Idalupa Alue Glong Naga in West Aceh: A Variant Story and Its Performance Strategy

The Proceedings of International Conference on Aceh Civilization 1 Idalupa Alue Glong Naga in West Aceh: A Variant Story and Its Performance Strategy Susandro1, Hatmi Negria Taruan2, Achmad Zaki3 1 Indonesian Institute of Arts and Culture Aceh *Corresponding Author: [email protected] ABSTRAK Sanggar Seni Alue Glong Naga merupakan salah satu grup seni tradisi di Aceh Barat yang secara masif mempertunjukkan kesenian Dalupa atau lazim juga disebut Si Dalupa oleh masyarakatnya. Persamaannya dengan grup lain ialah sama-sama terikat pada satu kisah yaitu tentang muasal tokoh Dalupa. Perbedaannya ialah sanggar ini menyebutnya Idalupa berdasarkan nama tokoh dalam kisah versi mereka. Selain itu, perbedaan lain yang khas juga terlihat pada bentuk pementasannya, yang mana sebagian para pemain/pemerannya memakai busana perempuan sebagaimana tergambar dalam kisah. Artikel ini bertujuan memaparkan mengapa pertunjukan Sanggar Seni Alue Glong Naga ini berbeda dengan grup Dalupa lain dengan jalan menelusuri kisah yang melatarbelakanginya. Penelitian dilaksanakan dengan metode kualitatif dengan langkah studi pendahuluan/pustaka, observasi, wawancara, klasifikasi dan reduksi data, analisis dan penulisan hasil. Atas dasar itu, dapat dikemukakan bahwa kisah Idalupa versi Sanggar Seni Alue Glong Naga berlatar peristiwa peperangan antara Raja Badar dengan Raja Namrud. Raja Badar merupakan personifikasi dari peristiwa Perang Badar antara umat Islam dengan kaum Quraisy. Sedangkan Raja Namrud merupakan tokoh yang terdapat dalam kitab-kitab suci agama samawi, yang hidup di masa Nabi Ibrahim. Dua latar masa yang terpaut jauh, tetapi disatukan dalam satu kisah. Ihwal demikian menunjukkan bahwa suatu kisah sebagai landasan sanggar Dalupa tidak harus secara langsung terkait dengan kebudayaan Aceh ataupun sejarahnya. Sedangkan busana perempuan yang dipakai para pemainnya dikarenakan Idalupa merupakan sepasang kakak-beradik (Ida dan Da), anak Raja Namrud, Da yang menyamar sebagai Ida untuk mengakali musuh-musuhnya. Kata Kunci: Siasat Pergelaran, Idalupa, Alue Glong Naga, Aceh Barat ABSTRACT The Alue Glong Naga Art Studio is one of the traditional art groups in West Aceh that performs the art of Dalupa, or Si Dalupa as it is commonly called by the community. Both groups are linked by a shared narrative, namely the genesis of the Dalupa character. The primary distinction between this group and others is that they refer to the character as Idalupa, a variation of the name used in their version of the story. Furthermore, another notable divergence is observed in the form of the performance, wherein certain performers are attired in women's attire, as depicted in the narrative. The objective of this article is to elucidate the distinctive characteristics of the Alue Glong Naga Art Studio's performance vis-à-vis other Dalupa groups, with a particular focus on the narrative underpinning it. The research was conducted using a qualitative method, which included preliminary/library studies, observations, interviews, data classification and reduction, analysis, and the writing of results. It can be posited that the Alue Glong Naga Art Studio's version of the Idalupa story is set during the war between King Badr and King Namrud. King Badr represents the Badr War between the Muslims and the Quraysh. Meanwhile, King Namrud is a character found in the holy books of the heavenly religions, who lived during the time of the Copyright © 2024, author, e-ISSN xxxx-xxxx 71 The Proceedings of 1st International Conference on Aceh Civilization(ICoAC), pp.70-79 Prophet Abraham. The two settings are disparate, yet unified by a single narrative thread. This illustrates that a narrative as the basis of the Dalupa tradition does not have to be directly linked to Acehnese culture or history. Additionally, the attire worn by the female performers is indicative of the Idalupa myth, which is a narrative about a pair of brothers (Ida and Da) who were children of King Namrud. In the myth, Da disguised himself as Ida to outsmart his enemies. Keywords: Performance Strategies, Idalupa, Alue Glong Naga, West Aceh INTRODUCTION Artistic expression can be cultivated and evolve from an initial action that provides the artist with a sense of joy and fulfillment. Subsequently, the action is performed repeatedly, and the action also provides a similar level of pleasure to several other individuals, thereby increasing the number of people who favor the action. This is a brief description of the cyclical nature of cultural phenomena, whether the cause is