Banjar is Malayan. The custom traditions of Banjar cannot be separated with the overall Malayan culture. In general, the traditional arts of Banjar can be comprehended as part of the overall living dynamics of the Banjar tribe, spread across Kalimantan, particularly in Southern and Eastern Kalimantan.
In its progress, Banjar custom art undergoes assimilation process with various elements of other cultures, be it within the Kalimantan island, or others such as the Sulunese culture of the Northern. In accordance with the geographic and natural conditions, the Banjar custom art is directly and also indirectly connected with the traditions of the people who are in tune with the rivers, lakes, swamps, and also valleys. They directly interact with nature and also their physical environment.
Thus, the Banjar custom art moves along with the development of human’s interaction with nature, that grows amongst others in various faiths and believes. All the way from those animistic, dynamistic, polytheistic, to religious. Moreover, as the religiosity of the Banjar culture that is dominantly Malayan is being influenced heavily by the Islamic culture, the interactions with local belief continues to evolve, to then transpire into culture syncretism.
It is this religiosity dimension that later causes the Banjar tradition to influence the lives of the people in developing agrarian culture set. The development of science and technology, and the dynamics of trade-based economy, has pushed the custom art of the Banjar people to become the energizer in the process of shaping its people’s characteristics.
The matter can be seen in the variety of arts, starting from dance art, fine art, and literature which integrate into one and others in the daily social habits of the people. Included within it is the domestic system that is the concrete manifestation of the social relation and correlation: traditional authority relationship.
Urang Banjar or the people of Banjar, grows and evolves in the said social relation-corelation system. Cultural syncretism is very much seen in various rituals in their rich art, such as the architectural and fine arts, in particular the art of engraving, whether it be wooden engraving applied to the houses, boats, mosque, tombstone, and others. There is also the art of engraving or brass inlay (for metal containers, “abuns”, “pakucuran”, kettles, and “lisnar”), silver and gold (for bracelets and necklaces) with the motive of hayat tree.
It can also be seen from the dance art of Urang Banjar, in the Baksa dance familiar amongst the royalties with its softness of choreography movements, like the dances in the Javanese “Kraton, and also in the outfits worn. And it is more obvious, for instance, in the Baksa Kembang dance which is danced to greet the royal guests, and also the Baksa Panah, Baksa Dadap, Baksa Lilin, and Baksa Rahayu dances.
The living dynamics of Urang Banjar that is relatively more open to acculturation and assimilation, can be seen in the much more populist dances, dominated by the Malayan and even Javanese elements. Among others is the Kuda Kepang dance, Jepen dance (heavily influenced by the Zapin), Gandut dance, Tirik dance, and Banjar dance. The performance of the custom arts is also visible in the Banjar Gamelan, both the Kraton Gamelan and also Rakyatan Gamelan.
In music arts, the charm of custom art harmony is seen in various everlasting populat folksongs, such as Ampar-ampar Pisang, Paris Berantai, and Sapu Tangan Babuncu Ampat, thick with Malayan lyrics. It is in harmony with the verbal literature that has been evolving since ol times, especially pantun and madihin.
The artistic simplicity of Urang Banjar nevertheless is very much sown in the craftsmen and architectural arts as the sub-custom fine art. We find it in the rattan, purun, and bamboo weaving art. Also in the glass paint art, such as those progressing in Cirebon, that is still consistent in style-imaging the story of Prophet Muhammad PBUH’s Isra’ Mi’raj journey by riding on a bouraq, visualized in the form of a horse with human head and wings. Here and there, accessorized in various decorations that expresses the influence of the people’s multi-cultural character, from their flora, fauna, “tumpal”, and swastika. It can also be seen in the Sasirangan, the art of weavedecorative much like batik.
For me, the custom art of Banjar is the artistic charm of religious people who are in tune with nature and nvironment.
Photo: baliskytour.wordpress.com
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