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Singing on: Next-generation 'sindhen' carry the Javanese performing art
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Cultural regeneration: Suci Ofita Dewi (left), 28, poses with senior 'sindhen' in traditional costume. (Courtesy of Suci Ofita Dewi). (Personal collection/Courtesy of Suci Ofita Dewi)
M
usically inclined people, both Indonesians and foreign nationals, are carrying the Javanese traditional performing art over the tide of pop culture into the digital era and hopefully, beyond.
Pesinden, more commonly known in the shortened form sinden, is a female solo singer who performs with a Javanese gamelan troupe, usually to provide the musical accompaniment for traditional dances or a wayang show. They also perform with just their gamelan troupe as klenèngan. Their vocals are mostly improvised within strict melodic parameters, but are relatively free in terms of rhythmic style.
“I knew that becoming a sinden was something I wanted to do since I was a child. I remember I loved to sing classic Javanese songs like ‘Kelinci Ucul’ [and] ‘Meh Rahino’,” said Suci Ofita Dewi, a 28-year-old sinden based in Surakarta, Central Java, who is originally from Tulungagung regency in East Java.
Suci saw the moment when a general interest in sinden started growing among people her age: “When I took a singing class to learn Javanese songs in 2000, I was the youngest one there. It was not that popular among young girls [then]. But by 2007, many younger girls started taking the class.”
Kartika Cahaya Arisanti is a 21-year-old sinden based in Malang who shares Suci’s passion.
“I became interested in sinden when I was 14 years old. It was my teacher who first told me to try it, and I just fell in love with it, said Kartika. “It was a hobby that I would get paid for,” she added, even though her friends referred to her as being “old-fashioned”.
Kartika believes she is contributing to preserving a cultural tradition that most people her age aren’t interested in.