internal or external. In this context, this is the process that is being experienced by the art of Dalupa, Si Dalupa, or Idalupa in West Aceh. The term "Idalupa" is used to refer to the Alue Glong Naga group. As each group or studio has a distinct narrative, the variations in their accounts are considerable. The evolution of Dalupa art in West Aceh was documented in an article titled "Dalupa: The Potential of Dramatic Art from the West Coast of Aceh," which was compiled in a compendium of essays titled "Laku Seni." In "Art and Cultural Diplomacy to Strengthen National Identity," the author identifies three phases in the development of the art, including: The first phase is that of Si Dalupa as oral folklore. The second phase is that of the embodiment of the character of Si Dalupa in the form of dance or procession. The third phase is that of the embodiment or transformation of the story of Si Dalupa into dramatic/theatrical art (Susandro, 2022b). Nevertheless, the question of whether the art of Si Dalupa can be classified as dance or theater remains a topic of ongoing debate within the community. This is driven in particular by the form and visuality that make some observers or art actors in Aceh call Si Dalupa art a dance, but on other occasions (even by the same person) also call it dramatic art or theater (Susandro & Taruan, 2021). The diversity of views is not inherently problematic; however, it may become overly constrained when it is reduced to a single form, such as dance or theater. This is particularly true given that the visual form of the art is not always fixed or may change or evolve according to the preferences of event organizers. This is because the staging of this art is typically based on the request of the party who has a wish or event (Susandro et al., 2021). To date, it has been established that the cultivation of Si Dalupa art in the form of dramatic art was undertaken on two occasions. The initial attempt was made by a theatre artist from Aceh named Z. Wazir in the late 1980s (Dadek, 2017). He was dispatched by the West Aceh local government to collaborate with the Datok Rimba Art Studio in Woyla, West Aceh, in the adaptation of the Si Dalupa narrative into a dramatic form (Susandro et al., 2021). The initial work aimed to present the art of Si Dalupa at the third Aceh Cultural Week (PKA) event held at Blangpadang Field in Copyright © 2024, author, e-ISSN xxxx-xxxx 72 The Proceedings of 1st International Conference on Aceh Civilization(ICoAC), pp.70-79 Banda Aceh (Fatianda et al., 2020). PKA is a cultural event that has been a regular occurrence on the agenda of the Aceh provincial government since 1958. The second iteration of Si Dalupa was performed by the same group, accompanied by Marhalim Zaini, an artist and literary figure from Riau. Marhalim was dispatched to Aceh Barat to oversee the process and to share his insights (dramaturgical notes) on how Si Dalupa was prepared to perform at the National Theater Week event at the Main Stage of Taman Budaya Samarinda, East Kalimantan, from September 20-26, 2019. However, each participant from a variety of regions was required to undergo a curatorial process, which involved submitting a video. The art of Si Dalupa by the Datok Rimba Art Studio was subsequently filmed and uploaded to the YouTube platform (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK23d7-39og). The video link above demonstrates that the art of Si Dalupa incorporates several elements characteristic of dramatic art, including the theme, storyline, characterization, dialogue, setting atmosphere, setting place, setting time, and setting of events. These elements are presented clearly and coherently (Susandro, 2023). The evolution of the performance is not limited to its visual aspects; it also encompasses the narrative that serves as the backdrop or that drives the emergence of the Si Dalupa performance form. It is now known that there are four variants of the Si Dalupa story, each attributed to a different group in West Aceh. However, one variant is also found in Aceh Jaya (Susandro, 2022a). Some groups maintain that their accounts are factual, while others acknowledge the possibility that their narratives may be fictitious or fabricated. It is reasonable to hypothesize that the challenges associated with development, which have the potential to influence the fluctuations of the Si Dalupa art form, may also extend to other aspects of the art. Consequently, an analysis of the text (script/story) of the Si Dalupa art performance is an invaluable starting point for examining groups with new styles/variants. This is consistent