Banten is not only popular with the Baduy tribe but also other traditional cultures include their traditional musical instruments. Bantenese keep them from time to time so that they exist until now because of their persistency.
At a glance, traditional musical instruments from Banten look similar to the traditional musical instruments from West Java. That because these regions used to be a part of the province. If you look closer, their cultures also have a similar type with different taste of culture.
So, let’s take a look into some of these Banten’s traditional musical instruments below. After that, you will realize that their instruments are amazing to hear.
1. Dogdog Lojor
Dogdog Lojor is one of the most popular Bantenese traditional musical instruments. People believe that it comes from the Lebak region then spreads around the province. It is made from cylinder wood with about one meter long. It is covered by the goat’s leather and tied neatly.
Dogdog Lojor brings a unique sound that used to be part of the musical instruments when Bantenese celebrated the harvest. They will sing along with gratefulness and happiness following the sound of these instruments.
2. Bendrong Lesung
Bendrong Lesung is one of the most popular Bantenese musical instruments that made form the hardest part of the wood. It looks similar to a boat shape with a hole in the middle of the wood. It is size at about two meters long with a half meter wide.
Bendrong Lesung should be played by hitting the middle part with a specific hammer that calls as the Alu. Commonly it plays by more than three women with a specific punching that makes a great sound to hear.
Bendrong Lesung used to be made for grinding the rice traditionally. Since modernity came and people using the rice machine for grinding, this tool has a different function as a unique musical instrument for celebrating the harvest, wedding, traditional dances in West Java or Banten, and another specific ritual.
3. Bamboo Pantun
Bamboo Pantun is one of the most popular traditional musical instruments from Banten that made from bamboo. It has about a half meter long with some bamboo strings at the outside.
Bamboo Pantun usually plays by four people in a group then they are battling with other groups. There are some types of Bamboo Pantun with the melodic bamboo Pantun, bass bamboo Pantun, and rhythm bamboo Pantun.
Bamboo Pantun commonly plays for special events such as the festival, welcoming guess, ritual, and other traditional custom culture in Banten.
4. Bamboo Jitak
Bamboo Jitak is one of the most popular Bantenese traditional musical instruments made from bamboo. It is as size as the bamboo Pantun but has a hole in the middle of it that attaches to some guitar strings.
You should pinch the Bamboo Jitak and punch it with a specific hammer so that the sound will come out properly. Usually, the hammer made of specific wood to make a perfection it the sound.
5. Rampak Bedug
Rampak Bedug is one of the most popular traditional musical instruments from Banten that is made of wood and cover by the cow’s leather. This tool used to be a part of the communication sign to the prayer time such as the Tambo in the traditional musical instrument from Aceh.
As time goes by, Rampak Bedug becomes the most important instrument while the Ramadhan festival or some religious event in Banten. It looks similar to the common Kendang in some Javanese musical instruments but has a bigger size.
6. Angklung Gubrag
Angklung Gubrag is one of the most popular Bantenese traditional musicals made from bamboo. It looks similar to the common Angklung in the traditional Sundanese musical instrument but has a smaller and rarer part.
Angklung Gubrag usually plays in some traditional custom cultures in Banten. People will play the instrument at such a wedding party, Khitanan, celebrating a pregnancy, and many more.
7. Angklung Buhun
Angklung Buhun is one of the most popular traditional music instruments from Banten that made from bamboo. Just like the Angklung Gubrug, it has a rare part that has a sacred meaning for the Baduy tribe as the famous tribes in Indonesia.
Angklung Buhun becomes one of the richest heritage for the Baduy tribe so that they only play the instrument in the ritual of Ngaseuk ceremony. It is a specific ritual for celebrating harvest time in the Baduy tribe.
Usually, Angklung Buhun plays by nine men that following by two men who play the Rampak Bedug and Dogdog Lonjong.
8. Calung Renteng
Calung Renteng is one of the Bantenese traditional musical instruments made from bamboo. It arranged neatly closer one to of the others and tied properly so that it couldn’t break easily.
Just like other West Javanese Calung, it has a beautiful voice with a specific higher note. Commonly it is made of white or black bamboo specifically choose by the honored people at some places.
9. Kacapi
Kacapi is one of the Bantenese traditional musical instrument made from a specific wood. It attaches by some strings that you should pick it up to make a beautiful sound.
Bantenese Kacapi is similar to common Kecapi in Indonesia, and it has a beautiful rhythm also. The youth generation even makes this instrument in a digital way that makes it easier to play for them.
So, there are some glances about Bantenese traditional musical instruments that you should know. Most of them are so popular not only for the adult but also for the youth generation. That because Bantenese are persistent keep their traditional musical instruments properly.
