with the intuitive. While intuition may be used to generate a new idea, logic

and analysis are often needed for its realization. As a result, the actions of

creative people are often complex or even contradictory. Human behavior is

strongly goal directed. Every action occurs for a reason. When we focus our

attention on a specific task, we can channel our energy and better manage

our time. Self-knowledge is essential. No matter how hard we try, we can

never really fulfill our potential when pursuing goals set by others.

As noted by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, creative people often

combine.

- Creative people tend to view the world and themselves with a sense

of wonder, rather than cling to preconceptions or stereotypes. They

use common sense as well as intellect in completing their work.

- When the situation requires serious attention, creative people are

remarkably diligent and determined. They realize that there is no

substitute for hard work and drive themselves relentlessly when

nearing completion of a major project.

When we work creatively, the idea develops right along with the

image. As the project evolves, we see other implications that go beyond our

initial intention. By courageously pursuing these implications, we can

exceed our original expectations. Just as the landscape appears to expand

when we climb a mountain, so an image can expand when our conceptual

understanding increases.

4.3. Constructing Meaning

19

Seeking and solving visual problems, cultivating creativity and

developing critical judgement all require hours of hard work. Why are these

skills so highly valued by artists and designers and so strongly emphasized

by college teachers? The answer is simple. At a professional level, art and

graphic design projects are done in order to communicate ideas and express

emotions.

Turning elusive concepts into effective communication is easy. Clay,

ink, metal, fabric and other physical materials must somehow stimulate an

audience to see, understand, and respond. The compositional context in

traditional communication appears profoundly influences meaning. Just as

films targeted, gamelan are rated for specific audiences, so many forms of

traditional communications are designed for specific viewers.

Gamelan is frequently played on the radio. For example, the Pura

Pakualaman gamelan performs live on the radio every Minggu Pon. In

major towns, the Radio Republik Indonesia employs professional musicians

and actors, and broadcast programs of a wide variety of gamelan music and

drama. In the court tradition of central Java, gamelan is often played in the

pendopo, an open pavilion with a cavernous, double pitched roof, no side

walls, and a hard marble or tile floor.

The instruments are placed on a platform to one side, which allows

the sound to reverberate in the roof space and enhances the acoustics. In

Bali, the Gamelan instruments are all kept together in bale, a large open

space with a roof over the top of it and several open sided. Gambelan (the

Balinese term) are owned by a banjar, nobility or temples and kept in their

respective compounds.

20

Chapter V

Closing

5.1. Summary

Based on the research and the Interview above, researcher conclude

the summary, as follow:

- Creative people are receptive to new ideas, curious, have a

wide range of interests, are attentive, seek connection, and

work with great conviction.

- A combination of rational and intuitive thinking feeds

creativity. While intuition may be used to generate a new

idea, logic and analysis are often needed for its completion.

As a result, the actions of creative people are often complex

or even contradictory.

- A shared language is the basis on which all communication is

built.

- Another historical tradition considered music as the direct

expression of human emotions. Represent ants of the doctrine

of imitation derived music from the intonation of speech and

the text seems for many to be a support to “understand”

music.

- Just as films, gamelan is targeted for specific audiences, so

many forms of visual communication are designed for

specific viewers.

- Turning elusive concepts into effective communication is

easy. Clay, ink, metal, fabric and other physical materials

21

must somehow stimulate an audience to see, understand, and

respond. The compositional context in traditional

communication appears profoundly influences meaning.

- A major component of a culture is its system of values,

beliefs, and material products. First culture includes beliefs

systems that involve stories, or myths, the interpretation of

which can give people insight into how they should feel,

think and behave. Second, culture includes value systems.

5.2. Suggestions

Based on the research and the Interview above, researcher conclude

the suggestions, as follow:

- Culture is the totality of learned, shared symbols, language,

values, and norms that distinguish one group of people from

another. From researcher point of views, Indonesian people

should be more aware of their own traditional cultures.

- Javanese Gamelan as Indonesian traditional culture should be

appreciated in any kind of level.