with the two previous research activities, and it can be further deepened by reading/analyzing it with a wider range of topics. Mulyana (in Jaeni, 2007) posits that the performed artwork is an interaction that is perceived as symbolic interaction, an activity that is characteristic of humans, namely communication or the process of exchanging symbols that are given meaning. In other words, Jaeni (2007) asserts that the symbols that interact in a performance can be referred to as the text that is composed in the performance. De Marinis (in Yudiaryani, 2015) proposes a similar approach, viewing the material object of analysis as a "text". According to Marinis, text can be defined as 1) Transgression activities that separate the author as a center, limiter, and determinant of truth, voice, and meaning. 2) The display of literary phenomena in the form of knitted words arranged to produce meaning. 3) The production of meaning through the elimination of signs. 4) Reactualizing the social practices involved in it. 5) The redistribution of language transmission for the benefit of speech communication associated with different speech. METHOD The phenomenon of traditional art is often understood to reflect the philosophy or values of human life or a group of (ethnic) communities, particularly about their relationship with nature and even with God (Holt, 2000). This is also the case with Copyright © 2024, author, e-ISSN xxxx-xxxx 73 The Proceedings of 1st International Conference on Aceh Civilization(ICoAC), pp.70-79 Dalupa art. Consequently, the qualitative method is a suitable approach, as it seeks to uncover the underlying aspects of the phenomenon (Moleong, 2021). In addition, the stages align with the established norms of qualitative research, which are delineated into three phases: pre-research, during research, and post-research (Satori & Komariah, 2020). The preliminary stages of the research process include a literature review and observation. Observation is defined as the process of directly observing the phenomenon under study (Sugiyono, 2022). Meanwhile, the literature review entails tracing other studies (in books, scientific articles, etc.) that also highlight the art of Si Dalupa and other material objects but with similar topics (Rohidi, 2011). Subsequently, at the research stage, in-depth interviews are conducted and the activities undertaken throughout the research process are documented. This documentation may take the form of written notes, audio, video, or photographs/images. The interview method is divided into two categories: planned interviews and unplanned interviews (Koentjaraningrat, 1997). A planned interview is conducted to formulate research questions and determine the time and place of the meeting. In contrast, unplanned interviews are provisional. The final stage of the process is post-research, during which data is classified according to its type. This can be done in a variety of ways, including the creation of a single folder for all files, or the categorization of data into distinct folders for different types of files, such as interview recording data, photos, or images. The objective of data classification is to facilitate the analysis of existing data by researchers and to elucidate the interrelationships between different data sets. The objective of data classification is to facilitate the analysis of existing data and the comprehension of the relationships between different data sets. Subsequently, data analysis is conducted, which entails examining and describing all the information contained in the data. This step is open to interpretation, as it can be carried out at any stage of the research process or subsequently. If this is not the case, the data should be set aside (reduced). The reduction of data is equally as crucial, as it aims to eliminate any unnecessary or irrelevant data, thus preventing researchers from reaching biased or vague conclusions. The final step in the post-research phase is to document the results of the research. