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Song in the Sumatran Highlands

People: Upiak Malai

Stage Name: Upiak Malai. "Upiak" is a term of address for a younger woman.
Other Names:
Role: Padendang.
Sex: Female.
Time Frame: Contemporary Figure
Source: personal encounter at a performance in 2004.
Born:
Died:
Place of Origin: Likely one of the places called "Malai" in Padang Pariaman.
Place of Residence: Payokumbuah.
Year started performing:
Training:
Relationships to other performers:
Performances:

Performance: Radio Republik Indonesia Bukittinggi, February 6, 2004.

Songs composed:
Recordings:
Other notes:

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Rendition: "Suntiang Patah Batikam" 02/06/2004 27 "Suntiang Patah Batikam" performed at Malam Suntuak at RRI plain 2021-06-02T11:31:27+00:00 February 6, 2004
Song: "Suntiang Patah Batikam"
Performance: Radio Republik Indonesia Bukittinggi, February 6, 2004
Context: Malam Suntuak/ Fundraiser
Type of Song: Ratok
People:
- Padendang:
  - Mak Sawir
  - Reni Agam
  - Upiak Malai
- Tukang Saluang: Djalaluddin St. Malelo
- Janang: Inladora
Duration: 7.01
Structure: 5 pantun

Lyrics:
Pantun 1: Mak Sawir
Batang
Minangkabau:
Oi.... Lagu Suntiang Patah Batikam
Karangan anak di nagari oi uwo oi
Tanang malah mandangakan
oi mandangakan oi uwo oi

Indonesian:
Lagu Suntiang Patah Batikam
Karangan anak di nagari
Tenang malah mendengarkan

English:
The Song “Suntiang Patah Batikam”
A composition of an anak nagari
Calmness happens provided one listens
Isi
Minangkabau:
Asa basuluah di nan kalam
Pandai-pandai manjago api oi uwo oi
Di nan kalam api kok padam
di siko badan mako sansai oi uwo oi

Indonesian:
Asal obor di yang gelap
Sepandai-pandai menjaga api
Di yang gelap api jika padam
Di sini badan maka sengsai

English:
The origin of the torch in that which is dark
It is clever to watch the fire
In darkness to guard against the fire’s extinction,
Here the body is miserable.
Interpretation of Pantun 1
Batang: The content of the batang is about the song itself.
Isi: The moral of the isi can be summarized as to "take care in a specific task as the body is miserable if it fails."

Pantun 2: Upiak Malai
Batang
Minangkabau:
Oi.... Uda kini lai datang
Bagurau samalam kini oi uwo oi
Taguah Lansano lai tibo
oi lai tibo kak uwo oi

Indonesian:
Uda sekarang lagi datang
Bagurau semalam sekarang
Teguh Lansano lagi tiba

English:
Uda have now come again
To have a bagurau this evening
[With] strength Lansano has arrived

Isi
Minangkabau:
Lah ditiliak ditimbang-timbang
Pado marusak dalam hati oi uwo oi
Pado marusak dalam hati
Iyo bapisah ka ubek nyo

Indonesian:
Sudah ditilik ditimbang-timbang
Pada merusak dalam hati
Iya berpisah ke ubatnya.

English:
Already judged to be considered
Makes one sad in the heart,
The medicine is to separate from it.
Interpretation of Pantun 2
Batang: There are lots of attendees for the evening
Isi: If one thinks really hard about a certain effort or job that will break one, it is better to be left alone.
Pantun 3: Reni Agam
Batang
Minangkabau:
Oi.... dek rusuah bana kini bakandak
Bia nak kami mandendangkan nyo oi amak oi
Bia nak kami mandendang nyo
Dari jauah kan lai tibo.

Indonesian:
Karena dukacita benar ini kehendak
Biar anak kami mendengarkan
Dari jauh akan tiba lagi.

English:
Because one really suffers for desires
Let anak kami listen
From afar, they will arrive again.
Isi
Minangkabau:
Lah dicubo salamo ko
Nan baminyak campua jo aia kak uwo oi
Nan baminyak campua jo aia
Asa sampai baukia juo.

Indonesian:
Sudah dicoba salama ini
Yang berminyak campur dengan air
Asal sampai berukir juga.

English:
Already attempted for as long as this
That which has oil is mixed with water
In the end will also be engraved (permanent).
Interpretation of Pantun 3
Batang: With a sad heart there is a request for a song which is desired by someone far away
Isi: Something is already experienced, but it’s the soul of the person who is not honest.
Janang Announcement

Pantun 4: Upiak Malai
Batang
Minangkabau:
Indonesian:
English:
Isi
Minangkabau:
Indonesian:
English:

Pantun 5: Mak Sawir
Batang
Minangkabau:
Indonesian:
English:
Isi
Minangkabau:
Indonesian:
English:
Performance: Radio Republik Indonesia Bukittinggi, February 6, 2004 15 Malam Suntuak image_header 2021-09-03T20:32:21+00:00 -0.31898, 100.38478 02/06/2004
Date: February 6, 2004
Place: Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI), Bukittinggi
Style: Saluang Klasik

Occasion: Malam Suntuak (all-night) event, held the first Friday of every month. Some/ all of it was also broadcast.

Performers
- Padendang:
  - Formally engaged for the evening
    Mak Sawir (m)
    Reni Agam (f)
    Upiak Malai (f)
  - Other participants
    Pak Kakao joined on a few songs, but was not constantly on the stage.
- Tukang Saluang: Djalaluddin St. Malelo
- Janang: Inladora
Set up: in the foyer of the main building, small raised platform stage, tiled floor cover with plastic mats for audience seating.

Audience: Approximately 100 people over the course of the evening, mostly men. I noticed two other women during the course of the evening: one women with her husband, the other a young woman wearing a headscarf. Peak attendance was between 10p.m. and 1a.m. People came after they heard the beginning of the broadcast.

Performance duration: @9p.m. to just before 4a.m., with breaks at 12.20pm and 3a.m. The organizer and my contact, Pak Il, had mentioned that it might end earlier around 1 or 2a.m. if there were not many attendees.

Requests: audience members conveyed their requests to the janang, paying a small amount for the privilege of doing so. They convey their requests via written means or go up to the stage, whispering their requests to the janang.

Ethnographers: Jennifer. Pak Amran from ISI Padang Panjang also present.

Attendance: entire evening.

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