Introduction Traditional theater art is one of Indonesia’s cultural heritage that has its own uniqueness and beauty. Each region in Indonesia has different traditional theater arts, including in Cilegon – Banten. One of the well-known traditional theater arts in Cilegon – Banten is Ubrug Theater. Ubrug Theater is a traditional theater art originating from Banten. The Ubrug Theater performance relies on the improvisation and spontaneity of the players in expressing the character and story being performed. Ubrug Theater performances are usually held during customary events such as weddings, circumcision, religious ceremonies, coronations, and others. This performance involves several players, musicians, and kendang players. The kendang music played during the performance provides a distinctive atmosphere that reinforces the story being performed. In addition to improvisation, which is the hallmark of Ubrug Theater, this performance also contains comedic elements that make the audience laugh. However, behind the story and humor being performed, Ubrug Theater also contains moral messages and local wisdom values that are characteristic of the culture of Cilegon Banten.
The Importance of Ubrug How important is Ubrug art today? Ubrug art is very important in the culture and life of the Banten community. Here are some reasons why Ubrug art is very important:
- Preserving traditional culture: Ubrug art is one part of the traditional culture of Cilegon – Banten that needs to be preserved. By maintaining and developing Ubrug art, the traditional culture of Cilegon – Banten can continue to live and develop.
- Introducing the uniqueness of Banten culture: Ubrug art has its own characteristics and uniqueness that distinguish it from other traditional arts in Indonesia. By introducing Ubrug art to the wider community, it can introduce the uniqueness of Cilegon – Banten culture to the people of Indonesia and the world.
- Increasing tourism: Ubrug art is a unique attraction for tourists visiting Cilegon – Banten. Thus, Ubrug art can help increase tourism in the region.
- Increasing creativity and artistic skills: Ubrug art can be a means for artists to develop their creativity and artistic skills. In addition, Ubrug art can also provide opportunities for artists to generate income from their artistic works.
- Increasing unity and solidarity: Ubrug art can also be a means to strengthen relationships among the people in Cilegon – Banten. In the Ubrug art performance, all elements of society from various backgrounds can unite and work together to produce a beautiful and meaningful work of art.
Ubrug art is very important in the culture and life of the Cilegon – Banten community. Therefore, there is a need for efforts to preserve, develop, and promote Ubrug art so that it can continue to live and develop in the future.
Definition and The Origin of Ubrug
Ubrug is a traditional performing art in Indonesia that originates from the Banten region. However, not many experts provide a detailed definition of the traditional art of ubrug. Here are some definitions that can be taken from various sources:
According to the book “Seni Pertunjukan Tradisional Indonesia” by R.M. Soedarsono, ubrug is a social dance that is usually performed in the Betawi-Banten community, especially in wedding ceremonies.
According to the website of Kemdikbud RI, ubrug is a social dance art from the Betawi-Banten community that developed in the Banten Province.
According to the book “Ensiklopedi Musik dan Tari Nusantara”, ubrug is a traditional dance of the community that originated from the word “ubrug” which means staggering or stumbling.
According to the book “Ragam Hias Tari Nusantara”, ubrug is a social dance of the Banten community that displays dynamic and enthusiastic movements.
In the Sundanese language dictionary, the word “ubrug” means as a temporary emergency building, a temporary workplace for a few days only, for example, for the purpose of celebrations or parties. Then the word was used as the name of the art, perhaps because in the past Ubrug players liked to move from place to place and make temporary buildings when they held a performance. People then called them Ubrug players, players who lived in an emergency place.
Mutia Kasim (in Walidat, 1997), who mentioned that ubrug was taken from the word ngagebrug. In Ubrug performances, all players, both men and women, young and old, along with the audience, occupy one performance place or sagebrug (in Sundanese).
In the book of the Traditional Theater Week program published by Pembinaan Kesenian Depdikbud in collaboration with the Jakarta Art Council (27 September to 1 October 1977), the term “ubrug” is synonymous with the words saubrug-ubrug, sagebrugan, and sagebrugna in Sundanese, which means piled up and irregular. The naming is because the story or jokes in the art are expressed spontaneously, without a director. Players are only directed on the theme and the outline of the story by the Ubrug leader. The details are left to the creativity of each player. Ubrug art can be performed at any time and place, irregularly.
The origin of the word “ubrug” itself is still a debate among experts. However, there are several proposed theories, including:
According to a historian named Mochtar Kusumaatmadja, the word “ubrug” comes from the Sundanese language “ubrug-ubrug”, which means “swaying”. This refers to the dance movements of ubrug art that depict a boat swaying on the waves.
