Indonesia is culturally rich. Indonesian art and culture are
intertwined with religion and age-old traditions from the time of early
migrants with Western thoughts brought by Portuguese traders and Dutch
colonists. The basic principles which guide life include the concepts of
mutual assistance or “gotong royong” and consultations or “musyawarah”
to arrive at a consensus or “mufakat” Derived from rural life, this
system is still very much in use in community life throughout the
country.
Though the legal system is based on the old Dutch penal code, social
life as well as the rites of passage are founded on customary or “adat”
law which differs from area to area. “Adat” law has a binding impact on
Indonesian life and it may be concluded that this law has been
instrumental in maintaining equal rights for women in the community.
Religious influences on the community are variously evident from island
to island.
Intertwined with religion and age-old traditions from the time of
early migrants the art and culture of Indonesia is rich in itself with
Western thoughts brought by Portuguese traders and Dutch colonists. The
art and culture of Indonesia has been shaped around its hundreds of
ethnic groups, each with cultural differences that have shifted over the
centuries. Modern-day Indonesian culture is a fusion of cultural
aspects from Arabic, Chinese, Malay and European sources. Indonesian art
and culture has also been influenced from the ancient trading routes
between the Far East and the Middle East leading to many cultural
practices being strongly influenced by a multitude of religions,
including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Islam.
Language
The official language of Indonesia is ‘Indonesian’ or ‘Bahasa
Indonesia’. It’s universally taught in schools and is spoken by nearly
every Indonesian in business, politics, national media, education and
academia. The Indonesians also speak several hundreds of local languages
like ‘bahasa daerah’ as their first language. Javanese is also widely
used besides other Papuan or Austronesian languages in a region of just
2.7 million people.
Religion
The government of Indonesia officially recognizes only six religions,
viz Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Protestantism, Catholicism, and
Confucianism. The largest religious group in Indonesia is Islam with
almost 86% of Indonesians being Muslims. Indonesia is also the most
populous Muslim-majority nation in the world.
Literature
Literature
Indonesia has created many internationally famous celebrated
authors. There has also been a long tradition, particularly among
ethnically Malay populations, of impromptu, interactive, verbal
composition of poetry referred to as the ‘pantun’. Pramoedya Ananta
Toer, a well-known author won the Magsaysay Award and was considered for
the Nobel Prize in Literature. Chairil Anwar was also an important
figure in the literature world and a member of the Generation 45 group
of authors who were active in the Indonesian independence movement.
Music
Music
Home to hundreds of forms of music, it plays an important role in
Indonesia’s art and culture. Traces of its origin can be made to the
islands of Java, Sumatra and Bali. ‘Gamelan’ is the traditional music
from Central- and East Java and Bali. Another very popular style of
music is ‘Dangdut’ which is accompanied with free dance style. This
style first came up in the 1970s and is quite useful in political
campaigns. Other forms of music include the Keroncong with its roots in
Portugal, the soft Sasando music from West Timor and Degung and Angklung
from West Java, which is played with bamboo instruments.
Dance
The traditional dances depict episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata from India. Traditional Javanese and Balinese tinge is also seen in the dance forms of Indonesian art and culture. The highly stylized dances of the courts of Yogyakarta and Surakarta are some of the popular variations. Mythological events of Indonesia are also depicted.
Drama and Theatre
Dance
The traditional dances depict episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata from India. Traditional Javanese and Balinese tinge is also seen in the dance forms of Indonesian art and culture. The highly stylized dances of the courts of Yogyakarta and Surakarta are some of the popular variations. Mythological events of Indonesia are also depicted.
Drama and Theatre
The Javanese and Balinese shadow puppet theatre shows ‘wayang kulit’
displaying several mythological events. A traditional folk theatre,
Randai of the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, is performed during
ceremonies and festivals. Music, singing, dance, drama and the silat
martial art are all incorporated together and are based on the stories
of the legend.
Architecture
Indonesian culture, especially its architecture has been to a great extent dominated and influenced by the Indian, although European influences have also been particularly strong since the nineteenth century. Traditional buildings in Indonesia are built on stilts with oversized saddle roofs which have been the home of the Batak and the Toraja. The Torajan use the buffalo horns, stacked one above another in front of the house as an indication of status. Scenes from the Ramayana adorn the outer walls in different colors. However, Chinese, Arab, and European architectural influences have also been quite significant in Indonesian architecture.
