Musical Instrument Struggle Gordang Between earning a living and Maintaining a Culture filled with History

In my previous writing, I wrote about the traditional musical instrument from North Sumatra Indonesia that is Gordang. And this time I will re-write about gordang, but this time I will invite you to see or rather a little peeping process of making Gordang.

That morning, the clock is still showing at 07.00 pm. The middle-aged man was busy working on the pieces of wood in front of him. Not long ago, he took the chisel and hammer to pierce the center of the wood while occasionally wiped the face of the wet because of sweat from the sun began to rise high.

Ja'far Lubis, one of the makers of Gordang Sambilan in Mandailing Julu area, precisely in Manambin Village, Kec. Kotanopan Kab. Mandailing Christmas. This profession has been digelutinya for years, Gordang that has been made was already not counted. Likewise with Gordang's sales place not only in Mandailing Natal area, but also has expanded out of the country like Malaysia and Japan.

• Ja'far Lubis holds wood raw material of the cinder maker.

To me, Ja'far Lubis tells me originally he could become a Gordang Sambilan maker. "Early make Gordang Sambilan trial and error, there happens to be people who order at that time. Once ready, it turns out good results, intermittently a while later came another message, "said Ja'far.

He said, making Gordang is not a hereditary profession, but it is self-taught or self-taught. Himself learns from what is seen and then practiced. Accidentally his previous profession was a craftsman made of wood, so not so difficult for him to make Gordang.

According to him, not everyone can make Gordang Sambilan. If you want to be Gordang Sambilan maker, at least must know a little bit Gordang Sambilan, ranging from Gordang types, good wooden model is used to the other equipment needed. Not only that, a little more should also know the history and usefulness of Gordang Sambilan.

He made Gordang from 2000 until now. So it has been almost 16 years old in the field. During the same time, already dozens Gordang Sambilan completed, the exact number he did not remember. But obviously, the number is quite a lot.

"To complete a set of Gordang when it first made it possible for up to 3 months. But lately, we can finish it within 1 month. It depends on the weather, I say so, if the weather is bad, we are very difficult to find wood for materials Gordang manufacture this, "he said.

His confession, Gordang Sambilan made not only marketed at the level of Mandailing Natal District, but also to the national and abroad, such as to Malaysia and Japan. For Malaysia alone, from 2000-2013 he has sent 8 sets of Gordang Sambilan, while for Japan only one time delivery in 2012 then.

For the national scope, he also has sent several times to Jakarta and Medan. Last month ago, he sent Gordang Sambilan to Borneo. While in Mandailing Natal there are king-king was almost made. So also among the Pemkab Madina, in some agencies who order Gordang has also made.

While the type of wood used in making Gordang Sambilan is a kind of hollow wood in the middle. The difficulty, looking for raw materials is wood ingul. Lately this type of wood is somewhat difficult to obtain, let alone wood should be hollow in the middle.

"So it is not surprising, besides around Manambin Village, we also look for wood outside the village, like to the village of Simpang Banyak Kec. Ulu Pungkut, Sibanggor, Hutanamale and other villages around Mandailing Natal.

So once the wood is obtained, directly cut in the middle of the forest in accordance with the size that has been set. After that, we bring to the village to be processed into Gordang. Another difficulty is the workmanship, because the tool is still manual. When doing it we must be extra careful, because one of the later measurements then the resulting sound will not be good.

For the largest wood size, usually 50 cm in diameter with a length of 1.60 m. While the smallest diameter 30 cm with a length of 1.20 m. Large holes and length will be adjusted with the type of Gordang. So whether or not the sound produced depends on the size of the hole and how it is made.

In working on this Gordang, Ja'far Lubis is assisted by 5 people. If done alone it will not finish in 1 month. On the one hand sometimes the buyer needs a quick, if it is so he must berjibaku finish. Working Gordang is not as easy as imagined, it takes patience and to be careful. It also prefers quality rather than quantity.

Related to reservations, for those who live in the Mandailing Natal area, they usually come directly to the place, as well as for the area of ​​North Sumatra. As for those outside the region, such as Kalimantan, Jakarta, Malaysia and Japan usually by phone, but there are also representatives of those who come here. So once Gordang is ready, we will send directly according to the given address. Should the customer come directly to be known how he wants.

While the price of a set of Gordang made vary between Rp. 17 million Rupiah. This price is certainly outside the transportation to take to the destination. It really depends on the negotiation. But the average price is the same, as well as the price to overseas or to Jakarta and Kalimantan, is not distinguished.

When asked what exactly his motivation to make Gordang Sambilan, according to him in addition to earning a living, another motavasi to preserve local culture. Can not be denied, lately people who are good at making Gordang Sambilan is not much, there are only a few people. The more Gordang Sambilan produced, of course, stretching Gordang Sambilan cultural implementation more excited.

In addition to making Gordang Sambilan, he also produces miniature-miniature Gordang Sambilan for collection at home or in offices. For this manufacture we are working with Kampoeng Kaos Mandailing natal, Panyabungan Sumatera Utara Indonesia.

Here's a little story of me in the land of Batak and see and study the culture and art culture that exist in this place. Thank you for reading this article and see you in the following article.