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Song in the Sumatran Highlands

Performance: Suayan, August 1, 2015

Date: August 1-2, 2015
Time:
Place: Suayan
Style: Saluang Klasik
Occasion: Malam Bagurau for a Wedding

Set up: The stage for this performance involve a structure erected at one end of a dry and empty rice field. The material used to hold up the back and the roof covering was bamboo, the roof covering a blue nylon tarpaulin, and the back a multicolor striped nylon cloth of the kind used to cover and wrap materials for transportation of goods on the back of a pickup. The floor of the stage was covered with a plastic mat with no other padding provided. No chairs were provided for the audience so a few crowded on to the stage with the performers.

Performers:

Padendang:
- Te E
- Nor Cingkariang
Tukang Saluang:
- Bujang Rao-Rao
Janang:
- None, as is appropriate for a malam bagurau attached to a wedding.

Audience:
Ethnographers: Jennifer & Pak Ketua
Attendance:
Notes:

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People: Te E 17 Te E is a well-known padendang. image_header 2021-06-11T23:51:18+00:00 -0.267599, 100.374662
Stage Name: Te E; "Te" means "aunty;" it's used as a term of respect. When I first started working on saluang, she was identified as Si E. "Si" indicates a younger woman, so as the padendang age, their names change.
Other Names: Ernawati.
Role: Padendang.
Sex: Female.
Time Frame: Contemporary Figure
Source: personal encounter at performances in 2015 and 2016, along with an interview in 2016.
Born: 1958.
Died: n/a.
Place of Origin: Sei (Sungai) Tanang.
Place of Residence: Parik Rantang.
Year started performing: 1974, when she was 16.
Training: She participated in the group, Minang Maimbau, led by Syamsimar
Relationships to other performers: Her first husband was tukang rabab, Nijon.
Performances:
- Performance: Suayan, August 1, 2015.
- Performance: Sariak Laweh, July 25, 2016.
Interviews: July 25, 2016.
Songs composed:
Recordings:
Other notes:
People: Nor Cingkariang 14 Nor Cingkariang is a padendang from a well-known family. image_header 2021-06-18T12:57:03+00:00 -0.3604, 100.383
Stage Name: Nor Cingkariang: her stage name asserts a place affiliation with nagari Cingkariang.
Other Names:
Role: padendang.
Sex: female.
Time Frame: Contemporary Figure
Source: personal encounter at a performance in 2016.
Born: unknown.
Died: --.
Place of Origin: Cingkariang.
Place of Residence:
Year started performing:
Training:
Relationships to other performers: Her mother--Te Inar--and four sisters--Reni Agam, Epi Cingkariang, Upik Cingkariang & Dewi--are all padendang.
Performances:
- Performance: Suayan, August 1, 2015.
Songs composed:
Recordings:
Other notes:
People: Bujang Rao-Rao 14 Bujang Rao-Rao is a tukang saluang. image_header 2021-06-19T18:53:48+00:00 -0.37679, 100.55631
Stage Name: Bujang Rao-Rao; his stage name asserts a place affiliation with nagari Rao-Rao.
Other Names:
Role: Tukang Saluang.
Sex: Male.
Time Frame: Contemporary figure
Source: in person encounter at a performances in 2004 and 2015
Born: unknown
Place of Origin: Rao-Rao
Place of Residence:
Year started performing:
Training:
Relationships to other performers:
Performances: Performance:
- Pariangan, February 10, 2004.
- Performance: Suayan, August 1, 2015.
Songs composed:
Recordings:
Other notes:
Contexts for Saluang Performance 9 This page explains various contextual factors for saluang performances image_header 2021-09-02T01:09:26+00:00
This page outlines a range of contextual factors that all have a hand in shaping the way a performance unfolds.
What
Saluang performances are held in association with a wide variety of events, ranging from events hosted by families to those hosted by communities or institutions. All the events at which saluang is found have a celebratory nature: the music enhances a sense of festivity and sociability.
- Life cycle events, especially weddings and circumcisions
- Community celebrations, such as fundraisers, halal-bihalal
- Bagurau Lapiak
When
Saluang performances are more common at certain times of the year than others. While Indonesia adheres to the Gregorian calendar for official business, the Islamic calendar equally structures the passage of time in Minangkabau society. Saluang performances won't be found at all during the holy month of Ramadan, when it is not appropriate to hold celebrations of any kind. As the most popular time for weddings and circumcisions is the month following Ramadan, saluang performances are the most frequent then. Jennifer deliberately designed her plan for fieldwork around this calendar. The patina of religiosity lingers through Lebaran and in the week or two afterwards, which does have some influence on the participation in and modesty at saluang performances. Finally, families and communities hosting events might give some consideration to season, whether it is the rainy or dry season. The dry season is better for hosting events held outside with strong attendance. The weather, however, has been less predictable with climate change. In summary, the following are important temporal factors that structure the ways events unfold:
- The year: performances were different in 2003-2004 vs. 2015-2016
- The month, particularly according to the Islamic calendar
- The season: dry or wet, which will affect people's ability to travel.
Where
Saluang performances occur wherever there is a sizable Minang population. The location where an event is held is very influential on the way an event will unfold, in part structuring to some extent the performers who are invited and the pagurau who attend, but also for the repertoire that might be requested. Historically, Bukittinggi was considered the "center" for saluang, with many performers in residence there. Over time, however, Payokumbuah became the center: many performers are now located in or near Payokumbuah.

