Dhe Kecuk, a Unique Gamelan Craftsman from Sleman

RRI.CO.ID, Sleman - Supoyo, also known as Dhe Kecuk, a gamelan (a set of Javanese music instruments) craftsman in Jamblangan Hamlet, Seyegan Subdistrict, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta, is still committed to creating traditional Javanese musical instruments. In the face of a scarcity of fresh artisans, he is one of the few gamelan experts who still works to maintain these old instruments.

From his residence, which doubles as a workshop, Dhe Kecuk manages his gamelan manufacturing business with his wife, Sarjiatun. He started learning about gamelan in 1990 while working as a welder in Banyuraden, and in 2012 he eventually launched his own company.

"My house is also my workplace. It's just as it is, the important thing is that I can continue making gamelan and preserve this traditional sound so that it doesn't disappear over time," said Dhe Kecuk.

He said that figuring out the pitch or tone is the biggest difficulty in creating a gamelan. In his opinion, gamelan cannot be tuned by computers or formulas; rather, it requires a sensitive sense of hearing and emotion.

"Feeling and hearing are necessary when tuning gamelan. Even the smallest error can make the tone uninteresting and grating. A gamelan craftsman's primary skill is sensitivity," he stated.

Despite being made with simple, self-modified equipment, Dhe Kecuk's work has reached various regions in Indonesia, from Sumatra to Sulawesi to Papua. In fact, one of his works, a three-meter-diameter gong, is now installed in an arts building in the Netherlands.

Dhe Kecuk acknowledged that passing on the spirit of cultural preservation to the younger generation is no easy task.  The survival of traditional musical instrument artisans is genuinely at risk due to shifts in musical preferences and lower market demand.

"The challenge now is no longer the technical aspects of creating gamelan, but rather how to ensure that it continues to be popular in the community and sustains its creators," he said.

He also stressed the necessity of preserving traditional arts while ensuring a respectable livelihood for its practitioners. As a result, a system is necessary to guarantee that traditional artists continue to have the room and respect they merit so that this nation's intellectual riches do not turn into simple relics in the future. (Misni Parjiati/Bambang MBKA)