Special Features and Local Wisdom on Classical Ketoprak
Manuscript of Surakarta Style: Sociology of Literature Perspective
Bagus Wahyu Setyawan, Kundharu Saddhono, Ani Rakhmawati
Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta, Indonesia
Keywords: Local wisdom, classical ketoprak manuscripts of Surakarta style, sociology of literature.
Abstract: Every literary work surely has special features that distinguish it from other literature. This point can be
influenced by socio-cultural background, the creative process of an author, and the purpose of a creation.
Ketoprak script is a kind of Javanese literature that has widely known in Central Java, East Java, Special
Region of Yogyakarta, and many coastal areasin the northern part of Java Island. This research aims to
describe and explain the special features of classical ketoprak manuscript of Surakarta style from the sociology
of literature perspective. This type of research is descriptive-qualitative using a sociological literature
approach. The data resources are some classical ketoprak manuscripts of Surakarta style composed by artists
from Surakarta City. The data were collected by using a content analysis technique and a depth interview.
Results of this research show classical ketoprak manuscripts of Surakarta style that have special features in
terms of the dialect of Surakarta language, special performance technique, and language style used by authors.
Therefore, socio-cultural background of authors can be seen from the revenue element of local wisdom from
Surakarta and it makes the classical ketoprak manuscripts of Surakarta style different from other ketoprak
scripts in other areas on Java Island.
1 INTRODUCTION
One of the arts derived from Javanese culture is
ketoprak. It is a form of traditional theatrical arts that
is performed in groups and it brings the story taken
from the history of kingdoms in Java (Setyawan,
2016; Lisbiyanto, 2013). Ketoprak art has been
known in various regions in Java (Central Java, East
Java, and Yogyakarta) and it becomes a spectacle of
people who have many fans. At the beginning, a
ketoprak art is staged by some farmers as an
expression of gratitude for the harvest. Therefore,
ketoprak art is called a folk art, (Hughes and Freeland,
2008). At that time a ketoprak art form is very simple,
its musical accompaniment is only mortar-related
tools or called lesung, so at that time ketoprakw as
also called ketoprak lesung, (Hatley, 2010). The story
was originally sung and it is still about everyday
social issues interspersed with dancing and singing.
Ketoprak art progresses over time. Now mostly
staged ketoprak must begin or derive from a ketoprak
script written by the director (Winet, 2009). The use
of manuscripts in ketoprak performances facilitates
the actors, spectators, connoisseurs, and young
ketoprak arts practitioners. The rapid development of
ketoprak art is not accompanied by the increase of
ketoprak fans. In fact, many people, young and old
prefer watching electronic cinemas (soap operas) to
watching the ketoprak show. Reasons like less
interesting stories, monotonous forms of
performance, and old-fashioned impression are often
catapulted by society, (Cohen, 2007). As a result,
many ketoprak groups disperse because they have no
audience and income to support their group activities.
Yet, a ketoprak art contains a variety of special
things that are not owned by other traditional arts.
These special features make ketoprak unique and
attractive for ketoprak artists (Fujiastuti, 2015: 5). In
addition to having special features, ketoprak
performances in each region in Java also have
differences. Several different kinds of ketoprak arts
are found in Java, and some of them are Ketoprak
Jawa Timuran (East Java), Ketoprak Pesisiran
(develop in Nort-coastal Area of Javanese island),
Ketoprak Gaya Surakarta (From Surakarta),
Ketoprak Metaraman that are developed in
Yogyakarta and its surroundings. Each variety of
ketoprak performances has its own style and
uniqueness. Such peculiarities can be viewed from
the use of language reflected in the intercultural
dialogue, costumes, and music accompaniment used
to accompany the performance (Miqdadiyah, 2015:
126
Setyawan, B., Saddhono, K. and Rakhmawati, A.
Special Features and Local Wisdom on Classical Ketoprak - Manuscript of Surakarta Style: Sociology of Literature Perspective.
