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Song in the Sumatran Highlands

Place: Payokumbuah (city)

Payokumbuah, spelled "Payakumbuh" in Indonesian, is the second largest city in West Sumatra. With an estimated population of 136,837 in 2019, it is the biggest city in the highlands. It means "grassy swamp" in Minangkabau. The city is also now the center for saluang.

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People: Linda 17 Linda is a padendang. image_header 2021-06-08T21:33:10+00:00 -0.22465, 100.6318
Stage Name: Linda.
Other Names:
Role: Padendang.
Sex: Female.
Time Frame: Contemporary Figure
Source: personal encounter at performances in 2016.
Born: 1974
Died: n/a
Place of Origin:
Place of Residence: Payokumbuah
Year started performing:
Training:
Relationships to other performers:
Performances:
- Performance: Batu Balang, July 16, 2016.
Song: "Kabau Punco" 13 This song is affiliated with the place, the city of Payokumbuah. plain 2021-06-25T00:52:52+00:00
Translation of Title: "The extremity of the water buffalo."
Composer: Unknown.
Type of song: Gembira.
Genre of origin: Indang.

Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Limopuluah Koto.
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Source: Pak Ketua.
Notes: According to Pak Ketua, this song is very close to the song "Indang Parik Rantang." During the performance at Sungai Baringin July 15, 2016 he explained it that they are in the same "kurung" (compartment). Indeed, at first during that performance he identified "Kabau Punco" as "Indang Parik Rantang." When "Indang Parik Rantang" was performed a few songs later that same evening, he said ah "this is the one that is asli (original)."

Below the two songs are presented. The beginning of "Indang Parik Rantang" involves a false start. I believe it is possible the padendang confused the two songs.

When we were working together on song identification and texts later that summer, Pak Ketua explained what he meant by the songs being in the same "kurung:" "Ada beda sedikit saja, dari sebuah lagu" (there is very little difference between these songs). The differences can take place at the beginning, the middle, or at different points (informal conversation, July 28, 2016). The similarities between these songs relate to melodic and rhythmic content, including ornamentation, along with overall structure. The differences might be slight, but enough to constitute a new song with a different title. It is one of the reasons that pagurau and even singers might confuse one song for another, which is what I believe happened with the start of "Indang Parik Rantang" above.
Song: "Arek-Arek Lungga" 12 The song called Arek-Arek Lungga plain 2021-06-30T21:58:00+00:00
Composer: Unknown.
Type of song: Gembira.
Genre of origin: Saluang dangdut.
Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Limopuluah Koto.
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Suite of Songs: "Ampek Sajalan" 12 The title for a suite of four songs. plain 2020-11-01T20:01:03+00:00
Translation of Title: "The Four Paths."
Explanation: This is a title for a suite of four songs which include 1. "Indang Ramolai," 2. "Indang Kayu Tanam," 3. "Indang Toboh" and 4. "Rambun Malam."
Composer: According to Martis this suite of songs was created by a Payokumbuah artist. They existed as individual songs and someone decided to perform them as a suite.
Type of song: Satangah Tiang (Mardjani noted this as gembira).
Genre of Origin: The musical material is related to indang.
Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Limopuluah Koto.
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Source: Te E's List of Songs, Mardjani's List of Songs.
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.
Song: "Balam jo Rantiang" 8 This song is affiliated with the place, the city of Payokumbuah. plain 2021-06-24T23:55:48+00:00
Composer: Unknown.
Type of song: Satangah Tiang (Other people noted this as gembira).
Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Limopuluah Koto
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Source: Te E's List of Songs.
Genre: Sijobang 6 Sijobang is a regional Minangkabau vocal genre from Payokumbuah that draws on kaba for texts. plain 2021-06-29T19:16:14+00:00 -0.22465, 100.6318
Sijobang is a regional Minangkabau vocal genre from Payokumbuah that draws on kaba for texts, rather than pantun. Kaba are epic stories, adopted in a number of genres. Sijobang was performed over night as entertainment in similar contexts to saluang (for weddings, circumcisions and other life cycles), the performer, always gendered male, weaving a long tale. Historically, the solo vocalist accompanied himself using just a box of matches as percussive rhythm. More recently, kacapi (a kind of keyed zither) were used as accompaniment. But by 2020, the genre has all but disappeared, displaced, in part, by the popularity of saluang in the region.

