Dum da, dum da, dum da, dum da. The rhythm of the gamelan mimicking the sounds of horses galloping in the wild plays in the background as 9 dancers enters the ‘gelanggang’ (stage). One man steps up to centre stage and cracks his whip, signalling the beginning of the Kuda Kepang dance.

As the dancers ‘ride’ in on painted woven horses, the ‘Bapak’ will herd the dancers and their movements by cracking his whip around the stage. Whilst there are many permutations of this enchanting dance and every troop puts their own spin on the choreography, the essence of the dance remains the same.

Tradition steeped in myth

Kuda Kepang, loosely translated as Woven Horse, is one of Johor’s living heritage art forms which originates from West Java, Indonesia. It has been practiced for over a hundred years and has many variations of how the dance came to be.

Legend has it, that the dance was developed by the Wali Songo (revered saints of Islam in Indonesia) to spread the teachings of Islam by incorporating the preaching and stories of Islam into local arts and dance performances. Other legends suggest that the dance is a depiction of Saidina Ali – the fourth Islamic Caliph and a great horseback warrior. The most intriguing one tells the story of a mythical horse who came down to Java from the heavens to find its lost friend and they rejoiced in dance when they were reunited.

No matter which story you choose to believe, there is no doubt that the dance is steeped in mysticism.

Image: Berita Harian Online

As you watch a Kuda Kepang performance, you quickly realize that it is a hypnotic experience. The repetitive beats of the gendang and gong that quickens and slows with the pace of the horses draws you in. In the more traditional performances, the dancers often go into a trance-like state and start portraying the traits of various animal spirits they embody. Some dancers will liken themselves to monkeys, climbing up trees, others will gallop like horses, whilst others still would act as tigers, snakes and more.

As the excitement mounts, the audience is entranced by the performers and the air feels pregnant with possibilities. The movements of the dancers turn from choreographed to contemporary with the music and spirits guiding their every move. They jump, and twirl and move with wild abandonment, freeing themselves from their daily constraints in an exploration of the self.

Religion vs. culture

As the traditional Kuda Kepang dance involves some ritualistic practices such as the burning of Kemenyan (incense) and chanting to invoke the spirits during the ‘Buka gelenggang’ ceremony, it has been under fire from the religious bodies in Johor for the past decade. In 2009, a fatwa was declared on Kuda Kepang, making it illegal to practice the art. The declaration opened multiple dialogues on that matter between the various Kuda Kepang groups and the religious department, with the practitioners calling for a reverse on the declaration as it jeopardizes the continuity of heritage and it affects their livelihoods.

According to En. Ramzan bin Mahfol, Patron of Kuda Kepang Seri Budaya – Kulai, he believes that the practice of Kuda Kepang is in accordance to the practices of Islam. The ayat-ayat, or invocations which they use to start the ceremony are lines from the Quran and does not warrant the labels of polytheism or superstition.

For the preservation of culture and heritage, both the religious party and the Kuda Kepang practitioners came to a compromise and agreed that the performance of Kuda Kepang would be permitted as a choreographed dance without the invocation of spirits. It is interesting to note however, that although the fatwa was declared, it was not gazetted and therefore not recognized as part of the legislation, leaving the legality of the practice in a grey area. The traditional form of Kuda Kepang mabuk is still widely practiced in Johor, albeit with more caution and on occasions when the local councils asks for the gatherings to be disbanded, the practitioners would comply.

The effects of culture on society.

One might imagine that the practitioners of this art form would be wizened old men, but the opposite is true. A lot of the leaders in the Kuda Kepang groups are in their 20s and 30s with members as young as 5 years old.

Image: Kesenian Kuda Kepang Jaran Wibowo, FB

“I’ve wanted to practice Kuda Kepang since I was 9 years old, but my family didn’t allow it as they felt I was too young. But at 12 years old, I sneakily started to learn it and by 14, I had gathered 12 friends to start practicing together. By the time I was 16, I was leading a group of 100 members” Mr. Fadz, Patron of Persatuan Kesenian Kuda Kepang Jaran Wibowo.

Unlike other more nuanced traditional arts such as wau, gasing or wayang kulit, which implies a life-long dedication preserve, Kuda Kepang takes a more relaxed stance. It is widely accepted as the norm and it is so ingrained in the culture of Johor that it is seen as a hobby with traditional roots rather than a dedication to the preservation of history.

“..the Kuda Kepang is a space of freedom, and a space of relief, and a space of expression. At the same time, a place of remembrance of a very old kind of heritage…”. Pauline Fan, Creative Director, PUSAKA.

Although it is taken as a hobby, there is a strong element of discipline and structure for those who practice the art of Kuda Kepang. Group meetings and practices are held regularly, and members spend years training in order to achieve the highest levels of ílmu or skills before eventually leading groups of their own and guiding a new generation of practitioners.

It is in this space where they are able to find release from daily stressors. The act of mabuk which sound more sinister than it actually is, is thought to be a form of catharsis with the dancers and practitioners disconnecting from the constraints and expectations of society, giving in and exploring a deeper sense of self through dance.

Contrary to popular belief, when the dancers are in a trance-like state, they are not possessed by random ethereal beings, but rather, they are channelling the same isim or essence every time. According to En. Ramzan, there are close bonds fostered between the dancer and their woven horses, much like their bond to the isim.

“An isim is a kind of spirit but it is a spirit that is related and connected to your own personality. It is a kind of personality archetype.”, Pauline Fan, PUSAKA.

Pauline, on the other hand, has a more studied observation to this phenomenon, comparing it to Carl Jung’s philosophy on the collective unconscious, where a part of our minds contains memories and impulses which we are not aware of.

“Our everyday realities sometimes does not allow us to access parts of the (human) psyche and so, in a ritual space like Kuda Kepang, that is actually allowing the performers, and by extension, the larger community to get in touch with those aspects of the self and release it because if you don’t encounter those hidden aspects of the psyche, sometimes they can get very destructive.” says Pauline.

It is an interesting take when we consider the implications of what Kuda Kepang as an art form, or a hobby creates for the people. One could speculate that without this outlet, regardless of whether you consider Kuda Kepang to be supernatural or otherwise, the release that is gotten from practicing this art form could be channelled to much more destructive behaviours.

The future of Kuda Kepang

Much like many other industries, the recent Covid-19 pandemic has also impacted the Kuda Kepang industry. Being such a community centred activity, it has been difficult for the practitioners to gather, much less perform.

“A lot of (Kuda Kepang) groups have been very quiet since the MCO. It makes me worried and I fear that the tradition would disappear just like that… that the people’s interest will be gone.” Mr. Fadz, Patron of Persatuan Kesenian Kuda Kepang Jaran Wibowo.

However, the threat of extinction for this beautiful art form goes deeper beyond the pandemic. The constant evolution of societal norms and the changing definitions of religious boundaries will always play a part in the survival of Kuda Kepang.

For now, we take comfort in the fact that there is still continued interest for the art in younger generations. It is in the passing down of passion and knowledge that the heritage will survive. Every time a dancer steps on to the stage, every time the ‘Bapak’ cracks his whip, we know that another heart falls in love, and a new generation is born.

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