A transmission of Kelentangan music among the Dayak Benuaq of East Kalimantan in Indonesia

Eli Irawati

Abstract

Musical transmission is integral to the sustainability of musical traditions. Most literature on musical transmission focuses how songs are memorised rather than how instrumental pieces are transmitted. This study explores the transmission processes of the kêlèntangan, the instrumental pieces that accompany the Dayak Bênuaq rituals. The transmission processes comprise the conveyor, content and mechanism. There are three figures involved in this conveyor processes— the pênu’ung (musician), the pêngampir (observer) and pêmêliatn (shaman). I argue that transmission of kêlèntangan involves a triangular interaction among these three figures. In addition, the transmission of kêlèntangan generates two kinds of content—musical and non-musical, which requires different mechanisms. These mechanisms include bêkajiq (listening), kintau (imitating), to tameh (improvisation). The interaction between the pênu’ung transmits musical and non-musical contents; while the interaction between the pêngampir and pênu’ung; pêmêliatn and pênu’ung; and pêmêliatn and pêngampir; each transmits non-musical content.

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