Theatrical Motion of the Mandau Dance

Helloindonesia.id – Kalimantan is one of the ethnic tourism destinations in Indonesia. Besides being blessed with beautiful natural scenery, the people of Kalimantan are also known to have exotic cultures. The exoticism of Kalimantan culture is reflected in one of the traditional dances. In Central Kalimantan, for example, there is a traditional dance called the Mandau dance.

Mandau dance is closely related to the Dayak tribe. This dance is often performed in a variety of traditional ceremonies and welcoming ceremony great guests. Mandau dance is usually performed by men and women. This dance illustrates the fighting spirit of the Dayak warriors in defending their homeland, dignity, and dignity. But, there are also many who believe that the mandate contained in the mandau dance is the strength of men in navigating life.

Special Mandau Dance Dress

The mandau dancer wears a vest-shaped shirt made of leather, the lower part wears a loincloth, and is equipped with a bird-shaped head covering. The mandatory property in a mandau dance performance is the mandau weapon, while the other hand holds the talawang. Mandau dance is dominated by mutually attacking movements which tend to be acrobatic, with flexible but still powerful movements.

During the performance, the mandau dance was accompanied by a stomping and vibrant music that came from drums and garantung. Garantung is a traditional Dayak music instrument which is generally made of metal. Garantung shape resembles Javanese gamelan. That said, this traditional musical instrument was derived directly from heaven as a means of communication to the ancestors.

The sound produced by garantung is what makes the aura of Mandau dance performances felt more by the audience. The audience was also absorbed in the spirit atmosphere of the Dayak soldiers. More than just a spectacle, the mandau dance also contains theatrical elements. The combination of music, costumes, and dance moves that makes the viewers do not get bored watching it.