The broadest distinction with regard to location is between events held in the darek vs. the rantau, including areas of the rantau beyond the borders of West Sumatra. The specific luak is another factor, as is the specific nagari, particularly if there are songs affiliated with it. A performance held in Luak Agam is likely to have some differences from one held in Luak Limo Puluah Koto. Both will have differences from a performance held in areas of the rantau, such as Solok or Pasaman. Those performances held beyond the province would be different yet again. The best singers, like Te E, have stories of traveling to neighboring provinces in Sumatra, including Riau, Jambi, Bengkulu, North Sumatra; to Jakarta and other parts of Java; and to parts of Malaysia. I've never attended a saluang performance in the rantau so I can't speak to how they are structured, but I wonder if people don't request the most classic songs, the songs closely associated with their hometowns. Finally, events held in urban centers are likely different from those in more rural locales. This factor is probably most influential on the participants, generating greater attendance closer to population centers. But it is not the only consideration. If a very famous singer will be singing in a more rural location, like Te E in Suayan (about 2 hours one direction by motorbike from Payokumbuah), pacandu are willing to travel.

Another factor that plays into the way performances unfold are the physical spaces in which they are located. There is a difference if they are held in a home or in a communal space, the inside of a house or in the yard. When they are held in communal spaces, are these regular gathering spaces for community events, a public marker, a specially-built cafe or road side stall? Are the guests seated at tables and chairs, on rows of chairs, mats on the floor, or must they stand?
Who
Who is hosting a saluang performance has a strong hand in shaping it, including the choice of performers, the choice of saluang styles, and so on. These factors include whether the host is an individual/ family, a community, or an institution. The economic capital of the host affects the budget for an event, which is turn might affect the style of saluang and the physical set up. The performances with the lowest budget, for example, are least likely to have seating or snacks for the pagurau (see Performance: Suayan, August 1, 2015 vs. Performance: Batu Balang, July 17, 20160. The religious values of the hosts--the relative piety--will affect the presence or absence of porno lyrics. The performers and pagurau will be more modest if they know a host is more devout. If a host is a known pacandu, then the event will be of a different quality, have different songs, and/or different interactions between performers and pagurau or among pagurau than if the host is less familiar with the scene.
Economics of performance
How a performance is structured relatively to economics shapes its structure. The most important distinction here is whether
- Performers are contracted in advance for the event: they are paid some uang muka ("face money," an advance) at the time they are contracted and the remainder at the performance. This can be the case even if the performance is functioning as a fundraiser, where all funds contributed for the honor of making requests goes to the designated cause.
- Performers need to generate their own income, working for tips and a share of the evening's takings (see bagurau lapiak).
Summary
In short, each event is completely unique and the conditions are not replicable.

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