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 1. Alue Glong Naga Art Studio's version of the Idalupa story The Alue Glong Naga Art Studio's version of Idalupa is set during the great war between King Badr and King Namrud. Additionally, the narrative encompasses the genesis of the serune and rapa'i drums, which are pervasive in Idalupa performances, particularly those of the Alue Glong Naga art group. It also encompasses the journey of the Idalupa character. However, the narrative does not commence with the life journey of the Idalupa character but rather with the account of the genesis of the serune and rapa'i drums. According to Salihin Yunus, the narrative unfolds as follows. Copyright © 2024, author, e-ISSN xxxx-xxxx 74 The Proceedings of 1st International Conference on Aceh Civilization(ICoAC), pp.70-79 Figure 1. The chief researcher (Susandro) interviewed the head of the studio, Amiruddin; the village keuchik, Miftahul Hadi; the sheikh, Salihin Yunus; and Kamil, a rapa'i player; as well as two local people (Source: Hatmi Negria Taruan, 2023). The First War is the historical event that is believed to have given rise to the serune and the rapa'i drum. One day, a war broke out between King Namrud and King Badr. At that juncture, King Namrud was unable to engage in combat with King Badr, resulting in his defeat. The vast majority of his troops were annihilated by King Badr. Subsequently, King Namrud sought refuge in a cave, leaning on a stick for support. Upon his arrival, a Tengku named Malim inquired as to the reason for his visit. King Namrud informed Malim that he had been vanquished in combat against King Badr. The king requested assistance from Malim, who was subsequently transported to the river. Subsequently, Malim requested the staff that King Namrud was holding. The king inquired as to the nature of Malim's request, to which Malim responded that he simply wished for the king to comply with his instructions. The stick was divided into three sections, each of which was utilized for a distinct purpose. One section was utilized to create a sereune, another was used to create a drum, and the final section was used to create a beating stick. Tengku Malim crafted the instrument with such precision that the sound it produced was unlike anything the king had ever heard before. The sound was perceived as imbued with a quality that could be described as mystical, and it was observed to have the capacity to arouse the spirit of King Namrud's troops. Consequently, King Namrud was led to the conclusion that: "What will ensue?" In the context of King Namrud's troops, who were on the verge of complete defeat, King Badr exhibited such arrogance that he no longer considered the remaining troops of King Namrud to be a concern. To summarize, the sound of Tengku Malim's instrument inspired King Namrud's troops, who had been on the verge of defeat, to return to the battlefield with renewed vigor. Consequently, the outcome was in their favor. Copyright © 2024, author, e-ISSN xxxx-xxxx 75 The Proceedings of 1st International Conference on Aceh Civilization(ICoAC), pp.70-79 Figure 2. Hatmi Negria Taruan (research member) with Amiruddin (leader of the studio), as well as some members of the studio and the local community (Source: Susandro, 2023). The Second War: The Origin of Dalupa. During the outbreak of the Second Great War between King Namrud and Badar, a border was drawn between the two kingdoms. During this second war, two warriors were the sons of King Namrud (named Da and Ida), who during the first great war, when they were about to be defeated, fled and stayed for a while in the deepest forest, which was the territory of King Badr. Since the borders were strictly guarded by the order of King Badr and vice versa, the two children of King Namrud could not leave to return to their father. Month after month, the two troops never tried to be picked up by other troops until they were finally forgotten. Then, to trick the troops of the King of Badr who were guarding the border, since the guards had not seen their wives for a long time, the two troops of King Namrud, who had been trapped in the forest for a long time, disguised themselves as women. The man (Da) disguised himself as a woman, while the woman (Ida) disguised herself as a man. They covered their bodies with wooden leaves to hide their faces, while sharp weapons were tucked into their waists. After that, the two tried to approach the King of Badr's soldiers who were standing guard. The soldier asked them where they were going. The disguised men replied that they were going back to their homes. The soldiers on guard persuaded them to stay for the night because it was late. When the soldier saw the woman, his bad intentions arose and he took the woman to the guard post. Instead of being able to fulfill his wish, he lay dead. After a while the woman came out and the other soldiers asked her where he was. She answered that he was sleeping and resting. Then the questioning soldier took her back inside and she met the same fate. In the end, the two soldiers of King Namrud survived and managed to cross the border. But until then, no one knew their condition. On the other hand, since they had