To learn more about sijobang, consult the follow resource:
- Phillips, Nigel. [1981] 2009. Sijobang: Sung Narrative Poetry of West Sumatra. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Song: "Sijobang" 6 This song is affiliated with the place, the city of Payokumbuah. plain 2021-06-29T22:53:20+00:00
Translation of Title: This song is named for a Minangkabau genre, sijobang, which is associated with Payokumbuah.
Composer: Unknown.
Type of song: Satangah Tiang.
Genre of origin: Sijobang
Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Limopuluah Koto.
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Source: Martis.
Description: This song draws on the melodic and rhythmic material of sijobang. When this material was adapted to saluang, however, modifications to texts were required. Rather than using the kaba format, which was a through narrative, texts were structured as stand alone pantun. According to Martis, the texts were inspired by content of sijobang, hence calling the song "sijobang." But as in saluang, the pantun are not related to each other: they could cover pantun muda, pantun perasaian, etc.
Song: "Cancang Kambiang" 6 This song is affiliated with the place, the city of Payokumbuah. plain 2021-06-30T22:02:50+00:00
Translation of Title: "Cancang like a goat."
Composer: Unknown.
Type of song: Satangah Tiang (other people noted this as gembira).
Genre of origin: Sijobang.
Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Limopuluah Koto.
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Source: Te E's List of Songs, Mardjani's List of Songs.
Song: "Kalerek" 5 This song is affiliated with the place, the city of Payokumbuah. plain 2020-11-01T20:45:33+00:00
Translation of Title: TBD.
Composer: Unknown.
Type of song: Satangah Tiang.
Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Limopuluah Koto.
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Source: Te E's List of Songs.
Song: "Indang Payokumbuah" 5 This song is named after the place, the city of Payokumbuah. plain 2021-06-25T00:43:30+00:00
Alternative Title: "Indang Payakumbuah"
Translation of Title: "Indang of Payokumbuah." "Indang" in the title is used to indicate the style of song, "Payokumbuah" refers to the place, the city of Payokumbuah.
Composer: Ajis St. Sati.
Type of song: Satangah Tiang (Mardjani noted this as gembira)
Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Limopuluah Koto.
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Source: Te E's List of Songs, Mardjani's List of Songs.
Song: "Angin Malam" 5 This title translates as "wind at night." plain 2021-06-30T21:55:37+00:00
Translation of Title: The title of this song translates as "wind at night."
Composer: Unknown.
Type of song: Unknown.
Genre of origin: Saluang dangdut.
Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Agam.
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Source: Martis.
Song: "Bukak Babek" 5 This song is affiliated with the place, the city of Payokumbuah. plain 2021-06-25T00:13:52+00:00
Translation of Title: The literal translation is "Opening the Bandages," but the title has porno connotations. The term is a metaphor for sexual intercourse the first time after a woman has given birth. It is porno because it is inappropriate to explicitly discuss or reference such matters.
Composer: Unknown.
Type of song: Gembira.
Genre of origin: New creation.
Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Limopuluah Koto.
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Source: Martis.
People: Yulimarnis 5 Yulimarnis is a padendang. plain 2021-06-19T18:45:33+00:00 -0.22165, 100.6318
Stage Name: Mar.
Other Names: Yulimarnis.
Role: Padendang.
Sex: Female.
Time Frame: Contemporary Figure
Source: personal encounter in 2004 at the recording session.
Born:
Died:
Place of Origin:
Place of Residence: Payokumbuah.
Year started performing:
Training:
Relationships to other performers:
Performances:
- Performance: Recording Session, February 9, 2004.
Songs composed:
Recordings:
Other notes:
Song: "Cancang" 5 This song is listed as coming from Sijobang plain 2020-10-20T23:55:55+00:00
Translation of Title: Cancang is a type of song within the sijobang genre where the rhythm is fast.
Composer: Unknown.
Type of song: Satangah Tiang.
Genre of origin: Sijobang.
Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Limopuluah Koto.
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Source: Mardjani's List of Songs.
Song: "Tigo Sapilin" 4 This song is affiliated with the place, the city of Payokumbuah. plain 2021-06-29T23:49:26+00:00
Alternative Title: Te E lists the song as "Sijobang Tigo Sapilin."
Translation of Title: "Three Braided into One"
Composer: Unknown.
Type of song:Satangah Tiang (Others noted this as gembira.)
Genre of origin: Sijobang.
Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Limopuluah Koto.
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Source: Te E's List of Songs, Pak Ketua.
Description: Like "Sijobang," this song draws on the melodic and rhythmic material of sijobang. When this material was adapted to saluang, however, modifications to texts were required. Rather than using the kaba format, which was a through narrative, texts were structured as stand alone pantun. According to Martis, the pantun are not related to each other: they could cover pantun muda, pantun perasaian, etc.
Song: "Indang Ramolai" 4 One of the suite of 4 songs known as "Ampek Sajalan." plain 2021-06-25T00:44:34+00:00
Translation of Title: "Indang of Ramolai." "Indang" in the title is used to indicate the style of song, "Ramolai" is the name of a person.
Explanation: One of the songs part of the Ampek Sajalan suite.
Composer: Martis identified this as a song created by an artist who lived in Payokumbuah.
Type of song: Gembira.
Genre of origin: Indang Pariaman.
Place affiliations: This song is affiliated with Payokumbuah, because it was created there, but also the place, the city Pariaman and kabupaten Padang Pariaman because the song is affiliated with the genre Indang Pariaman. I consider the second the stronger place affiliation because it was inspired by the musical content of that region. It sounds like a song from Pariaman.
- City: Pariaman.
- Kabupaten: Padang Pariaman.
- Darek or Rantau: Rantau.
Source: Martis.
Song: "Cancang Pidia" 3 This song is affiliated with the place, the city of Payokumbuah. plain 2021-06-29T19:11:38+00:00
Translation of Title: "Cancang of Pidia," where Pidia was the name of the performer who first used this tune in saluang performance.
Composer: Unknown.
Type of song: Satangah Tiang (Other people noted this as gembira)
Genre of origin: Sijobang.
Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Limopuluah Koto.
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Source: Te E's List of Songs.
Song: "Buai Anak" 3 This song title refers to "swaying a child to sleep." plain 2020-10-21T13:04:47+00:00
Translation of Title: "Swaying a child to sleep."
Composer: Unknown.
Type of song: Ratok.
Place affiliations:
- City: Payokumbuah.
- Luak: Limopuluah Koto.
- Darek or Rantau: Darek.
Source:Mardjani's List of Songs.
People: Sarinam Role: Padendang
Sex: Female
Time Frame: Historical figure
Place: Payokumbuah
Relationships: Performed with Nurana: see Nurana's biography for more details.
Other: according to the information relayed by Nurana, Sarinam was blind. It makes sense, therefore, that she would seek to earn a living through singing as there would have been few other avenues open to her.
Source: Erlinda 1999