Song in the Sumatran Highlands

Role: Janang

There are some saluang performances that involve a person who functions as an emcee, hired as part of the team to mediate between the pagurau and the performers. There are two terms used to describe the emcees: janang, which I have heard most frequently and term used throughout the site, and tukang oyak ("the crafter of the shaking (as in shaking the hips)"). Their job, as the second term hints, is to enhance the joviality of the evening. The emcees are present at specific contexts for saluang performance, such as community celebrations or bagurau lapiak. Their presence is essential when a performance is designed to raise funds (e.g. Performance: Pariangan, February 10, 2004), cover the communal cost of hosting, or to generate income for the performers, such as bagurau lapiak (e.g. Performance: Ngalau, July 31, 2015).  They can also be present simply to add to the joviality of an event, even when pagurau don't pay for the privilege of making requests (e.g. Performance: Sekolah Tinggi Seni Indonesia, December 23, 2003). It is considered inappropriate to have janang involved at events that are hosted by individual families, at weddings and circumcisions. 

The janang--always a man--typically sits on stage with the performers, situated at one end for easy audience access. Often they have a card box placed near them, in order to receive the money and/or requests. The pagurau have the option of writing out requests on paper or whispering them in person to the janang, as the performance proceeds. When the pagurau pay for their request, they will put the bill on the side of the box, especially if they need to make change. It often works on an honor system: they help themselves to the change they need in the box. 


After receiving the requests, the janang's job is to deliver them. They do so verbally, announcing the requests over the sound system while the tukang saluang continues to play in the background. Their announcements include the particular request, the name of the requestor (either an individual pagurau or a group), and the amount offered. The requests can be for a particular song, the prolongation of a song, the repeat of a verse, or demonstration of an ornament. I've also heard requests of different nature: to remove a jacket, sit closer, or for a particular singer to respond to a question. 

The janang interjects in the course of the performance, jumping into what might seem like the middle of the song, but usually after several pantun, to deliver a request to extend it or a request to change it. This is the beauty of the flexible song structures--padendang can continue to deliver new verses as necessary. When these interjections happen during a song, it might seem like an "interruption," but it is actually more of an "extension." Their announcements are a key part of the performances that include them, the interactions between padendang and the pagurau considerably livelier for their presence. The janang will also often introduce a performance and the performers, and make public service announcements, such as ushering invitations to upcoming saluang performances. 

At the Bagurau di Udaro sessions at Radio Republik Indonesia, there were a couple of announcers who acted like janang, except they didn't take money for requests. The requests had been submitted in advance of the radio show, and the announcers read them out, announcing the request and the name of the person or group making the request. They also engaged in public service announcements and enhancing joviality. Their function was similar enough to janang in a staged performance with performer-audience interaction that I have grouped them here for that purpose. 

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