not returned home for a long time, King Namrud considered them dead. So the king prepared a funeral ceremony for his two sons. Soon after, the people learned of their return, and they told the king. Seeing clearly with his eyes the return of his two sons, the king ordered all the musical instruments, including the serunee, drums, etc., to be prepared for the celebration. Immediately, the mourning was replaced by a joyful celebration. Copyright © 2024, author, e-ISSN xxxx-xxxx 76 The Proceedings of 1st International Conference on Aceh Civilization(ICoAC), pp.70-79 2. Idalupa Alue Glong Naga Performance Strategy The uniqueness of each group is that the story they tell has no title. The story variant usually ends with the name of the group, usually, they just call it Dalupa Datok Rimba (located in Suak Trieng village, Woyla, West Aceh), Si Dalupa Buraq Lam Tapa (located in Layung village, Bubon, West Aceh), and Idalupa Alue Glong Naga (located in Padang Jawa village, Woyla, West Aceh). None of these found that a studio had given their story a title. Based on the naming above, it can be assumed that each sanggar/group wants to be known/identified by the name of the group, not by the title of the story they (usually) tell. This makes it possible that in the future, with the growth of sanggar in each gampong (village), there will be many variants of dalupa stories, and the naming of characters (dalupa, si dalupa, idalupa, etc.) will certainly be more varied as well. On the one hand, such a pattern may encourage the massive growth of traditional art studios (especially Dalupa) in West Aceh. On the other hand, this pattern can actually stifle the creative/imaginative power of each actor because they are fixated on the same story; that's all. In short, if such a pattern has the potential to promote the growth of sanggar, but after that it can hinder the creative power of each artist/performer. Figure 3. Cross-position pattern (left to right and vice versa, while the center player remains in the original position) in the first repertoire (source: Susandro, 2023) The tendency of Dalupa art groups in West Aceh is different from traditional art groups in other regions, such as Randai in West Sumatra, which are named after the title of the story they usually perform (Harun, 1991). The reason for this is that among the many story titles they have performed, there is usually one that is the favorite or most popular, both by the performers themselves and by the audience. The audience may even judge that one group is more skilled than another in performing a particular story. Therefore, determining the name of the group in the randai studio is usually based on the title of the story that is the most liked by the performers or the audience (Rustiyanti, 2018). It is not uncommon for a group's name to change from its original name because it is not more popular than the title of the story they usually perform. However, each sanggar is not limited to just one story. They also perform a variety of other story titles, even those that have been performed by other studios. This is because the uniqueness of a randai group lies not only in its interesting stories but also in its energetic and dynamic performances. Copyright © 2024, author, e-ISSN xxxx-xxxx 77 The Proceedings of 1st International Conference on Aceh Civilization(ICoAC), pp.70-79 As mentioned earlier, Dalupa stories tend to be related to Acehnese culture. For example, the Dalupa Datok Rimba group's story is set during the arrival of Islam in Aceh. Meanwhile, the Si Dalupa Buraq Lam Tapa group is set around two refugees from India who were later stranded on the west coast of Aceh to escape the king's punishment. However, unlike the others, the Idalupa Alue Glong Naga group is set in a war between King Badrud and King Namrud, as mentioned on the previous page. There are no Acehnese cultural idioms in the story, except for the names Namrud and Badrud, which are known to be part of the story of the journey/spreading of Islam, which is predominantly practiced by the people of Aceh. If we look closely, at the Alue Glong Naga Art Studio's version of the Idalupa story, there are no idioms/signs referring to Acehnese culture. For example, the story is set in Aceh like other Dalupa art group stories, or the characters are from Aceh, and so on. But what is very clear is the religious idiom believed by the artist/performer who is a Muslim. Idioms full of Islamic religion and history are found in the characters of King Namrud and King Badr. Namrud was a proud and arrogant king who lived during the time of Prophet Ibrahim, around 1800 