GORDANG SEMBILAN

Written in bahasa by Prof. Dr. R.M. Soedarsono
Posting inspired by Andrea 'Uli' Tobing-Hilliard

One of the very interesting ethnical music ensembles dating from the Pre-historic era is the GORDANG SEMBILAN, owned by the Batak Mandailing in North Sumatera. This ensemble consists of nine big one-head drums and several bronze blow instruments. While in some part of the areas in Indonesia the drum always functions as a rhythmical instrument, then what is interesting in GORDANG SEMBILAN is that the nine drums have more the feature of a melody. By observing the instruments in this ensemble, it is very clear that there is no Indian element, and can even be said to have more Pre-historic features. In the Batak Mandailing Society, when this very sacred instruments are not played, they are always stored in a special house called SOPO GORDANG meaning the house of the GORDANG. People say that the nine drums represent the nine clans in the Batak etnic, and the highest clan is the Raja (English: KING). Only ensemble from SOPO GORDANG is allowed to play a sacred music and to be played when to be needed to call the souls of the forefathers.



Because it is so sacred, the taking down those instruments must be with the authorization of the KING followed by executing the ritual buffalo butchery. After the drums are being synchronized then must be followed by executing the ritual buffalo butchery as well. This musical ensemble, which consider the drum to be the most important, forms the main ensemble of the Batak Society consisting among other of the Batak Mandailing, Batak Karo, Batak Pak-pak Dairi, Batak Simalungun, and Batak Toba (Margaret J. Kartomi, 1977).