Cuisine
Indonesians distinctive cuisine has been derived from centuries with the influence of the Chinese, European, Middle Eastern and the Indians. The staple food of most Indonesian dishes is rice served with meat and vegetables. Flavors of Vietnamese and Thai food can also be got from the cuisine of Indonesia. Spices, notably chili, and coconut milk are fundamental ingredients in most of the dishes, especially fish and chicken.
Material Art
The arts of Indonesia are many, especially Indonesian paintings which are unique works of art. The intricate and expressive Balinese paintings are quite famous and often express natural scenes and themes from the traditional dances. A long-standing tradition of sculpture can also be seen in the art and culture of Indonesia, some dating back to the Bronze and Iron Ages. Examples of sculpture illustrating the story of the life of Buddha can be seen in the temples of the 8th and the 10th century. Indonesia’s art and culture is also famous for their unique batik, ikat and songket cloth which is even popular today.
Architecture
Indonesian culture, especially its architecture has been to a great extent dominated and influenced by the Indian, although European influences have also been particularly strong since the nineteenth century. Traditional buildings in Indonesia are built on stilts with oversized saddle roofs which have been the home of the Batak and the Toraja. The Torajan use the buffalo horns, stacked one above another in front of the house as an indication of status. Scenes from the Ramayana adorn the outer walls in different colors. However, Chinese, Arab, and European architectural influences have also been quite significant in Indonesian architecture.
Cuisine
Indonesians distinctive cuisine has been derived from centuries with the influence of the Chinese, European, Middle Eastern and the Indians. The staple food of most Indonesian dishes is rice served with meat and vegetables. Flavors of Vietnamese and Thai food can also be got from the cuisine of Indonesia. Spices, notably chili, and coconut milk are fundamental ingredients in most of the dishes, especially fish and chicken.
Material Art
The arts of Indonesia are many, especially Indonesian paintings which are unique works of art. The intricate and expressive Balinese paintings are quite famous and often express natural scenes and themes from the traditional dances. A long-standing tradition of sculpture can also be seen in the art and culture of Indonesia, some dating back to the Bronze and Iron Ages. Examples of sculpture illustrating the story of the life of Buddha can be seen in the temples of the 8th and the 10th century. Indonesia’s art and culture is also famous for their unique batik, ikat and songket cloth which is even popular today.
Unlike some countries art forms in Indonesia are not only based on
folklore, as many were developed in the courts of former kingdoms such
as in Bali, where they are part of religious ceremonies. The famous
dance dramas of Java and Bali are derived from Hindu mythology and often
feature fragments from the Ramayana and Mahabharata Hindu epics.
Highly stylized in movement and costume, dances and the “wayang”
drama are accompanied by a full “gamelan” orchestra comprising
xylophones, drums, gongs, and in some cases string instruments and
flutes. Bamboo xylophones are used in North Sulawesi and the bamboo
“angklung” instruments of West Java are well- known for their unique
tinkling notes which can be adapted to any melody.
The “Wayang kulit” (leather puppets) of Java is performed with
leather puppets held by the puppeteer, who narates the story of one of
the famous episodes of the Hindu epics, the Mahabharata or the Ramayana.
It is performed against a white screen while a lantern in the
background casts the shadows of the characters on the screen, visible
from the other side where the spectators are seated.
The “Wayang Golek” (wooden puppets) of West Java is based on the same
concept. The crafts of Indonesia vary in both medium and art form. As a
whole the people are artistic by nature and express themselves on
canvas, wood, metals, clay and stone. The batik process of waxing and
dyeing originated in Java centuries ago and classic designs have been
modified with modern trends in both pattern and technology. There are
several centres of Batik in Java, the major ones being Yogyakarta,
Surakarta, Pekalongan and Cirebon.
Batik is also being produced in some other areas as in Bali where
local designs are incorporated. Other provinces produce hand-woven
cloths of gold and silver threads, silks or cottons with intricate
designs. Painting are numerous all over the country, both traditional
and contemporary, woodcarvings for ornamentation and furniture,
silverwork and engraving form Yogyakarta and Sumatra, filgree from South
Sulawesi and Bali with different styles of clay, sandstone and wood
sculptures. These are but a few of the handicrafts found in Indonesia.
sumber : http://indonesia.gr/indonesian-culture-arts-and-traditions/
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar