271209 - sri ulan kuda kepang performance

Kuda Kepang, the horse trance dance, is today the most significant performing art associated with Javanese and people of Javanese descent living in Malaysia & Singapore. Popular as part of the Malay culture, the dance can be seen usually during special events like weddings or opening ceremonies and is usually accompanied with the soft melodies of the Gamelan. Usually, the performance would involve the participants to dance around with a cutout of a horse, akin to riding that said horse.

However, a more mystic side of Kuda Kepang seems to be on the rise these days, after a dwindling of it for the past few years. Instead of just harnessing the powers of the human body, other external forces from the other world were called on to make the performance a more intriguing one. eg. licking of hot charcoal, eating glass, chewing grass. It is widely said that they are possessed by some spirits called on by the leaders of the group (the one wielding the whip). Thus, in majority parts of Malaysia, Kuda Kepang is forbidden as it runs against Islam.

Even though these spiritually-enhanced dances are performed by Malays, there is actually a need here to emphasize that Islam does not condone these performances and it is in fact, Syirik (forbidden) as they call on powers other than that of Allah s.w.t. This mystiqued version of Kuda Kepang should not be widely practiced as they pose a danger to the performers as well as the public watching. eg. pregnant women, those wearing red.

However, the toned down, purely cultural dance of Kuda Kepang should remain in practice and rightfully speaking, should be the ONLY one remaining in practice. After stripping away the rawness of the souped up version, a very beautiful piece of art will be left, and I think it is only right that this is preserved :)

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• kuda
• kepang
• sri
• ulan
• malay
• culture
• spritual

[abimdanial]

salam bro ini dekat mana?

[ain4life]

@abimdanial Hi , tis was taken at Perkampungan Melayu, Geylang Serai

[Nasriake]

saya adalah peminat *kuda kepang*...tapi tggu,saya gemar menonton nya kerana saya minat pada adik2,abg2,kakak2 yg memakai pakaian tradisional JAWA.Dan juga yg paling saya minat adalah TARIANNYA dan rentak DARI muziknya..TQ..!