Buleleng Northern Lights

Gede Wenten, Senior Figure of ”Gambuh” from Bungkulan

Gambuh is the oldest drama-dance in Bali that appeared in the 15th century and considered as a resource of Balinese drama-dance that originated from Majapahit Kingdom (East Java). After the fall of Majapahit and conquered by Islam, nearly all-cultural artifacts of Majapahit were brought to Bali. One of them that still survives up to now is the art of gambuh drama-dance.

In Bali, the gambuh employs the movement of Javanese Hindu dance that is intermingled with eye movements (seledet) and the costume of Balinese style. Since the royal palace is no longer is the patron towards the life of arts, the community takes over the preservation of gambuh and staged on the occasion of Dewa Yajna ceremony (sacrifices for the gods).
Gambuh drama-dance takes the Panji storyline, a legend that recounts the life, war and romance of kings of Jenggala, Kediri and Gegelang. In Bali, the Panji storyline is called Malat.
There are some villages in Bali that still preserve the art of gambuh, including the Buleleng Regency. In Buleleng, at least, there are 6 villages having active gambuh drama-dance, namely Tajun, Depaha, Anturan, Pacung, Bulian and Bungkulan village. Of the 6 villages, gambuh of Bungkulan Village is regularly performed at the festival of Sari Abangan temple at Ancak hamlet, Bungkulan.
The survival of Gambuh of Bungkulan village is not separable from the figure of I Gede Wenten, an old artist from Ancak hamlet, Bungkulan Village. Up till now, he stays to develop the gambuh so it is persistently everlasting.
I Gede Wenten (71) learned to dance autodidactically since his childhood because as a child, whose father took part in being responsible for the Sari Abangan temple, was obliged to dance and stage on the ceremony at the temple.
Gede Wenten first learned Baris Kupu-Kupu dance. It is one of the dances that is presented at Sari Abangan temple. There are three kinds of baris (warrior) dances that were obliged to be danced, namely Baris Kupu-Kupu, Baris Bandrangan and Baris Omang dance.
The three kinds of dances are danced only at Sari Abangan temple. The dancers are from different age groups. Baris Kupu-Kupu is danced by children, Baris Omang by youngsters and Baris Bandrangan by adult age groups.
First presentation is Baris Kupu-Kupu, namely around 17.00, followed by Baris Omang and the last, Baris Bandrangan. This tradition has lasted from time immemorial and nobody dared change its schedule.
Dancers that do not dance Baris any longer are obliged to dance gambuh. The gambuh drama-dance, on the festival at Sari Abangan temple, should stage at 01.00am. It lasts for 2 to 3 hours.
As sacred dance, gambuh drama-dance may only be presented at temple areas. This presentation may not be intermingled with other kinds of dance. Once upon a time, the presentation of gambuh was performed outside the temple and combined with other dances. “Suddenly, the wall of temple wall fell down. This incident was believed to be a bad omen so gambuh is never presented outside the temple,” said Wenten.
Since 1958, Gede Wenten who married Luh Kartika has become penyarikan teruna (dance instructor) at Sari Abangan temple. For him, performing this task is the predestination of Ida Bhatara Sesuhunan (gods) at Abangan temple. “I carry out the mandate sincerely based on ngayah (devotional service) principle as they cannot be rejected or expected,” he said to Bali Travel News.
The capacity of Wenten to dance Gambuh, up to now, has no parallel. There has not been young generation that can replace his position as penyarikan teruna at Sari Abangan temple; as a result, up to these days he is entrusted to develop the gambuh at Bungkulan village. One of his children, Wayan Suardana, follows the footprints of his father as the gambuh dancer. “However, he needs more intensive exercises,” he said.
In daily life, I Gede Wenten runs a coffee and food stall business along with his wife in front of his house. For a month by the temple festival at Sari Abangan, he is busy in training children, youngster groups, adults and the old to learn Baris Dance and Gambuh drama-dance. He teaches by giving example directly to his students. The technique of seeing his teacher dancing is often applied in dance studios.
For his perseverance as an artist of gambuh he was presented an award by the Governor of Bali (1999) and 2 June 2005 coinciding with the closing of the Bali Arts Festival of Buleleng Regency, while Gede Wenten awarded Wijaya Kusuma a certificate from the Regent of Buleleng. (BTN/Kt. Supir)

Dusk at Buleleng Harbor

Sunset in Buleleng harbor presnts such a fascinating nuance with sea allure transmitting a silver color, the magenta sky, the historical building attraction, fantastic sunset, traditional boats as flying on a wave, kids playing with sand and black corals.
In previous eras, Buleleng Harbor was a hectic trading route, called on by trading ships from Indonesia, including the foreign ships. In fact, Buleleng Harbor often was used as the silk route of the journey of Commander Cheng Ho.
Previously, this is the place where foreigners first touched soil. They came with tourism boats then spread out and traveling around Bali Island. Afterwards, the capital of Bali (Sunda Kecil) moved to Denpasar, Singaraja and Buleleng Harbor are no longer active.
The buildings around the harbor are not used anymore, but we still can feel their historical vibes. It seemly tells us that life always ruled here.
Now, Buleleng Harbor that is located in the heart of Singaraja, is under reconstruction. The cruise dock is still being renovated, with other surrounding buildings, rebirthing a new age of glory. (BTN/Yahya Umar)