One of the researchers of Banten traditional art named M. Yudha proposed that the word “ubrug” comes from the Banten language “tubrug”, which means “shaking”. According to him, ubrug art depicts the state of the sea that is shaking and the ship that is crossing the waves.
Indonesian dance historian, Soedarsono, believes that the word “ubrug” comes from the Javanese word “buru”, which means “bird”. This refers to the dancer’s costume that resembles bird wings and dance movements that depict a bird in flight.
The origin of the word “ubrug” in the traditional art of Banten, Indonesia, remains unclear. Until now, the history of the origin of Ubrug art has not been fully revealed. According to some traditional art figures, Ubrug art grew and lived among the people. It was well-known and mastered by the people of Banten and was performed as entertainment during leisure time or when the harvest season came. The performance was done on the ground, using huts made from woven rumbia leaves. Initially, the musical instruments used were a large drum, two small drums called kulanter, a gong kempul, and two bamboo pieces called ububan. The small bamboo was placed in the middle and was played by blowing and lifting it slightly to produce a sound. However, now the musical instruments have changed to include goong angkeb, kecrek, rebab, and three kenongs.
According to Mahdiduri and Yadi Ahyadi in their book “Ubrug Tontonan dan Tuntunan,” Ubrug art combines comedy, dance/movement, music, literature (play), with a loose playing pattern. Basically, Ubrug art is divided into four parts/acts, which may have slightly different terms for some regions in Banten. One of them is the division of acts with the terms tatalu, nandung, bodoran, and lalakon. In its development, Ubrug performances often deviate from the traditional rules. This means that Ubrug performances can incorporate modern music to better suit the audience’s preferences. This is one way to keep the Ubrug art still popular.
Although the definition of Ubrug may differ according to experts, it can be concluded that Ubrug is a traditional performing art originating from Banten that is usually performed in religious and traditional events. The Ubrug performance usually combines theater, music, dance, and comedy that integrates humor and daily life. This traditional performing art has high aesthetic, religious, and cultural values, so it needs to be preserved and developed as a cultural heritage.
Unfortunately, traditional theater arts such as Ubrug are losing their popularity among the public, who are more exposed to popular and modern culture. With the development of technology and entertainment industry, traditional theater arts are increasingly marginalized and considered outdated.
Traditional art is a valuable cultural heritage for society, but in recent years, traditional art has faced various problems that can threaten its sustainability and preservation. Some of these problems include a decreasing interest and appreciation from the public towards traditional art, a lack of support and attention from the government and relevant agencies, limited resources and facilities, and a lack of adequate successor generations to continue and develop traditional art.
The Ubrug Condition
Unfortunately, traditional theater arts such as Ubrug Theater are losing popularity among people who are more exposed to popular and modern culture. Along with the development of technology and the entertainment industry, traditional theater arts are increasingly marginalized and considered old-fashioned.
Traditional arts are a valuable cultural heritage for society, but in recent years, traditional arts have faced various problems that can threaten their continuity and sustainability. Some of these problems include:
- Decreased interest and appreciation of society towards traditional arts The rapid development of technology and the times makes people more interested in modern and contemporary art forms. This causes a decrease in interest and appreciation of society towards traditional arts, making it difficult for traditional artists and art enthusiasts to get proper support and recognition.
- Lack of support and attention from the government and related agencies Traditional arts often do not receive adequate support and attention from the government and related agencies. However, support from the government and related agencies is needed to preserve and maintain traditional arts from extinction.
- Limited resources and facilities Traditional artists and art enthusiasts often face limitations in resources and facilities in carrying out traditional art activities and events. This can hinder the production process of traditional arts and reduce the quality of traditional art works.
- Lack of adequate successor generations The lack of interest and appreciation of society towards traditional arts also causes a lack of adequate successor generations to continue and develop traditional arts. This can cause traditional arts to be lost and not preserved.
- Theft and illegal trade of cultural arts Traditional arts are often targeted for theft and illegal trade of cultural arts. This causes traditional arts, which are part of the nation’s cultural heritage, to be lost and not accessible to the general public.
Therefore, it is important for us to preserve traditional arts as part of the nation’s cultural heritage. Support and attention from the community, government, and related agencies can help preserve and develop traditional arts from extinction.
Ubrug Cilegon Preserving Ubrug Art Tradition and Creativity in Cilegon Ubrug art is a traditional performing art originating from the Banten region. This art is usually performed in customary events such as weddings or religious events. However, over time, Ubrug art began to be less popular, especially among the younger generation.
In the city of Cilegon, there are efforts to preserve the tradition and creativity of Ubrug art. One of them is by holding training and workshops for young people in the area. In this training, participants are taught about dance and singing techniques in Ubrug art.