BC. He even ordered his people to worship him as God. Meanwhile, the King of Badr is not a figure in Islamic history, but only an event, namely the first major battle between the Muslims and the Quraysh in 2 Hijri (624 AD). Badr is the name of an area between Mecca and (but closer to) Medina. Since the battle took place in this area, it was called the Battle of Badr. Thus, the character of Raja Badar in the Idalupa story by Alue Glong Naga Art Studio is a personification of an important event that became part of the history of the struggle for the preservation of Islam by the Muslims of that time. Figure 4. Counterclockwise circular motion pattern and high and low levels in the second repertoire (Source: Susandro, 2023) The story variants of the Alue Glong Naga Art Studio refute the author's initial assumption that a Dalupa studio is based on only one story whose setting is directly related to Acehnese culture (geographically) and history, such as the Datok Rimba Art Studio (Susandro et al., 2021) and the Buraq Lam Tapa Group (Susandro & Taruan, 2021). Based on the above readings, and also based on previous research, we can tentatively formulate the patterns of the three Dalupa studios in West Aceh as follows: 1) each studio has its own variant of the story; 2) each time a studio performs, it tells only one story; 3) the story can be reconstructed against the backdrop of different Copyright © 2024, author, e-ISSN xxxx-xxxx 78 The Proceedings of 1st International Conference on Aceh Civilization(ICoAC), pp.70-79 cultures, such as Acehnese, Arabic, Indian, etc.; 4) usually Dalupa performances are in the form of dances, but 5) occasionally they are also performed in dance; 6) the musical instruments used are usually serune and rapa'i, but some add other instruments such as maracas and may be combined with other musical instruments; 7) the performance can be held during the day or at night, supported by makeshift lighting as illumination; 8) the performance can be carried out for various purposes, such as enlivening weddings, circumcisions, campaigns of a figure/party, and so on; and 9) the performance can also be carried out on stage or on the floor with mats in closed spaces or open fields, in the yard and the like; 10) the duration of the performance is unlimited, adjusting to the request of the event organizer (who has a celebration). CONCLUSION Research on the Alue Glong Naga Art Studio tentatively found that the story of the character Idalupa, which binds the performance of a group or studio, is not always related to Acehnese culture or history. The story of Dalupa can be based on or even reconstructed from other stories that exist in a different community culture. This is evident in the Alue Glong Naga Art Studio's version of the Dalupa story, which is set in the story of the battle between King Namrud and King Badr; a character told in the holy books of the heavenly religions for tens of centuries and an event personified in a character. Because of this unique phenomenon, the story of the Dalupa character that is carried by each group or studio may not (completely) contain the truth or may be fictitious, as is common in the oral folklore of the archipelago. Even if this is the case, to promote culture, especially arts that require a high degree of imagination on the part of the perpetrators, it can of course be said to have gone well. If this were not the case, it would be very difficult for Dalupa art to develop to survive amidst the changing tastes of the public. On the other hand, this phenomenon at least provides opportunities for the wider community who want to establish Dalupa studios with variations of their own stories, or for artists who try to work on Dalupa stories both in the form of dramatic art (theater) and dance with various styles. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The researchers and the team would like to thank the Alue Glong Naga Art Studio in Padang Jawa village, Woyla Induk, West Aceh, who were willing to share their knowledge and experience on the whole Idalupa art. In addition, to all parties involved in supporting the continuity of this research activity, and of course also to the Indonesian Institute of Arts and Culture (ISBI) Aceh, which has supported the implementation of this research program through the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM). It is hoped that this paper can contribute to the development of Idalupa art in the future so that it is better known to the wider community. REFERENCES Dadek, T. (2017). Bunga Rampai Seni & Budaya: Siapa dan Apa Karya Seniman Aceh Barat. Yayasan PeNA Aceh.