In collaboration with Nindityo Adipurnomo
‘Yang Tertinggal’ is an installation inspired by Tanjidor musicians. The Tanjidor orchestra was developed in the 19th century by the Betawi community, inhabitants of what is now called Jakarta. Betawi culture is regarded as a syncretic culture; a blend of local Indonesian groups and “newcomers” like Portuguese, Mardijkers, Dutch and Chinese people. We can see this syncretism as a form of cultural wealth. But in a time of globalization, how long can this cultural expression live on in a city like Jakarta? To what extent can we maintain what is left of the long history of this specific syncretism? Has the Tanjidor orchestra turned into nostalgia for the past? How are the Tanjidor contextualised in the everyday life of Betawi people?
For the work ‘Yang Tertinggal’, we followed a group of Tanjidor musicians called ‘Pusaka Tiga Suadara’ to weddings and other events. Almost all of the members were related. We observed that not so much the music, but the gestures of the musicians gave the performance its strength. Seeing the musicians play, we felt we really experienced Tanjidor culture and identity. But for how long will the Tanjidor musicians be able to pass these characteristic gestures on to future generations? Is this “gesture” of Tanjidor heritage enough to represent the community and top reserve traditional Betawi culture?
The Tanjidor group that we got to know only rarely rehearsed and didn’t have a teacher or conductor. At the same time, new music genres such as “dangdut”, containing Sundanese elements, had become increasingly popular and were slowly taking over the original Tanjidor music. It seems only a matter of time until Tanjidor is a hollow symbol of Betawi syncretism and diversity. This ensemble will die a natural death and the instruments will disappear along with the need to enliven ceremonies and celebrations with its music. What will stay is a diffraction, in which artefacts operate as symbols, like the Batawi crodile bread, merely suggesting its historical significance.