In addition, there are also art communities that are active in preserving Ubrug art in Cilegon. They often hold art performances, both locally and nationally. In these art performances, they not only showcase Ubrug art, but also combine it with modern elements such as hip hop dance and electronic music.
Ubrug art performances packaged with creativity have successfully attracted public attention and made Ubrug art more known. In addition, efforts to preserve Ubrug art also provide opportunities for young people to develop their artistic talents and enrich their creativity.
Maintaining the tradition and creativity of Ubrug art in Cilegon is not an easy task. However, with efforts such as training and workshops, as well as support from the arts community, Ubrug art can continue to thrive and develop in the future. Hopefully, Ubrug art can remain a part of the local cultural heritage that can be appreciated and passed on to future generations.
The emergence of Ubrug Cilegon, which consists of a collaboration of several studios in Cilegon, creates consistency in movement and education through various performances that have distinctive characteristics and uniqueness that differentiate it from traditional art in Cilegon. Ubrug Cilegon introduces Ubrug art to the wider community, from stage to stage, from wedding events or others, thus introducing the unique culture of Cilegon-Banten to the public by wearing traditional costumes, accompanied by distinctive music and singing. Ubrug Cilegon also serves as a medium for conveying important moral and cultural messages to the community. Ubrug Cilegon has its own meaning and philosophy, such as the symbolism of dance movements, song lyrics, and costumes used and developed by young people in Cilegon.
However, efforts are being made to preserve traditional theater art such as Ubrug Theater collectively. In addition, support from the community and government is also needed to maintain and introduce traditional theater art as a cultural heritage that needs to be preserved.
By maintaining and preserving traditional theater art such as Ubrug Theater, we can enrich Indonesia’s cultural diversity and pass it on to future generations.
As the younger generation, who are the future of the nation, it is important to preserve cultural heritage and traditional art, including traditional Ubrug art. Here are some ways that young people can preserve traditional Ubrug art:
- Learn and study traditional Ubrug art directly from its guardians or people who still preserve the art.
- Join a traditional Ubrug art group and actively participate in every activity and performance.
- Attend traditional Ubrug art events such as art performances, art festivals, or traditional events in areas that still preserve traditional Ubrug art.
- Promote traditional Ubrug art through social media or other digital platforms to make it more widely known.
- Hold traditional Ubrug art performances involving the local community as spectators or participants.
- Create new works of art inspired by traditional Ubrug art, while still paying attention to the values and aesthetics of the art.
- Attend training or workshops organized by institutions or communities that focus on preserving traditional art.
- Volunteer or donate to help preserve traditional Ubrug art and provide financial support to its guardians.
By doing these things, young people can participate in preserving traditional Ubrug art as a cultural heritage that must be preserved and protected from disappearing in the nation’s civilization.
The Role of Government and Industry in Supporting Ubrug Art
The government and industry play important roles in preserving ubrug art as a cultural heritage. Here are some roles they can play:
- The government can provide financial support and facilities for ubrug art groups, such as providing practice venues and musical instruments.
- The government can organize large-scale ubrug art festivals, such as the National Ubrug Art Festival, to attract public attention and promote ubrug art.
- Industry can help promote ubrug art through social media and digital platforms. They can also support ubrug art groups in producing and marketing music albums, music videos, and merchandise.
- The government and industry can collaborate in protecting the copyright and intellectual property rights of ubrug art groups. This is to prevent unauthorized use of ubrug art and provide fair income to ubrug art groups.
- The government can provide ubrug art education to students in schools. This can help introduce ubrug art from an early age and increase public awareness of the importance of preserving traditional art.
Through collaboration between the government and industry, ubrug art can be preserved and continue to develop as part of Indonesia’s cultural wealth.
Ubrug Art in Cilegon Towards 2045
Some hopes for ubrug art in the future include:
- Increasing recognition and appreciation by the wider public, especially in its own region: It is hoped that ubrug art will become better known and appreciated by the wider public, both locally, nationally, and internationally. This can be done through proper promotion and marketing and improving the quality of performances.
- Not being crushed by the passage of time: It is hoped that ubrug art will remain sustainable and not be crushed by the passage of time. This can be achieved by continually updating performances and adapting them to modern demands without losing their distinctive traditional characteristics.
- Recognition as intangible cultural heritage: It is hoped that ubrug art will be recognized as intangible cultural heritage by the government and society, so that it can receive better protection and development.
- Inspiring younger generations: It is hoped that ubrug art will inspire younger generations to love Indonesian culture and preserve it. This can be done through introduction and education from an early age, as well as providing adequate facilities to learn and create in ubrug art.
- Providing positive impact for society: It is hoped that ubrug art will provide a positive impact for society, in terms of education, entertainment, and creative economic development. This can be achieved through collaboration with the government and creative industry in developing ubrug art.
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