South Sumatra becomes the part of Sumatra island that so famous in Indonesia. As the part of the 5 largest islands in Indonesia, Sumatra keep the South Sumatra tradition with their original custom culture.
Just like other regions in Indonesia, South Sumatra also has so many traditional cultures such as traditional language, music instruments, clothes, house, and dance as the facts about Sumatra island. This time we will let you know about some traditional dances from South Sumatra.
Most of South Sumatra’s traditional dances are similar to traditional dances from culture and arts in West Sumatra. That because the region is completely closed to each other with almost passing through the same history.
Let’s check some of the traditional dances from South Sumatra below that so famous until now.
1. Gending Sriwijaya Dance
Gending Sriwijaya dance becomes the most famous traditional dance in South Sumatera. People believe that this dance was inspired by the glory of the Sriwijaya kingdom as the biggest kingdom in Sumatra island.
Every movement of Gending Sriwijaya dance comes with a combination of Buddhism culture, Buddhist meditation, and Batanghari custom culture. Since this dance originally comes from the region around the Batanghari river, people believe that this dance should be played by nine people.
Commonly, Gending Sriwijaya dance plays for welcoming guests on so many occasions. This dance also follows by the Gending Sriwijaya song as the traditional song from South Sumatra.
2. Tanggai Dance
Tanggai dance used to becomes the most sacred dance in South Sumatera as it is only playing for the opening worship ceremonial. As time goes by, this dance usually plays for welcoming guests at the wedding ceremony just like the Persembahan dance in the traditional dance from Aceh.
Tanggai dance plays by six dancers which they wear different traditional clothes from their regions. The song that following this dance call is the Enam Bersaudara as the symbol for harmony in society.
3. Silampari Dance
Silampari dance is one of the traditional dances from South Sumatra that comes from the Lubuklinggau regency. This dance tells us about the fairytale story between Dayang Torek and Bujang Panulup. This story is so famous in South Sumatra that Dayang Torek was gone in the Sulap hill.
The Silampari dance was famous since about 1941 as the Watervang dam builds in Lubuklinggau. People believe that Dayang Torek was gone and becomes a fairy. Meanwhile, Bujang Panulup’s story comes from Musi Rawas regency as the lover from Dayang Torek.
4. Pagar Pengantin Dance
Pagar Pengantin dance is one of the famous traditional dance from South Sumatera that usually plays in the wedding ceremony. This dance is different from the Tanggai dance which the dancer should play in five people.
On the Pagar Pengantin dance, one dancer should play by the brides. She becomes the main dancer, and the others become the Dayang or companion only. The brides will dance in the gold tray using the Tanggai or fake gold nails on her eight fingers as the cultures in the South Sumatra.
5. Gegerit Dance
Gegerit dance is one of the traditional dances from South Sumatra that originally comes from the Lahat regency. This dance tells us about the story of the struggle of every woman in the colonialism eras.
Every dancer in Gegerit dance should be women, and they have to hold the Kudok as the traditional weapon from South Sumatra. Commonly, this dance plays by four women with traditional clothes from Lahat.
The music that following the Gegerit dance also comes with some traditional music instruments such as Dol, Kenong, and Gendang.
6. Sebimbing Sekundang Dance
Sebimbing Sekundang dance is one of the traditional dances from South Sumatra that is originally come from the Ogan Komering Ulu regency. This dance commonly plays for welcoming guests. That because this dance has the meaning of togetherness, goes hand in hand, and helps each other in everything to achieve the successfulness.
Every dancer in the Sebimbing Sekundang dance should wear the Ogan Komering Ulu’s traditional clothes. Not only the traditional clothes, but also the music, and the song.
7. Tenun Songket Dance
Tenun Songket dance is one of the traditional dance from South Sumatra that was inspired by the weaving tradition in the Palembang society. Songket becomes the most popular clothes in Palembang and Indonesia generally. That makes every South Sumatranese so proud of the Songket.
Commonly Tenun Songket Dance plays by five women, and they are wearing a Baju Kurung completes with the Songket and hand propeller.
8. Kipas Serumpun Dance
Kipas Serumpun dance is one of the traditional dance from South Sumatra that comes from the Banyuasin regency. This dance tells us about the friendship between each other in South Sumatra’s society. That because this area becomes the most multicultural society in South Sumatra.
Commonly, the Kipas Serumpun plays by eight people using the hand propeller as the property during the dance.
9. Penguton Dance
Penguton dance is one of the traditional dances from South Sumatra that comes from the Ogan Komering Ilir regency. This dance becomes the pioneer of Sekapur Sirih dance from the traditional dance from Jambi in about 1950.
Just like the Sekapur Sirih dance, the Penguton dance also plays for welcoming guests. People said that this dance used to plays in the national palace to welcoming the arrival of state officials from so many countries.
So, there are some glances about the traditional dances from South Sumatra that you should know. Most of them still exist until now and perform in so many regions. Commonly these dances are famous not only in South Sumatra but also in Indonesia. Have you ever watch one of these beautiful dances?
