ASMAT MUSIC ART

The Drummer

By: Bonifasius Jakfu

Music is an art that is a very important element in the life of tribes. Art music provides comfort while emphasizing the character and identity of a tribe. Through art people from various ethnic music expresses feelings with typical rhythmic patterns and melodic. Expression of feelings of grief in mourning in the rhythm of the music is mellow, in contrast to the rhythm of the music of thanksgiving on achievement achievements fast rhythmic life. As for romance sing the different musical rhythms in the rhythm of the soft plaintive. Community Asmat means diverse feelings through art by playing various types of musical instruments. Variety of musical instruments referred to is (1). Em --Tifa, (2). Fu --trumpet bamboo, (3). Ci Pokom -sound knock the boat, (4) Sini Ufu  --Bia Leather.

Em --Tifa--

Disclosure feelings through the art of musical instruments by using drums, either dominant or complementary played by some tribes in Indonesia, especially Papua and Maluku, as well as some of the tribes around the Pacific Ocean. Each tribe has its specifications in the delivery drum ornament according to local indigenous knowledge. As one means of musical art in the traditional Asmat, drums played by certain people who have a position in the typical style on an agreed ritual of the whole community for generations. In traditional rituals or dance and sound art, musicians and singers em --Tifa customary uses five to seven drums. Em cadence is varied, influenced by the size of the said em size. Em or large-sized drums are constructed in such a way to produce lower sounds. While medium-sized em constructed to produce tones that range between soprano and alto. Em small intentionally designed to produce sound/sound highest --tenor.

Hereditary Asmat community also has a provision that requires the creator and drummer drums always follow the customary provisions, although substantially the provisions of the said unwritten. The provisions referred involves choosing the type of wood, animal skins, a period of manufacture, the manufacturing technique, and herb skin adhesive. Asmat community consists of 12 clumps, each clump settling on the position and geographical conditions are different. With indigenous and remote geographical position, type of wood used to make the base material is also different drums. Community Asmat Joerat clumps that settle in the village of Jani using koar os os -Wooden fabric and jeep, be cultured wood species ancestral to make drums. These tree species grow naturally in brackish swamp forests with different distribution locations. --Other Koar timber grown inland around jif se –peat area, wood jeep grow and be more easily found on the banks of river or coastal areas. Basic selection according to the type of timber father Urbanus Fuin of village Botarpes - Jani is a sacred value conservation efforts, because it is the mandate of the first musicians' artists namely Fumiripits. That is, that the basic ingredients of the drums used by Fumiripits in Turkish Owap known as the drums were able to turn human talisman is a wooden statue --Other koar. It is said that the drums mascot used by Fumiripits --the legend is giving -war birds, the giver of life-force of the river upstream Owap. Thus, the basic ingredients of this sacred drums musical instruments. While wood joep also a mandate of the ancestors who have their own mystical story.

Other provisions that must be obeyed by the Asmat community in creating leather drums are pounding sound triggers. In the tradition of animal skin Asmat has a very important function as a source of sound, especially the lizard skin. Lizard skin cult local community. Logically type of lizard skin relatively thin and soft, easily drawn when to be installed to regulate the high-low tone. To get a good quality leather, lizard skin dried in the sun for about four days with evaporation techniques. Lizard skin laid on the lounge fireplace, smoke billowing from a fire waiting to dry up the skin.

Musical instruments drums supplementary material that is no less important was chalk white, fresh human blood, resin. White chalk is made of leather slug burned and then smoothed by mashing up to be a clean white powder. According to Mr. Cyprian Jimko traditional leaders in Onafai Faicok Kampong that the skin of snails is right to be selected. Bu snail is a type of skin here or here consumed tea men or women who have passed their reproductive years. The shells of snails are commonly consumed by children and women of reproductive age are very taboo.

While fresh human blood obtained by wounding or slice the calf someone using a small slug skin or bamboo slats. Blood flowing out of the slices sufficiently accommodated in a small container of skin snail then stirred with white chalk. The resulting mixture will be lumpy commonly used as an adhesive. Serves as an adhesive glue, wood glue lizard skin on the principal musical instrument drums are ready for use.

The rhythm of the drums beating will sound in the same rhythm, but when examined will sound different. The rhythm of the drums wasp can be subdivided into several classifications with each benefit. He is, pakmu em, em atee, atakam em, em mbami, and ndamir em. Pakmu em wasp drums are made at the community members celebrate certain rituals or ceremonies. The term comes from two words, namely pakmu which means party or ceremony and em, which means music drums. In the tradition of pakmu Asmat community consists of emak pakmu, imu pakmu, jipai pakmu, poter pakmu, james ter pakmu, ces bayisim pakmu, bus pakmu, and basusuangkus pakmu.

