Cirebon, The City of Culture and Guardian

Hello my name is Bima, I’m here to Explain for you about my home town, Please Enjoy

Cirebon is a City of Culture and Guardians where all history, civilization, Artistic, are all in Cirebon, Elements and high spiritual values ​​make Cirebon dubbed the City of Guardians and cultural history is incorporated into a culture. Unique and distinctive, namely Mask Dance.

When the dance entered Cirebon, this dance mingled with local arts to create a distinctive dance. Mask dance has certain meanings, philosophies, and symbols, such as love, leadership, and wisdom. In the performance, these things will be conveyed to the audience so that they can understand and learn from this dance.

Even according to stories circulating in the community, Sunan Gunung Jati and Sunan Kalijaga once used this dance as a medium of da’wah to spread Islam religion and as an entertainment dance in the palace environment. The mask dance is also the basis for the formation of other, more specific dances, such as the Panji Mask Dance, Samba Mask Dance, Rumyang Mask Dance, Tumenggung Mask Dance and Kelana Mask Dance.

While the number of masks used is called Panca Wanda because there are 5 masks. Meaning and Philosophy At first, the mask dance was only performed in the palace environment. However, as time progressed, this dance was also held in the community as a means of entertainment.

Furthermore, the mask dance also has the functions as a medium for spreading Islam. Therefore, this dance is packaged into a show that is philosophically charged and has more character or wanda. The packaging of the mask dance aims to describe religious piety and as an example of human nature and behavior, including: Makrifat (Insan Kamil) is the highest level of human being in religion and that is in accordance with religious law. The essence is the depiction of a knowledgeable man so that he has understood the rights of a servant and the creator.

Tarekat is a picture of humans who have lived and practiced religion in their daily behavior. Shari’a is a picture of humans who enter or know the teachings of Islam. Not only entertainment elements, mask dance art also has certain messages. Some of them are interpreted in a symbolic form, which requires understanding in order to be able to translate it and apply it in aspects of life.

The following are 5 types of masks in this dance, namely:

 

1.     Banner Mask. The banner mask is a picture of a person who are in a holy condition and has just been born into the world. The dog mask role movement is very soft and smooth. The use of this mask has a combined meaning between the essence of silence and the essence of motion.

2.    Samba Mask. This mask depicts a person entering the childhood phase. Because it represents children, the movement of this mask figure is very lively and funny like the behavior of children.

3.    Rumyang Mask Like the previous masks, the rumyang mask also has its own philosophy. This mask is a picture of someone entering their teens. Dancers who wear this type of mask will bring movements that contain the message that every human being should do good.

4.    Tumenggung Mask. The tumenggung mask depicts a person with a firm nature and has a noble character. The character of this mask gives a message of someone who is full of characteristics and has a personality with high loyalty.

5.  Wandering Mask In the performance of the kelana mask dance, it depicts a person who has an angry nature. The dancer who wears this mask plays an evil character. Even though it emphasizes the role of evil, it can provide a lesson that humans must try to get life and happiness through a good way.

 Writer: Bima Samara