Village Production Can Penetrate Neighboring Countries
KAMPUNG Kedungliwung is known as a tambourine producer. There are several artisans of musical instruments with Islamic nuances. Not just tambourines, several other supporting musical instruments are also made in the area. Call it a drum, hajir, border, dan gong. The equipment is not only used for hadrah and kuntunlan art, but also used as accompaniment to samroh music, albanjari, marawis, and other customary activities.
There are at least six entrepreneurs making musical accompaniment to the kuntulan hadrah in Bumi Blambangan. However, the craft business founded by M. Sholeh in Kedungliwung Hamlet, Candlenut Village, Singojuruh District, This has a difference with other crafters. The entire process of making the musical instrument from start to finish was done directly by the late M. Sholeh. Now his efforts have been passed on to his eldest son, Nur Hakim.
Sholeh's musical accompaniment business for hadrah and kuntulan was started in the 1950s. This effort has also failed several times. “The worst was in the 1960s, The PKI period was turbulent in Indonesia, especially in Banyuwangi. The Communist Party restricted activities related to culture at that time. Especially, culture that is loaded with Islamic religious values, such as hadrah and kuntunlan.
At that time, my father temporarily stopped the production of egret instruments and the arts he was involved in,” recalled Nur Hakim. Once entering the New Order era, Sholeh slowly started his craft business again. Finally, His business experienced a golden period in the 1980s. At that time, the art of hadrah and egret began to be exhibited by women. Whereas before, kuntunlan dance is usually performed only by men. The tambourine musical instrument craft business does not have employees.
The entire process from start to finish was carried out by M. Sholeh and Nur Hakim. After Sholeh died a year ago, Nur Hakim admitted that he had trouble taking care of the craft business. "From the beginning standing up, Our craft business does not use employees, because of superior quality,explained Nur Hakim. So far, the business of making musical instruments has not had problems with raw materials.
They already have goat skin and cow leather subscriptions in Genteng District. Those who always supply. Likewise with tambourine frame wood, they have partnered with log entrepreneurs in the Genteng District. The wood used is mahogany and jackfruit wood. "Before, we have used trembesi wood and sapodilla wood.
However, because now the wood is hard to find, we switched to using mahogany and jackfruit,explained Nur Hakim. Not without consideration did he choose mahogany and jackfruit wood for the tambourine frame. The two types of wood turned out to have good density. Besides that, big wood grain, so the resulting sound quality is good. Interesting, tambourines made in Singojuruh are well known throughout the archipelago. Consumers who order tambourines do not only come from Banyuwangi and its surroundings.
It turns out, The order for the tambourine made in Kedungliwung also came from various regions in Indonesia,even from abroad. Latest, the customer for the tambourine made in Kedungliwung is a Malaysian. So far, per month the tambourine manufacturer receives at least three sets of musical instrument orders. A set of musical instruments usually consists of nine tambourines, three sides, two drums, a pair of gongs, and one pair of knocks. (radar)
