Barongan

Barongan is one of the traditional art of ritual from Indonesia. "Barong (an)" is a name that is destined to face a very daunting and as if the wild. Often Barongan term coupled with the word kepet (booing from the audience) means do not like to clean themselves (nyopet, Sunda). Art is also called Barokan which means the same as Barongan. 

History of Birth and Development Hard to determine exactly when the art started this Barongan born. The only materials that can be used as guide people's stories is a very great influence among the rural community. 

Folk story tells us: A beautiful princess loved Udrayaka handsome young man, but the king, father daughter does not approve because Udrayaka Patih Dirgabahu only foster child. For Udrayaka depart from the kingdom, the king gave the task for Udrayaka draw all types of animals that exist on the mainland. The young man was successful, but following further instructions from the king so that he drew all the creatures in the ocean. In the ocean he saw a horrible beast creature's head appears on the surface of the water. He was lucky to survive rowing to shore, immediately drawing. A fisherman saw it say that the picture was similar to the fish head Poto. The image was directly given to the fishermen, not to the king. Since then, the fishermen make art as a repellent Barongan misfortune.

Other stories say, reputedly yore crops and other plants from drying out exposed to pests. Very mystical society that believes in disturbance of the fine will destroy human beings. A pair of elderly farmers (battery and nini) initiative create artificial creatures (bebegig-Sunda) whose head is made of “jojodjog” (bench minor). His efforts to bring change, crops flourish. Since then, other peasant society to imitate him was an old farmer. Changing times always touching human civilization so that the head of the creature (jojodog) was beautify and translate a scary mask that bereka called Barongan, then evolved into an art that comes with traditional music groups as well. 

Muncar, an artist Barongan said that he remembered the man who first founded the arts association is Buyut Barongan Dukuwidara Losari Gendre of the Village, Mr. Blonong, Mr Reconciliation, Mr Tasjid, Mr Tasang, Babakan Sumber village, Raji, Waryun, Sojat, Tarna, Date, and who now lead the art of Barongan Dharma Bakti Village Babakan Sumber Lor District of Cirebon is coachman. 

Arts Barongan to the type of art also include singers who peddle their expertise in crowded places or in front of the house that need. Art is spread over several areas in Cirebon District, they were singing in their own areas and had also reached the Kuningan area. Arts Barongan to adjust to the community environment. When Chinese New Year arrives, Barongan singing to people's homes by providing more Mandarin Chinese as they call Grambyangan opening bargaining / grambyangan cokek. Muncar highly original songs to master Mandarin. Trumpet that now he is said to hold the trumpet cokek that has been aged seven generations (roughly two centuries more.) 

Tend Sacred Rural communities consider Barongan past to reject any disease affecting their lives, like the scene around the house and took Barongan (bite) cushion and then thrown onto the roof-; means pillow regarded as the source of all diseases, with so Barongan throw it away. Some are believed to show Ruwatan, so quickly get a mate in a way ngokop (diigit) by Barongan then bathed. 

Arts Barongan which can now be seen already shifted function, Waditra already experiencing development. Likewise the songs have been adapted to meet audience tastes. Society was too much touched by the presence of other cultures so that attention to Barongan fade. 

Players Principal players consists of two people, namely Barongan and pins, while others serve as many as ten people wiyaga, a reserve player as Barongan and two helpers. So the amount of fifteen people. Please note that members of the arts Barongan there are no women, all held by men. 

Waditra used in the days before they consist of large diameter one-meter fly, fly a small diameter of 45 inches, made of bamboo gong is sounded, as a melody trumpet, and drums as a determinant “kecrek” rhythm. Barongan Waditra age I now expand into Saron, Saron II, Successor, Bonang, Tutukan, Gong and kecrek. 

The songs are accompanied waditra dialunkan and during the show consists of Ura-ura, Simanggurit, Betet ijo, Mega Peteng Lor Kidul. 

Costume worn mask (mask) Barongan and “baju kurung”. Who's the player wearing pins guise of colorful fabric shreds. Costume the wiyaga free. 

Major Sequence :

• Gamelan with songs Ura-ura.
• Barongan dance to the rhythm of a very dynamic gising while imitating the sound of animals (birds).
• Music stops, Barongan dialogue with wiyaga about intelligence. Barongan imitating the sounds of birds.
• Barongan start dancing again, this time more dynamic that could amaze the audience.
• Rhythm of the music increased.
• Barongan entered the house and then took a pillow and threw it into the roof.
• Barongan back dancing.
• Change songs; Simanggurit.
• Actor pins out and dance, Barongan dwells.
• Pins dialogue with wiyaga about musicians.
• Pins dancing.
• Petul dialogue with wiyaga about social life.
• Change song.
• Barongan dikucuri flower water.
• Pins dancing, Barongan get ready to face pins.
• Barongan dialogue with pins.
• Barongan war with pins.
• Barongan beheaded.
• Barongan chase the children / audience.

Listening to the whole show Barongan, every movement was not immune from the meaning of human life that can only move because there is spirit in it. If the spirit has returned to God the Almighty, the sport will be left behind and did not mean anything. Thus man must not have a sense of power more than others because someday death will pick him up and nobody can escape from death. Therefore, Barongan also described as a cage (human body).