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education (ICSE 2017) - Volume 1, pages 126-130
ISBN: 978-989-758-316-2
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3). This article will discuss the special characteristics
and specificities of the classical ketoprak of Surakarta
style. The discussion on the special features and
peculiarities of the classical ketoprak texts of
Surakarta Style will be discussed not only from the
point of view of the manuscript and language, but also
the staging structure. This is because the ketoprak
script cannot be separated from the performances as a
visualization of the story in the script. An approach of
sociology of literature is used to analyze the object of
study because it is mainly concerned with special
characteristics and local wisdom in the text of
classical ketoprak of Surakarta style.
2 RESEARCH METHOD
This is a qualitative descriptive research using a
literature sociology approach. The focus of this
research is directed to the detailed and in-depth
description of special characteristics and wisdom in
the classical ketoprak manuscript of Surakarta style.
The manuscripts selected in this research tell about
the Mataram kingdom of Islam in the Surakarta style
of texts such as Amangkurat Agung; Bedhah
Kartasura; and Adeging Praja Surakarta. The
selection of manuscripts is a sample of research
because it represents the ketoprak style of Surakarta
texts because the script is made by the classical
ketoprak artists from Surakarta. The data in three
textures of ketoprak used content analysis techniques,
along with data reduction stages, data presentation,
and data verification (Sutopo, 2002). To strengthen
the data analysis, in-depth interviews were conducted
with some artists and experts in the field of literature
especially ketoprak scripts. This research also used a
triangulation technique to test the validity and the
validity of data. A triangulation technique deals with
a triangulation of data sources and triangulation
theories, so that data and research results about
special characteristics and local wisdom in classical
ketoprak texts of Surakarta style at this time can be
held scientifically.
3 DISCUSSION
The research on a literature sociology approach is a
study of literary work that has been undertaken by
many researchers or writers who struggle in the field
of literature. However, only a few studies of the
sociology of literature examine classical ketoprak
scripts of Surakarta style. The sociology of literature
examines the direct link between the elements of
literary works and elements of society (Endraswara,
2011: 9). The study of sociology of literature can be
used to analyze special features and local wisdom in
the classical ketoprak texts of Surakarta style that
distinguish the classical ketoprak texts from other
texts in other areas, such as in Yogyakarta, East Java,
and in the northern coastal areas of Java Island. As
previously mentioned, the mostly staged ketoprak in
the present era tends to use the scripts. Ketoprak
manuscripts are a source of stories that must be
interpreted by the director, players, and other staging
elements (setting interpreters, artistic stylists, and
stylists) (Satoto, 2012). Ketoprak story is a
representation of events that occurred in the past to
tell about life and all the jolts in the Javanese
kingdom.
The development of ketoprak art emerged at the
first time in Surakarta precisely in Kampung
Madyataman. The name of the creator is RMT
Wreksodiningrat. A special feature in the classical
ketoprak manuscript of Surakarta style can be
identified from the story, the language reflected in the
dialogue among the ketoprak players in traditional
costumes, and musical accompaniment is used to
accompany ketoprak performances. The translation
of each point is elaborated as follows:
3.1 The Story of Classical Ketoprak
Manuscript of Surakarta Style
The classical ketoprak scripts of Surakarta style tell
about a story that contains a historical value, namely
the history of the Islamic Mataram kingdom. A
ketoprak manuscript does not contain a history as a
whole, but it contains some historical facts given by
the author's touch to create dramatic elements in the
text (Setyawan, 2016). Although it contains only a
small portion of the story of the Islamic Mataram
Kingdom, it cannot be denied that the script or
ketoprak performance has information about past
events that can serve as a historical knowledge
transmitted to the younger generation. Elements such
as setting of figures or setting of places of events are
even similar in terms of the problems or conflicts in a
ketoprak text in historical documents, namely
Amangkurat Agung, Bedhah Kartasura, and Adeging
Praja Surakarta.
In Amangkurat Agung script the setting of events
took place during the time of Mataram Islam. The
main character in the script of Ketoprak Amangkurat
Agung is Sunan Amangkurat Agung. Other figures in
the Amangkurat Agung script are Rara Hoyi, Prince
Anom, Prince Pekik, Ratu Batang, Trunojoyo, and
Special Features and Local Wisdom on Classical Ketoprak - Manuscript of Surakarta Style: Sociology of Literature Perspective
127

Kraeng Galengsong. When tracing back to the
documents and historical evidence, some of these
figures are mentioned in a story that tells about the
reign of the Mataram dynasty of Islam around the
year (1646-1677). The conflicts occurring in the
manuscript are almost similar to those described in
some historical documents (babad tanah jawi) about
the arbitrary reign of Sunan Amangkurat Agung,
without thinking of the fate of his people. The
performances of Sunan Amangkurat Agung and
Prince Anom were increasingly widespread because
Prince Anom liked Rara Hoyo, the girl who became
the concubine of Amangkurat Agung. At the height
of his rebellion, Prince Anom joined the pirates from
the Land of Sulawesi, Kraeng Galengsong to commit
a coup to his father.
