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Sundanese theater held for Bogor students to preserve language
A theatrical performance was recently held in Bogor for students in a bid to preserve the Sundanese language.
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Sarkim (left) and Omoh, the main characters of the 'Kopi Cucunguk' performance held in Bogor on Oct. 20. (JP/Theresia Sufa)
The Kopi Cucunguk theatrical performance was staged by Sanggar Prabu in Kemuning Gading Building, Bogor on Oct. 20.
The show was staged in four one-hour sessions, to an audience of over 2500 middle and high school students from Bogor.
Kopi Cucunguk (Sundanese for cockroach coffee) tells of the daily life of Sarkim, an honest but lazy man whose debt was so huge that he couldn't afford to buy a cup of coffee. Wanting to teach him a lesson, his wife Omoh made him a cup of coffee made from cucunguk so he would do some work.
The show was staged in the Sundanese language in the hope of preserving its culture, as Sundanese language teachers in Bogor felt the language was at risk of being lost.
Read also: Sundanese artists perform at Idul Fitri celebration in London
Dede Muchlis, head of Sanggar Prabu, told The Jakarta Post that the show was created after complaints from teachers. The curriculum required them to give marks on a Sundanese play presented by students, yet both the teachers and students felt they didn't have adequate knowledge on the subject.
"We listened to the complaints and finally we created a play as a reference for the teachers and students. We incorporated Sundanese language into the play, to make it easier for the students to learn," he added.
The simple narrative and humorous dialogue in the play resulted in resounding laughter from the audience throughout the whole performance.
Syahlan Rasidi, head of Bogor's Culture and Tourism Board expressed hope that the students who watched the performance could take home the knowledge and that the traditional theater could broaden their insights. (wng)
