Know the Saman Dance, the Acehnese Dance of the World Dance

Among the diversity of traditional dance art that comes from the tribes of Indonesia, saman dance is one of the traditional dances that fall into a very unique category. The uniqueness of saman dance not only lies in its compact dance movements, but also on the harmonization of the song and the choir that accompanies it. Its uniqueness is also what makes this Aceh Land dance became very famous, not only in the country, but also throughout the country. Well, here, let's discuss the uniqueness of saman dance from history, origin, movement, song, choir and costume dancers. The Origin and History of Saman Dance Saman Dance is a dance from the Gayo tribe, Aceh which was developed in the 14th century by a great scholar named Syekh Saman. This dance was originally just a folk game called Pok Ane. The Islamic culture that entered the Gayo area at that time was acculturated with the Pok Ane game, so the singing of Pok Ane's companion game was initially only complementary, turned into a meaningful singing and praise to Allah. Islamic culture also changed some movements in saman dance from the applause and the change of seat.

Saman at the time of the Sultanate of Aceh was only shown on the occasion of the Prophet Muhammad's Mawlid at surau-surau or mosque in Gayo area, but in its development he was also played at public events such as birthday parties, weddings, circumcisions, and other events until now .

Since 24 November 2011, saman dance has been designated as one of Indonesia's Unique Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in the sixth session of the Intergovernmental Committee held in Bali. This dance in English known as "Dance of Thousand Hand" is still preserved today, not only by the tribe of Aceh Gayo, but also by all the people of the world who admire its uniqueness. Dancers and Saman Dance Movements In the beginning, saman dance was only played by men who numbered no more than 10 people, 8 as dancers and 2 as giver of cue. However, in its development, realized that a dance will become more vibrant when played by more dancers, so saman dance can be danced by more than 10 dancers. In addition, women who initially should not play this dance, also be allowed to play it.

To manage the cohesiveness of dancers' movements, saman dance will usually be led by 2 sheikhs. Shaykh is the rhythm of the movement as well as the chanting guides or poems that accompany this dance. Movements in dance saman generally divided into several elements, namely the movement of applause and chest motion, shaking motion, kirep motion, lingang motion, and the movement of sam-filter. The names of all movements in this saman dance are from Gayo. What makes the dance is so unique and often presents click amazed for those who witnessed it is because of the harmonization of movement in this dance that flows quickly with the verses and the accompaniment. Many people abroad even more familiar with saman dance than kecak dance or pendet dance that comes from Bali. As for you who are curious as to what the beauty and unique dance of this saman

Choir and Saman Dance Songs Unlike dance performances in general, at the original saman dance performances, you will not find any musical instrument rhythm. The only rhythm used to harmonize this dance movement is the sound of the dancers themselves. They will applaud, chest, thigh, and the floor or sometimes sing their own verses to synchronize the movement between the dancers to the other dancers.

For the poetry of the saman song dance song itself is usually a proverb and advice that means so deeply. These poems contain a moral message of Islamic teachings that should be pervaded by every audience. For a sheikh or a dance guide, singing a saman dance song is also not to be done carelessly. There are 5 rules or standard way to be obeyed in singing this saman dance song. The five rules are: Rengum or auman that begins by the guide. The ring is a rattle that immediately followed by all dancers. Redet or short tune with a short tone sung by one of the dancers in the center. Sheikh or song sung in high-pitched voice as a sign of change of movement. Saur or song repeated together by all dancers after being sung by a solo dancer.

Meaning of Saman Dance Despite the variety of uniqueness, saman dance for the people of Aceh has a very deep meaning and meaning. This dance symbolizes the high courtesy, education, togetherness, cohesiveness and heroism of religious Acehnese society. The message of da'wah contained in each poem also has its own value. Advice with meaning so deeply implied in this dance song. Well, that's the information about the uniqueness of the legendary saman dance from Aceh. Hopefully with this article, we become increasingly aware that the cultural heritage of our ancestors turned out to have a very great prestition and high value. It is our duty to continue to preserve and introduce it to future generations so that it will not be lost in time.