 In the 14th and 15th centuries,
Balinese royalty enjoyed being entertained by a form of theatre known as Gambuh. The
popularity of the Gambuh has faded with the force of time, but this form of theatre has
continued to be a strong source of inspiration for artistic creation in Bali over a number
of centuries.
At present cultural theorists and observers are of the opinion that it
is the Gambuh dance which has been the creative inspiration behind hundreds of dance
forms, ranging from the traditional to the contemporary, which in turn have beautified the
art and culture on this island. One form of art that has evidently been inspired by the
Gambuh dance is the Arja opera, which has now become even more popular than the Gambuh
itself.
Earlier this year the Arti Foundation presented an unusual fusion of
dramatic art forms when it presented ‘Gambuh Macbeth’. As well as synchronising
two traditions, this performance started to break the ice that had frozen the classical
Balinese art for a few centuries. Then, in August this year, a Gambuh Dance Festival was
held, which signified the dramatic return of this particular traditional art form.
Not many in the art community are yet fully acquainted with the Gambuh
dance. “I’ve frequently heard the name Gambuh, but only now have I had the
chance to see it,” admitted Ketut Landras (38), a poet residing in Denpasar.
Inspired by Nature,
Enjoyed by Kings
How has the Gambuh dance come into being? Prof. Dr. Made Bandem, an
ethnologist and ex-Director of the Indonesian Art College of Denpasar - now Director of
Indonesian Art at the Institute of Yogyakarta - theorises that the choreography and
gestures in the Gambuh dance indicate that its composer or designer was inspired by
nature. The movements imitate natural elements such as storms accompanied by the swaying
of trees, as well as the movements of such animals as the lion (ngeraja singa), the
tiptoeing of the gelatik bird on a tree branch (gelatik nuut papah), the struggling deer
being disturbed by fruit flies (kidang rebut muring), and the movement of a kind of
mythological animal (buta nawasari).
 Actually, it is not clear who the great
master craftsman was who developed this Gambuh dance, complete with its choreography,
gestures and voices - as well as the accompanying musical instruments - all of which have
been inherited through to the present time. What is clear is that the Gambuh dance has
become the ‘art mother’ which has given birth to various creations, traditional
and contemporary alike, which have forged their way into the turn of the second
millennium.
During its early life, there could have been several versions of the
Gambuh dance. A lontar palm-leaf manuscript mentions that the Gambuh dance came into
existence in Bali during the reign of King Udayana in the 11th century. King Udayana
married a princess from East Java (whose original name was Mehendradatta but later was
named Gunapriya Dharmapatni), and from this marriage Airlangga was born, who later became
the King of East Java.
When the term Gambuh now appears and is associated with the name of a
king, it can be assumed that its birthplace in the past must have been in that
ruler’s kingdom. Hindu kings in the past were theocratic, as they were regarded as
the reincarnation of the God Wisnu, so automatically this type of dance became part and
parcel of the religious life of the whole population.
It is not at all strange, therefore, that the Gambuh dance is now
performed in conjunction with ceremonies held in various temples in Bali, a practice that
has continued over time. Indeed, the number of original pieces of Gambuh dance equipment
and accessories is now very few, and those still intact are considered to be part of
Bali’s living heritage and are regarded as sacred, being kept safe in temples.
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