- Creative people are receptive to new ideas, curious, have a

wide range of interests, are attentive, seek connection, and

work with great conviction. In this case, researcher suggest to

Indonesian people to cultivate their willingness to be open

minded and create a wider range of interests in Indonesia’s

traditional cultures especially gamelan.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Davies, M. E. P., Plumbley, M. D.,” Context-dependent beat tracking of musical audio”, IEEE Transactions on Audio, Speech, and Language Processing, 15, 1009 1020 (2007).

Kunst, Jaap. Music in Java: History Its Theory and Its Technique. The Hague: Nijhoff, 1949. An appendix of this book includes some statistical data on intervals in scales used by gamelans.

Lentz, Donald A. The Gamelan Music of Java and Bali: An Artistic Anomaly Complementary to Primary Tonal Theoretical Systems. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1965.

Lindsay, Jennifer. Javanese Gamelan. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1979.

M.C. Escher, Metamorphosis II. 2010 The M.C. Escher Company Holland.

All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com

Osnes, Beth (2010). The Shadow Puppet Theatre of Malaysia: A Study of Wayang Kulit with Performance Scripts and Puppet Designs. McFarland. p. 26.

Palgunadi, B. Karawitan Jawi, Bandung, Indonesia: Penerbit ITB (2002). Supanggah, R. Bothekan Karawitan II: Garap, Solo, Indonesia: ISI Press Surakarta (2009).

Pickvance, Richard. A Gamelan Manual: A Player's Guide to the Central Javanese Gamelan. London: Jaman Mas Books, 2005.

Roth, A.R. New Compositions for Javanese Gamelan. University of Durham, Doctoral Thesis, 1986.

Shucker, M. A. M. (1986). Muslims of Sri Lanka: avenues to antiquity. Jamiah Naleemia Inst.

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Stewart, Mary. Launching the Imagination: A guide to three dimensional

design, 1952.

Sumarsam. Gamelan: Cultural Interaction and Musical Development in Central Java. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995.

Wardono, Soewondo, Teori Karawitan Jawa. Madiun, Indonesia: Warga (1984).

Williams, Faldela (1988). Cape Malay Cookbook. Struik. Matusky, Patricia Ann; Sooi Beng Tan (2004). The music of Malaysia: the classical, folk, and syncretic traditions. Ashgate Publishing. p. 107.

PROFILE

Bambang Satrio,

Instructor at The National Museum of Indonesia.

Bambang Satrio has dedicated his career as musician performing musical

ensemble, his interests range from traditional and modern instruments.

Inge: Hello Mr. Bambang Satrio, good afternoon. My name

is Inge salsabila Suryaman and I want to asked you a

several questions about Gamelan.

Bambang: Hello Inge, good afternoon too. Alright what kind of

questions you would’ve likely want to know about

Gamelan?

Inge: Can you explain to me the instruments that constitute

a functioning gamelan in present day Central Java are

as illustrated?

Bambang: Sure, let me explain it to you. A gamelan primarily

consists of metallophones while other instruments

such as flute and zither are discretionary. However,

the hand played drum called kendhang is essential

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despite not being a metallophone as it controls the

tempo and rhythm of pieces as well as transitions

from one section to another.

Inge: Wow, the complexity of gamelan instruments pretty

easy to understand, I guess.

Bambang: It actually requires a strong team building and

requires collaborations among the players. Which

refers to the sense of smoothness and elegance

idealized in Javanese Music.

Inge: It sounds pretty daunting! Please tell me more about

some historical background.

Bambang: In Javanese mythology, the gamelan was created by

Sang Hyang Guru in Saka era 167, the god who ruled

as king of all java from a place on the Maendra

mountain in Medang Kamulan. He needed a signal to

summon the gods and thus invented the gong. For

more complex messages, he invented two other

gongs, thus forming the original gamelan set.

Inge: It seems that Gamelan sounds like more interesting at

end poind.

Bambang: Yes. Despite its initial the earliest image of a musical

ensemble found on the 8th century in Borobudur

temple.

Inge: Ok, thank you Mr. Bambang for the interview. See

you again!

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Bambang: Alright Inge.

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