In the manuscript Bedhah Kartasura, a similar
setting of events occurred at the time of Mataram
Kingdom has been moved from Pleret to Kartasura,
precisely west of Surakarta. This is in accordance
with another document written in Babad Tanah Jawi
that the court of Mataram Kartasura founded around
the year 1705-1719 AD (Fawaid, 2015). The
perpetrators were also the same, namely Mas
Garendi, Susuhunan Pakubuwono II, Raden Mas
Said, Prince Mangkubumi, and the Dutch/VOC.
Broadly speaking, the conflict was almost the same,
which is about a rebellion conducted by Raden Mas
Said, Prince Mangkubumi, and Mas Garendi assisted
by the Chinese ethnic population. The end of this civil
war was the agreement of Giyanti Agreement in 1755,
which divided the power of the Mataram Kingdom
into two, namely Kraton Surakarta Hadiningrat and
Kraton Yogyakarta Hadiningrat (Arifin, 2013).
Furthermore, in Ketoprak Adeging Praja
Surakarta script, the setting of events occurred in
Kampung or Desa Sala, the place chosen to be built
as the Kraton Surakarta (Surakarta Sultan Palace).
The book Babad Tanah Jawi mentioned that the
Kraton Surakarta was established in 1745 AD. The
figures in the story are Sunan Pakubuwana III, Kyai
Ageng Sala, Kyai Hasan Besari from Ponorogo, and
of course the villagers of Sala. Broadly speaking the
Adeging Praja Surakarta script tells about the polemic
establishment of Surakarta Kasunanan Palace,
starting from the election of a determined place
between Sukoharjo and Kadipolo areas until a chosen
Sala Village as the location where Kraton Kasunanan
Surakarta (Monfries, 2015) is established. Until now
some of the previously mentioned areas can be found
around the Surakarta Palace.
When reviewed in depth, historical information
can be found in ketoprak texts. For example, the
previously mentioned manuscripts contain historical
information that includes the setting of events, figures
or historical actors, and conflicts that are largely
similar to those in historical documents. Having
known the content of historical elements in ketoprak,
the texts of ketoprak can be used as a means to
actualize the knowledge of history, especially the
history around the city of Surakarta.
3.2 Languages in the Classical
Surakarta Ketoprak Script of
Surakarta Style
As one of the literary works, the classical ketoprak
manuscript of Surakarta style certainly has the
distinctiveness of language reflected in the dialogue
between the soldiers. Viewing from the variety of
languages used, the classical ketoprak manuscript of
Surakarta style tends to use a variety of archaic or
literary variety. This can be known from the still-
used-varieties of Bahasa Jawa Kedhaton (a Javanese
language variety commonly used in the Palace of
Solo and Yogyakarta).
The artists and practitioners of ketoprak in
Surakarta tend to use the basa kedhaton when
performing ketoprak. Basa kedhaton is the language
commonly used by the courtier and the palace
servants at the time of speaking and reporting
something to the king (Sulaksono, 2016: 83). They
still hold the idea that ketoprak art is a great art that
has high cultural values as well as wayang wong
(literally: human puppet) art and wayang kulit
(literally: leather puppet) art. Therefore, they must
use standard concessions or rules, one of which is the
use of a language that retains the use of the basa
kedhaton or archaic language. Language defense in
literary works can also increase the community's love
of the Javanese language (Saddhono and Rohmadi,
2014). The foundation of the writers of classical
ketoprak manuscript of Surakarta style in writing
their script (the script writers) puts forward the beauty
of language in the script. In contrast, the ketoprak text
of Mataraman Style of Yogyakarta tends to use every
day Javanese language commonly called the Basa
Padinan.
