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Song in the Sumatran Highlands

Style: Saluang Lamak

Definition: "Saluang that is lamak." "Lamak" which means "nice" or "tasty." I believe this term has been applied to this style because it is the "purist" form of saluang, targeted towards true aficionados. It is similar to saluang klasik in many respects, with two main distinctions:

It it performed inside houses.
No amplification is used.

Performer line up: The most conventional line-up involves:

a tukang saluang
2-3 padendang
No janang would be involved.

Economics: I suspect this would operate in similar ways to engage performers for a saluang klasik event: they are contracted and specifically engaged for the event. They are paid an advance as part of the informal contract, and the remainder is delivered during the evening.

Context: The primary context is for enjoyment, deep appreciation by a limited audience. I expect it is very limited invitation basis.

Performance Space: Inside a house, limiting the size of the audience.

Amplification: None. This is a distinguishing feature of the style, a way of harkening back to the old days.

Repertoire: My guess would be that the repertoire focuses almost exclusively on the classics, none of the pop imports and none of the porno lyrics.

Time frame: I suspect these kinds of performances have always happened, but I expect the "revival" of the original performance style has been an objection to the many changes saluang performances experienced in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Region: Probably focused on the darek, because performances further afar you would want to entertain a larger crowd.

Note: I have never personally witnessed one of these performances, but I was invited to one in 2015 where Te E was singing. Unfortunately, I had no way of getting there and home again.

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Choosing Saluang Style
Why does one host prefer saluang klasik and work to secure the best singers for their event while another prefers a mix of style, working to bend saluang klasik with more popular styles, like saluang orgen or just plain orgen? To revisit the list of styles list the module on style.

The various contextual factors that structure the when, why, and what of an event play into and help guide the choice of saluang style a host family or organization are likely to desire at their event. The choice of style also has to do with positionally, or how a host choses to position themselves: are they traditionalists or are they cosmopolitan? Do they want to assert a foot in both worlds? Do they have the economic capital to do so? Put simply, those who are pacandu or saluang devotees will always choose saluang klasik as will those working with more limited budgets. But those who are interested in projecting themselves as a little more cosmopolitan might attempt a blend, like the event at Sariak Laweh which featured a mix of saluang klasik, saluang orgen, and orgen, the latter two to the chagrin of Te E and a number of her followers who came to see her. (She was not aware of the mix in advance and likely would have declined if she had been). If a host is holding a celebratory event, saluang lamak would not be appropriate--the limited audience would work against the festive atmosphere necessary. Other contexts, like bagurau lapiak, at least in 2015 and 2016, guaranteed a mix of styles, with little of saluang klasik and more orgen.

The style or styles featured very much structure and circumscribe the options available for which performers are engaged, which audiences attend, the songs performed, the nature of the interactions, and the kinds of lyrics.