Pakmu em is a type of drum music performed as an artistic complement a traditional ritual. Atee Em is a drum music played by young children or beginners in the group of musicians. Atee in clumps Joerat Asmat language means playing or practicing, so meaningful songs and music drums em mean. Atee so em is hit the drums as an exercise for beginners. Atee em so often used as the entertainment of the villagers in the evening once hone the singers and musicians beginners to understand the various terms of various elements that have the spirit and power that influence human life on earth.

Atakam em, comes from two syllables atakam means talking, message, speak, cry, advice, orders, tells a story. Em mean drums, atakam em is a chance of beating the drums specifically to discuss or decide matters for the common good. The rhythm of the drums punch serves to enliven the atmosphere of the meeting.

The drummers drums are people who have special skills, although this traditional musical instruments quite struck with palms to bring melodious voice, unnecessary strings, straps strings or keys. In the musical performance drums beaten by about five to ten drummers in a group. Community clumps Joerat call Em-sow ow, as an official group of socially recognized by members of the community, led by a Arecar Ipits Em Sow, who commonly accompanied by a representative. Hierarchically the Em-Sow Ow sat in front of the circular composition wair Jow se –main fireplace in rituil hit drums. Em are car ipits sow as a leader seated at the right below the main pole furnace. Deputy or assistant principal sitting on the main pole position to the left. While other musicians are sequentially seated on the right side and left both leaders according to their ability Asmat literary vocabulary, the ability to master songs and the ability to master the technique and the rhythm of the music of each song in the collection of literature.

Position drummers drums placed by the leader is not based on seniority, but based on the capacity or ability possessed by each individual in the group of musicians. Although an older drummers drums or older to join as a member musicians, but when there was a much younger to join the abilities and skills of higher, then the question can be trusted to sit on a position closer to the leader. The position farther or closer than a leader describes the person's capacity in mastering the art of music.

Fu --trumpet--

 
Other traditional musical instruments that are commonly used in the community Asmat art disclosure is Fu --trumpet. Without the sound of trumpets, drums drumming will sound dissonant, without the power to inspire fascination expanse of the universe, without the power to evoke courage Asmat community as part of life is very broad. Together with the rhythm of the drums drumming, fu role is to assert the intention of the Asmat community to another party. Fu has blown on nuanced ritual worship, thanksgiving and petition for forgiveness for actions that may threaten the peace of life of others according to local beliefs, drumming the rhythm of drums accompanying gust fu.

Fu is also used by other ethnic groups in Melanesia region with a different base material. Community Asmat use buses or Sin -Bamboo fu as a base material with the survival reasons. Seashell or sea bia often also used as the base material fu. Asmat community aware of the consequences of the most basic ingredients may be encountered if the instrument is made of another material that is unusual in the local culture. Violations in selecting the raw materials of traditional music instrument borne by misfortune in the form of illness or death of even a disaster. To avoid misfortune, the manufacture of traditional musical instruments are always using the same materials.

Fu shape is very simple, is a bamboo is cut in such a way by slicing the end of the segment that will make a sound, then pierce the other parts as well end the flow of blowing air into the space segment of bamboo. Blowing air into the space segment of bamboo will cause vibration, because the air is filled with naturally present in the meeting room, resulting in a unique sound. Fu sound in totality fulfill the rhythm of traditional music.

Ci Pokom –Rap Boat Voice-

Asmat community actually improvisation the disclosure of aesthetic sense, even when the middle row on the boat as the main means of transportation on water. Ci means boat and pokom means knock the edge of the boat using oars. Ci pokom is a knocking sound and paddle boats are intentionally emitted by oarsmen to accompany lyric songs in the local idiom. This knock will sound to enrich the atmosphere on the way to go or return the forest.

When a group of community members travelled to the jungle village in a line to cut the tree sago feast imu, or taking jeer mbi in emak cem ritual --initiate. So ow --the singers will intone the expression of worship, or petition during a trip commute, the rowers spontaneity will ring the edge of the boat carrying the lower end of the paddle rhythmically, causing a fascinating rhythm.

  Sini Ufu -- Snail Shell --

Literally, the traditional musical instrument name is derived from two words, namely Sini Ufu –snail shell  Leather snails are commonly used as an instrument by a group of children playing. Together with peers of children clustered socialize as a group of traditional musicians, there is a concurrent role as drummer drums singers, and some are taking a position as a dancer. Ufu here is not as popular as Em and Fu, but its role is crucial in fostering the regeneration of musicians Asmat later. At this time the children have a golden opportunity to prepare superior seed reliable music artists Asmat next day.

Em --Tifa