3.3 Costumes and Musical
Accompaniment for the Classical
Ketoprak Script of Surakarta Style
After reviewing the script from the viewpoint of story
and language, it is necessary to discuss the
performance because the final product of a ketoprak
script is a ketoprak staged performance. From the
standpoint of ketoprak, the special features of the
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classical Ketoprak of Surakarta style can be viewed
from the costumes worn by the performers and the
accompaniment of musical performance.
Clothing is worn when staging the ketoprak of
Surakarta style as elaborated as follows: 1) Blangkon
or headband for male players. Kings and Patih
figures, wearing a head cover called the kuluk. 2) The
King figure wears a suit called Sikepan, just as the
groom wears in the Javanese customs. The other
player wears a suit called sorjan. The servants and
soldiers wear the vest. 3) The King figure always
wears flower-patterned trousers (cinde motif) with
jarik accessories tied up to the knee. Players whose
titles are lower than the Patih Royal and Royal Riders
wear long-stretched fingers to cover the legs. Soldiers
and commoners wear the jarik tied to the knee alone
called supit urang style. High-ranking female players,
such as the wife of the king and the wives of the royal
courtiers wear the kebaya clothes and use the jarik to
cover the legs. For female characters that have low
titles or ordinary people just wear a cloth that is linked
to the chest to cover the feet or commonly called the
kemben clothes.
The musical accompaniment used in the classical
ketoprak performance of Surakarta style is generally
the same as the performance of ketoprak in other
areas, namely the gamelan music as the main
instrument. There is also a musical accompaniment
like srepeg (a musical accompaniment for a scene
change), lancaran, and ladrang. The accompaniment
is a common accompaniment used in some other
traditional Javanese arts performances. However, in
performing classical ketoprak of Surakarta style,
there is a specificity namely the use of Srepeg Tali
Jiwa to accompany the turn of the scene. Srepeg Tali
Jiwa is an accompaniment created by one of the
ketoprak artists who come from the ketoprakof RRI
group in Surakarta.
Not only limited to the story, language, costumes,
and musical accompaniment, but other elements also
make the performance of classical ketoprak of
Surakarta style different from ketoprak performances
in other areas. The "keprak" tool made of wood or
bamboo is used as a code for musical accompaniment
and a change of scene in performing the ketoprak
(Ulya, 2016: 45).
The special features in the classical ketoprak of
Surakarta style is a peculiarity not shared by the
ketoprak in other regions. The peculiarities in stories,
languages, costumes, and musical accompaniments
are also a local Javanese cultural wisdom in the
classical ketoprak of Surakarta style. For that reason,
studying the classical ketoprak texts of Surakarta
style indirectly aims to learn about the culture of
society that exists in Surakarta which is reflected in
the story and figure in the script of classical ketoprak
of Surakarta style.
4 CONCLUSION
Ketoprak script is one of the literary works and the
traditional dramas. Viewed from the literary and
sociological perpectives, the classical ketoprak text of
Surakarta style has various special features that
represent a local wisdom of traditional arts
originating from Surakarta. These special
characteristics can be viewed from the standpoint of
the manuscript and ketoprak performance that is a
product continuation of the ketoprak classical script
of Surakarta style. The story in the classical ketoprak
script of Surakarta style tells about the history of the
Islamic Mataram Kingdom. The language used in the
classic ketoprak script of Surakarta style is the archaic
language of the Basa Kedhaton of Javanese variety.
From a performance point of view, the classical
ketoprak script of Surakarta style has a peculiarity
when viewed from the costumes and musical
accompaniment used to accompany the
performances. The costumes in the classical ketoprak
script of Surakarta style performances represent
costumes used in the royal period; the details are
blangkon or headband, sorjanese cloth, and batik
cloth of Surakarta. Relatively musical
accompaniment is almost the same as ketoprak
performances in other areas, namely using the
gamelan as the main instrument. Its specificity lies in
the use of Srepeg Tali Jiwo as a musical
accompaniment change of scene. In addition, the
special feature of ketoprak of Surakarta style is the
use of "keprak", a kind of bat tool made of wood or
bamboo. Keprak is used as a code against the musical
accompaniment and the change of scene in the
classical ketoprak performance of Surakarta style.
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