All You Need to Know About Mad Bamboo of Maluku

Indonesian folklore always becomes the most interesting to get to know. It always gives us a fascinating feel after you watch it. Such as other regions in Indonesia, Maluku also has its unique folklore that calls as a Mad Bamboo as the famous culture in Indonesia.

In Maluku, mad bamboo becomes a tradition from their great ancestor which suddenly becomes a culture until now. If you are coming from outside Maluku, you may unfamiliar about this thing. It may not popular such as traditional dances in Jakarta, but it is so popular in the east of Indonesia.

Now, we will give some information that you need to know about mad bamboo so that you will feel amazed for one of the greatest culture in Indonesia.

What is Mad Bamboo?

Mad bamboo is a traditional culture that plays by some people where they hold bamboo. There is a shaman who read some spells to the bamboo. It usually plays by men with a minimum of three people.

Malukunese believe that mad bamboo has a mystical thing behind its movement. People who play it will say that the bamboo becomes heavier and so difficult to hold. It suddenly moving so fast until it going mad.

Because of the hard movement by people who try to hold the bamboo, it looks like people dancing there while holding the bamboo. People believe that the truth is the bamboo going mad and people can’t hold it anymore.

The Wise History

They’re a unique and wiser history about mad bamboo where comes from some works in real life. In Malukunese, specifically in the center of Maluku, people believe that they are facing a hard life. It describes mutual assistance in how hard their life such as moving the ship to the sea, drawn the ship, or even to fight their enemies.

Commonly, people use bamboo to moving the ship or protect them from some bad people. That is why they start to give a spell to the bamboo as their hopes to God. It means protecting and get more power to face a hard life.

How to Play?

Usually Mad bamboo plays outdoor or someplace that has an open-air. That because the bamboo that they use is in a length of about 2.5 m and 8 cm of diameter. The man who plays will be moving uncertainly. It will dangerous if it plays in the indoor area.

The man who plays it has to in a strange amount such as 3, 5, 7, and so on. They have to hold the bamboo as long as they can. For some people, it can be hard to hold so that they will bounce off the bamboo.

Once the saman has done in preparing the spell and some offers to their great ancestor, it starts immediately. For us, it just looks like they just holding bamboo and dance. That is why it is so beautiful to see their performance.

The dance will start with a piece of simple traditional music using traditional tambourines. The music will be getting faster and louder for a certain time. The faster and louder the music plays, so that the bamboo going mad.

The bamboo will keep moving and so that the man who holds hardly on it. The movement of the bamboo will never stop until the saman say so. The saman will shout out to the bamboo and following with a spell, “Hey, Baramasuwel!” as the strange rituals only in Indonesia.

What is the Rule?

The rule in playing mad bamboo is so simple. Commonly, there has to be a saman that knowing the spell and you can play mad bamboo. The thing is, not any regions knowing the spell and the saman commonly come from a certain region in Maluku.

People believe, even though you know the spell and read it carefully, that doesn’t mean the mad bamboo will go mad. So, the spell doesn’t work easily but for certain saman only as of the real stereotype in Indonesia.

The man who plays mad bamboo comes from the chosen people by the saman. They have to wear red clothes, headband, and not allowed to wear a t-shirt. They will read out the spell form the saman and they should listen to him properly. If you are unfamiliar with these things, such as facing the example of culture shock in Indonesia.

The Function of the Spell

The function of the spell needs to be read on the way to call some spirit that they believe comes from their great ancestor. That is why need a full concentration to read the spell properly.

The spell comes in a long way read such as a poem but has a different type like verses. Commonly, it has an existence rhyme with has the same sound as the last vocal. It read by the ground language as the local language in Maluku.

Malukunese believe that the spell has a lot of meanings. For example to admit the greatest of God, to call the spirit that comes to the bamboo, and to searching some bits of help from God or any spirit.

Where You Can Find the Show?

Mad bamboo usually plays in some events such as regional official events, traditions, cultural events, or entertainment needs. you may only find it in Maluku, specifically in the center of Maluku and North Maluku region.

If you are visiting Maluku, you may find mad bamboo in some tradition even. People usually held a mad bamboo dance to entertain their guests.

So, there is some information about mad bamboo from Maluku that you should know. If you want to see their performance, come to Maluku so that you may have a lucky day to enjoy the beautiful dance of mad bamboo.