Cirebon Mask Dance History

Cirebon mask dance, this art is original art Cirebon area, including Indramayu and Jatibarang. Cirebon mask dance is one of the dances in the Tatar Parahyangan. Called the mask dance, because the dancers use masks when dancing. As a result of cultural, Mask Dance has entertainment value that contains a message - hidden messages, because the elements - the elements contained in it has a symbolic meaning which, when translated very touching various aspects of life, so too has the value of education. Variations may include aspects of human life such as personality, wisdom, leadership, love and even anger and describes the journey of human life from birth until adulthood.

At Sunan Gunung Jati reign as head of Islam in Cirebon, then came the attempt to undermine the power of Cirebon in West Java. People of the culprit is Prince Welang from Falkirk area. This figure was very powerful and has a heritage of a sword named Curug Sewu. Cirebon ruler and his supporters and no one can match the magic Prince Welang. in critical condition it was decided that separately deal with an enemy that must be faced with such magic arts of diplomacy. After a mutually agreed upon between Sunan Gunung Jati, Sunan Kalijaga Prince Cakrabuana and art team is formed with a very beautiful dancer of Nyi Mas Gandasari provided dancers wear mask / mask.

Begin this team performing arts into every place as usual now called ngamen. arts team in a short time has become so famous stinky Prince was curious and interested to watch it. After the prince stinky witnessed permissibility of the dancer, he also instantly fall in love, Nyi Mas Gandasari even pretend - pretending to welcome his love and in stinky Prince When applying the proposed Nyi Mas Gandasari requested by Sword Curug Sewu. Prince stinky blurted heirloom handed sword, along with it then lost all the magic Prince stinky.

In the weak state of helpless limp Prince stinky total surrender to the dancer Nyi Mas gandasari and begged forgiveness of Sunan Gunung Jati so as not to be killed. Sunan Gunung Jati pardon on condition that must be converted to Islam. Once converted to Islam Prince stinky made official tax collector and he changed the name to Prince Graksan. While the followers of Prince stinky who do not embrace Islam but want to live in Cirebon, Sunan Gunung Jati by ordered to guard the palace - palace of Cirebon and surrounding areas.
(This story is taken from the book Babad Cirebon branch overall status and ever staged by smacking Marionette Puppet show by puppeteer Aliwijaya in Kacirebonan Keraton Cirebon).

Seeing the success of the mission of art mask can be used as an antidote to the attack of forces - the forces of evil then the ruler of Cirebon arts apply this mask to meruat suati areas that are considered haunted. And it goes art masks are still used in the village - the village for visitors ceremony, nadran, alms and other earth - other.

Once a community receives meruat tradition that, in addition there should also be leather puppet show featuring dance mask, then grow suburlah dancer - dancer in Cirebon mask. But the first - first dance mask dance is mostly the skin before puppeteer puppet stage, at noon the puppeteer must dance mask first. Therefore, the wayang kulit puppet masters who were born before the year 1930 diwajubkan to explore dance mask first before becoming a puppeteer skin. In relation to the palace always involve the arts to the media propaganda in the spread of Islam, and the palace gave the name Ki Ngabei to artists who also preach.

Cirebon mask dance art run by religious proselytizing side footing to explore ordinances of Islam in Cirebon that has 4 (four) levels is commonly called: Sareat, Order, The nature and Ma'ripat.

Broadly speaking Cirebon mask dance is composed of :
1. Dance that is a giant (Danawa)
2. Dance that is krodan (stout) for example: Ravana, Kangsa
3. Dance Tumenggungan
4. Tari Panji

From the fourth mask dance tradition can be developed, which has its own distinctive like :
1. Panji Dance
2. Samba Dance
3. Tumenggung Dance
4. Rumyang Dance
5. Kelana / Ravana Dance
6. Jingga Anom Dance
7. Pentul Dance
8. Tembem Dance

However, hitherto known is the Dance Panji, Samba Dance, Dance Tumenggung, Dance and Dance Rumyang Kelana / Ravana.

Mask Dance is actually a philosophy describes the disposition of human life.

Dance Panji : describes a holy man like a King, a wise leader, fair and wise and always doing good deeds. 

 

Samba Dance : describes the glitter of worldly, possessions, women, bermewah - luxurious, glamorous. Therefore, this dance look lively and rich in movement and rhyth

Tumenggung Dance : is a picture of the soldier's life attitude and valiant heroism. full dedication, loyalty and high responsibility.

Kelana / Ravana Dance : describe anger, human nature is greedy and justifies any means to achieve his personal ambitions. But he also was the leader of a wealthy, have a tough worldly.

Rumyang is one of the characters in the mask of Cirebon, West Java. Until the early 1970s this dance is rarelya one dancing alone ,he is a continuation or replacement of dance Pamindo ,and therefore in the area commonly referred Pamindo Indramayu Abang , knowing the color of his face is usually red . In some areas, dance Rumyang ahir shown almost at the show, after the dance mask Klana. But now the general Rumyang mask as a separate dance, accompanied by song which is also called Rumyang. Dance lively, lanyap or "flirty," like dance Pamindo. Plain without hair mask as a mask Panji only a more cheerful expression.

Seeing the mask dance tradition, our observations can not be separated with equipment that is used as mentioned below :

    1. Mask / masks made ​​of wood and how to wear it with a biting rubber pads on the inside of her.
    2. Sobra as headgear equipped with jamangan and two sumping.
    3. Sleeved shirt.
    4. Tie which is equipped with a pin Ukon (ancient currency)
    5. Mongkron lokoan made ​​of batik.
    6. Stagen belt equipped Badong.
    7. Limited pants below the knee.
    8. Sampur / shawl
    9. Bracelet hand
   10. Kris
   11. White knee socks
   12. Batik fabrics
   13. Sometimes - sometimes equipped with boro (epek)

In addition to the above completeness clothes sometimes - Mask Dance Tumenggung occasionally to use additional form of ikat cloth headgear and is equipped with a cap and glasses.

Gamelan accompaniment barreled slendro or prawa usually consisting of :

    1. One pangkon bonang
    2. One pangkon saron
    3. One pangkon titil
    4. One pangkon kenong
    5. One pangkon jengglong
    6. One pangkon tap
    7. One pangkon klenang
    8. Two kemanak
    9. Three gong (kiwul, Sabet and telon)
   10. A set kecrek
   11. Drum set consisting of: kempyang, gendung, ketiping. Everything is played with a bat, except for the   Mask Dance Tumenngung ordinary drum that is played in slap / hit with a hand.

Song - songs that accompany are :

     * Kembangsungsang to Panji Mask
     * Kembangkapas to Mask Pemindo
     * Rumyang to Mask Rumyang
     * Tumenggung to Mask Tumenggung
     * Barlen to Mask Jinggaanom
     * Gonjing to Kelana Mask