Sasando, traditional musical instruments

Sasando, traditional musical instruments that originated from the island of Rote, East Nusa Tenggara, one might say almost drowned in traffic or the music industry today. Stringed instrument which became one of the important sound property in the archipelago that is hardly heard by audiences in their own country.

PROPERTY sound stored in the maestro Sasando following will be displayed in music performance-Quantum Megalithic on June 29 to 30 next at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Sasando of the material may seem simple. Traditional Sasando using nine strings attached to a bamboo tube. That's why he is classified as a type of tube-tube zither-siter. As a resonator, used young palm leaves that were held together to form a cavity half-circle. Equipment that is played by lap and plucked with the fingers both hands.

In the treasure of sound in the archipelago, including the unique Sasando. Instruments with the system scales heksatobik or six tone has a melody that sounded another style compared to other music in Indonesia.

"The melody using downward force, descending movement, which is reminiscent of the African style. This is unique to Indonesia. It should be heard and appreciated," said Siagian about Sasando Rizaldi ethnomusicologists and traditional compositions.

Similar tubes siter Sasando found in Southeast Asia, such as the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia, which produces a lot of bamboo. A number of places in Indonesia are also familiar with similar stringed instruments Sasando. In Mandailing known gondang fur, while at Karo-keteng keteng there.

"The difference with Sasando, fur and keteng gondang keteng function-rhythmic, not melodic," said Rizaldi.

In the international association order in the past, influential Sasando even get to Madagascar. The country was also familiar with similar stringed musical instrument called the valiha Sasando taken as the national instrument of Madagascar.


Sasando become part of everyday life Hendrik Pah (59), artists as well as makers Rote Sasando origin who now live in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). Together with his colleague, Nane Messakh, Hendrik will play Sasando in performance-Quantum Megalithic held to commemorate 40 years of Kompas daily.

Hendrik stay away from the hustle and bustle of big cities. His home is modest in Oebelo Village, Central Kupang, NTT, it is located in the vicinity of the cornfield. Walled houses with dirt floors were made of palm leaf midrib. Roofs made of palm tree leaves. The basic ingredients of the house was not far different from the basic ingredients Sasando musical instrument that uses palm leaves as a cavity resonator.

In the backyard there are devices to make Sasando. Hendrik using technology understated for a lathe of wood used as a fastening strap Sasando.

The tools that function as a kind of lathe. The device is made of palm leaf midrib is stuck in the ground. At the end of a flexible arch was attached a rope that is connected to the pedal of the timber. Pedal arch and rope and it produces power that is used to drive the wheels. The wheel that is the player timber to be formed as a fastening strap Sasando.

From-paced life that's simple to make and play Sasando Hendrik who taught for generations his ancestors in his hometown on the island of Rote. Pah is a large family, including descendants of Sasando a well-known artists in NTT, particularly in the vicinity of Kupang. He played from one village to meet the call of those who hold the ceremony, starting from birth, marriage, until death.

Hendrik like singing Sasando and lives with his song. Human life cycle, from birth, marriage, until death, that he had come celebrate with Sasando and poetry. One night in Kupang, Hendrik and Nane Sasando while singing a duet played poems about life, about death. For those who already patterned with good pop music sound, singing Sasando Hendrik and his friends were probably going to sound strange, but that's a side of Indonesia, the forgotten.

Sasando in its development must deal with the changing times. In the past ei or strings Sasando skin incision is made from bamboo. There is also what makes the strings of mother-of-pearl leaves. Times have changed and the fibers of the motorcycle clutch wire was used as a rope Sasando. Some are choosing to use guitar strings.

Sasando also invited to enter the territory of pop culture. Zakarias Ndaong (27), a small kiosk owners Dalek Esa, in East Street, Oesapa, Kupang, skillfully bringing pop songs like I Have a Dream from ABBA which was later made famous boyband Westlife.

Zakarias seemed proud to play Sasando folding it in front of the guests who visit his stall. He then wore hats ti'ilangga, Rote typical hat made of palm leaves. He also played another ABBA song, namely Chiquitita. He also played a song Mother How are You Today. A buyer asks Zakarias play traditional songs.

By guest introduction he then asked to play the song "Japanese". Apparently that meant it was Kokoronotomo Japanese songs, pop songs that also happen to lyrical Japanese. The song was never popular in Indonesia in the mid-1980s.

Apparently, Sasando also follow the development of pop music. At least, Zakarias also ready to play the song Sheila on 7 to Peterpan song What She being popular. Presumably, Zakarias world is familiar with slang. Looking to the chamber behind the kiosk was seen posters pop band All Saints, 5ive until collection of the group The Rockers of '90.

To be used to play I Have a Dream, Kokoronotomo, or What She Did that, then Sasando must be stem with diatonic pitch. According Zakarias, the most widely purchased Sasando people are diatonic. In order to compete with the roar of time, Sasando also created an electronic version which is equipped with electric guitar like a spool device. For the electric version, Sasando had stripped lontarnya resonator.

For the sake of practicality, emerged a Sasando fold. Tangkupan palm leaves on Sasando can be folded like the blades of the fan that could be closed neatly. That Sasando adapted to the urban lifestyle practical all who created all things completely portable, easy to carry and does not take place.

What may make, the lifestyle community with high mobility need something very practical. Is not the Village Oebelo people now prefer to use colorful plastic chairs, a mass product that replaces wood chairs with raw materials increasingly difficult to obtain.

Sasando also has to deal with the global market. He was in the same arena with mass industrial products Sasando surrounding habitat. Not far from the kiosk was strewn Sasando LA Lights cigarette ad posters to Coca-Cola. There is also a bakery with which the fancy Paris Bakery. There is also a Toyota dealer. When Zakarias're playing Sasando, on the highway passing truck carrying dozens of motorcycle.

Sasando in the midst of a changing society: rapid mobility, consumerism, culture market. Sasando became the production of goods by following the market culture. Sasando sold the price varies according to type. Sasando folding sold at around USD 500,000. For electrical Sasando installed price of about Rp 1 million. Sasando conventional, nonlipat, sold at different prices in every crafter. There was a sell USD 100,000 to USD 150,000.

There is also a small souvenir Sasando measured about seven inches, was sold for Rp 50,000. Sasando souvenir version of this course can not be played. He is often used as souvenirs and can be displayed as a decoration without the clink-clink-beautiful. Sasando that changes could be a reflection of the changing face of the nation. Hopefully dentingnya still managed to be heard by people who like studying this recall his own face.
Troubled Crying Grass and Bamboo: The Music of Bread

The island of Roti is located just southwest of West Timor in the semi-arid Tropics of Eastern Indonesia. The recording Troubled Crying Grass and Bamboo: The Music of Bread features examples of the two main musical genres in Bread, Poetic song accompanied by sasandu tube zither, and the meko gong and drum ensemble. It Also features a soundscape collage of natural and man-made sounds from Bread, Including the sounds of morning, a circle dance, night, a story-teller, the sea, and the Sasando violin, an expanded, diatonic form of the sasandu.