Rentak Selangor 5.0: Combing The Threads Of

RENTAK SELANGOR 5.0 : Combing the Threads of Selangor’s Musical Cultures

Text by SHAHIDA SAKERI Images by MUHAMMAD HASIF MOHD JELANI

“Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.” - Sergei Rachmaninoff

The ‘Rentak Selangor’ programme that began since 2016 aims to revitalise the intangible cultural heritage found in Selangor. And similar to previous years, the programme returns in 2021 with another set of flourishing musical cultures, from old traditions that survived the test of time, to the modern-style live performances enjoyed by youngsters, for instance busking, which on its own is set to become a new local heritage in the making.

According to the new Selangor State Executive Councillor (EXCO) for Rural and Traditional Villages Development, Malay Customs, Culture and Heritage, The Honorable Mr. Borhan bin Aman Shah, the programme rejoices the diverse ethnic and colourful backgrounds of those who call Selangor home. It is also one of the state government’s efforts in supporting the local artists and industry players, especially during this challenging time due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The programme is organised by the Committee of Rural and Traditional Villages Development, Malay Customs, Culture and Heritage; the Selangor State Government State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN); and supported by the Majlis Kebudayaan Negeri Selangor (MKNS); Gaya Travel Magazine; and the Selangor media.

Read on to find out the products that are featured in this year’s Rentak Selangor programme…

Soul-enriching Music: Cempuling

Cempuling is a traditional music from Java that was brought to Malaya in 1928. Its songs carry lessons, wisdom and dakwah (spiritual teachings), often played during social gatherings. A performance typically starts with singing and then followed by music. The classic arrangement of cempuling involves six main instruments consisting of rebana ibu, gong, kempul, kempreng, enteng-enteng and rebana anak. But as time moves on, the music progresses – nowadays, a cempuling ensemble might even infuse modern instruments such as guitar, keyboard, and accordion.

That being said, there are still many musicians in Malaysia, particularly among the Javanese community in Selangor, that stay true to the original instruments. One of them is the awardwinning Riadah group, consisting of members who are already its fourth generation. Another example is Tunas Sinar, a group comprising aspiring young players from SK Sungai Lang. The latter is taught by Mr. Ansar, who has dedicated his life to this art form since the 1980s.

Due to its strong heritage value, the state government recognises cempuling as the official musical identity of Selangor. To support this, 14 sets of cempuling instruments were given out to the public schools in areas with high concentration of Javanese descendants to keep this art alive.

Clockwise from above: Originating from West Java in Indonesia, the angklung found in Malaysia has only seven numbers in the notation system; Mandailing community in the olden days believed that the thunderous sounds of Gordang 9 can reach the spirit of their ancestors; Bahbola group participates in many festivals in Malaysia to create public awareness towards Semai culture.

Nature-inspired Music: Angklung Originating from West Java in Indonesia, angklung used to be a popular form of entertainment especially in the 1970s. The instrument is made from a set of bamboo tubes carefully carved and attached to a bamboo frame with rattan cords. Each tube can produce a single note or chord when shaken rapidly from side to side, but when three of the tubes or more are played in ensemble, beautiful complete melodies will be produced. Interestingly, the angklung found in Malaysia is different from the one found in Indonesia, whereby the former features only seven numbers in the notation system, while the latter has over 20 numbers. Today, many schools in Selangor offer angklung as an extracurricular activity, including Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Taman Sri Muda (Taman Sri Muda National Secondary School), Shah Alam. The club is taught by Mr. Sam Mat Kous, an ardent angklung instructor with over 16 years of experience.

Indigenous Cultural Pride: Bahbola The Bahbola group is no stranger among avid cultural observers of Malaysian indigenous cultures because it frequents the stages of many festivals and introduces aboriginal beliefs and customs to the public through captivating re-enactments of traditional ceremonies. The group is led by Sali Bah Bola – affectionately known as Atok – who belongs to the Semai sub-ethnic group predominantly found in Pahang, Perak and Selangor. Despite being exposed to modernity, many members of the Semai community still uphold animism. The acts of singing and dancing, for example, are not merely forms of entertainment; among the Semai community, they are mediums used to communicate with the supernatural forces, be it for protection or to cure a sick tribe member. Be sure to witness the performance by Bahbola if you ever get the chance because it is both eye-opening and fascinating!

Royal Legacy: Gordang 9 Originally from the Indonesian island of Sumatera, Gordang 9, as the name suggests, showcases nine drums representing the nine kings who each ruled nine kingdoms in Sumatera back in the 18th and 19th centuries. These drums were revered as a symbol of kingly strength, often played in the presence of royalty during weddings and funerals. The kings sometimes granted special permission for their people to use these drums for personal reasons, usually to call upon their ancestors’ spirits for help, in line with their animist beliefs back then. They believed the thunderous sounds from these drums sent signals to their ancestors. Of course, those practices have long disappeared yet the communities from Sumatera, especially the Mandailing, still play Gordang 9 during special occasions.

