Possession in Ambarawa Reog, a Kuda Lumping Performance A Thesis Presented as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement to Obtain the Bachelor Degree in the English Literature Study Program
Daftar Isi:
- This research focuses on the possession in Reog performance and what the Reog performers usually feel, see, and do during the performance. The writer used a qualitative method in collecting the data especially by observing and interviewing. The participants of this research were 5 people: 2 Reog performers, a shaman, a musician, and a cultural figure. The writer found that there are some requirements for the Reog performers to be able to get into possession, namely, fasting from the day before until the performance day comes, staying awake overnight and not touching and eating anything, having a shaman with a black attribute, having particular rhythm and also providing flowers or incense. The writer also found out that there are two kinds of possession the audiences usually watch: the genuine possession and made-up possession. During the genuine possession, the performer is unaware that he gets possessed as a variation. The performer claimed that he kept hearing on the gamelan sound and his body moved uncontrollably. He could not see and could not remember anything afterward. When a performer is possessed, he will fall, dance aggressively, and also do dangerous things such as eating neon light or glass. In made-up possession, the performers have to put on certain make up to draw laughter. They are still aware of the audiences and engage in interaction with them. Moreover, they give code to the musicians to begin playing the music that gives a cue to the condition of getting possessed. Overall, both genuine and made up possessions have the same purposes, those are, is to entertain the audiences and preserve the local culture.