From 1803 to 1838, the Padri War broke out in North Sumatera, forcing many Mandailing people to migrate to the neighbouring territories, including the Malay Peninsula (now Peninsular Malaysia). Small populations of Mandailing can be found in Selangor, especially Kajang, Ulu Langat and Gombak. Naturally, the culture and traditions such as Gordang 9 were also brought along to Malaysia. One of the Malays of Mandailing descent who strives to keep this legacy alive is Mr. Roslan bin Ahmad. He learned the skill in performing Gordang 9 from a master in Sumatera himself, and eventually founded his own troupe in 2013 to teach the younger generation about this art form. Already in its second generation, this troupe now performs at various festivities upon request.

Top: Music asli integrates both traditional Malay and western musical instruments, with the violin playing the lead role. Below: ApepeRoger Buskers delighting spectators with musical covers of timeless hits, including the band’s original songs.

Aristocratic Art: Muzik Asli The word asli in the context of music refers to the old traditional or semi-traditional music style or performance that was popular back in the 1940s and during the aristocratic era. The musical arrangements integrate both traditional Malay and western musical instruments, with the violin playing a major part of the melody. Other accompanying instruments include the accordion or the harmonium, the gendang (two-headed drum), the knobbed gong, the rebana ubi (grand drum), the seruling (bamboo flute) and the bass guitar. On top of these, the asli music genre is accompanied by lyrics expressed in the form of pantun (rhyming poem) that touches on aspects of social life such as romance and wisdom. Unfortunately for us, many prominent figures in Muzik Asli have passed away, so if you miss listening to this genre live, the band Suara Otai under the management of Majlis Kebudayaan Negeri Selangor (Selangor State Cultural Council or MKNS) has been preserving and propagating this music for over 20 years. The band also accepts invitations to perform at events. For bookings, contact Mr. Awal from MKNS at +6 011 1234 3172.

Environmental Conscious Art: Recycle Band Meet Pak Dik, the musical marvel who proves that with a dash of creativity, we can all create amazing things. He channels his love for music by making his own musical instruments, but interestingly, his creations revolve around upcycling old and used materials. Take his rhythm guitar for example, which is created from parts of a vintage television set and an old bed! According to Pak Dik, those instruments can be used to make a variety of musical arrangements, but with slightly subtle sounds. To solve this, an amplifier is added to create higher and more powerful volume whenever he plays those instruments with his band, including that one time when they performed at the famous Rainforest World Music Festival. Now, the band entertains wedding guests with sweet melodies for MYR1,500 for four hours. For bookings, contact Pak Dik directly at +6 011 2309 7331.

Busking Beat: ApepeRoger Buskers Buskers make exploring towns and cities even more fun because they add flavour to the place and make live performances accessible to many. And fortunately, Selangor has plenty of spots where music lovers can enjoy this form of entertainment such as The Curve Damansara, Busk & Food Subang Jaya and Centro Mall. But if you happen to travel along the North–South Expressway, make a stop at the popular Overhead Bridge Restaurants (OBR), also known as Restoran Jejantas, which part of the Sungai Buloh rest area. The group, ApepeRoger Buskers (Facebook: @apeperoger), makes weekly appearance here from Friday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m. till 4:00 p.m., delighting spectators with musical covers of timeless hits, including the band’s original songs. The group also accepts bookings for any kind of events for MYR2,500 for a six-hour performance.

In 2021, Rentak Selangor programme also incorporates a digital recording broadcasted on various social media platforms. The recording session was held on 27 February 2021 at Warisan Hall Studio, Teluk Panglima Garang, in accordance with the guidelines and preventive measures issued by the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) and the National Security Council (MKN) to promote physical distancing at the onset of COVID-19 pandemic.

The Rentak Selangor 2021 live show highlighted the cultural diversity of multiple ethnic groups in the state of Selangor, namely Malay, Chinese, Indian and indigenous communities. Some of the cultural performances featured in the recording are cempuling, pooja dance, gambus, kuda kepang, bahbola, joget Selangor, zapin Selangor, peacock dance and lion dance.

The public can watch the recording of Rentak Selangor programme on the Rentak Selangor’s official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/rentakselangormy), which garnered 62,000 views and counting since its premier at 8:30 p.m. on 28 February 2021. The video can also be viewed on Youtube through Warisan Records channel (www.youtube.com/c/WarisanRecords/ videos).

Top: Joget Selangor performance during the recording session of Rentak Selangor 2021. Bottom: During Rentak Selangor 2021 recording session, Mr. Borhan Aman Shah announced that the Selangor state government is creating more programmes similar to Rentak Selangor to preserve the state’s cultural heritage.