The Melodic Style and Contents of Rudang-rudang Si Melias Gelar as

a Ritual Chanting in Karo Society

Kumalo Tarigan

Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia

Keywords: Melodic style, Contents, Rudang-Rudang si Melias Gelar, Ritual Chanting, Karo Society.

Abstract : In Karo's animistic beliefs there are various rituals chanting. One of those is ‘rudang-rudang si melias gelar’

which can be defined as a group of good name leaves of grass. This ritual chanting is part of the mangmang

(shaman’s songs) presented in raleng tendi that is ‘the calling human spirit ceremony'. Rudang-rudang si

melias gelar (a group of good name leaves) a kind of solo vocal singing without musical accompaniment. The

person presenting is a shaman during the ritual ceremony for treatment. Describe of the rudang rudang si

melias gelar (a group of good name leaves) with systematic approach in the ethnomusicology studies.

Analysis shows that in the ritual chanting the texts element is more important than the element of melody.

The melody of rudang-rudang si melias gelar is recited in a syllabic style. Melody centered on one note only.

Characteristics of songs include melodies based on 3-tone or 2-tone. At the phrase is often exposed rengget

or melisma but very little. The texts has a useful content for medicinal purposes. The contents of the text states

that there are some useful flora become a symbol of human life support in Karo society.

1 INTRODUCTION

Rudang-rudang si melias gelar are one of the rituals

chanting of Karo society. This ritual chanting is one

of the parts of the mangmang (shaman’s songs) that

is performed on the raleng tendi (the calling the

human spirit ceremony). This ceremony is a ritual

activity of Karo tradition beliefs based on the

anismism, called pemena.

According to Putro, in " Karo dari Zaman ke

Zaman " (1981: 45-47) pemena, is name of Karo’s

belief in 1946. This term exists because before 1946

Karo people who have converted to Christianity say

that the people of Karo who still practice trust of Karo

traditions are people who worship demons or ghosts.

They make a designation to the people who

practice of Karo's beliefs as perbegu. All the

supporters of Karo's beliefs were not happy.

Therefore, they held a discussion. The result of the

discussion making the terms to the Karo’s traditional

beliefs is pemena. In pemena, the absolute power is

Dibata. Dibata as the main source of the existing and

as a source of power that exist in the real world and

the unseen world. The power in the real world like the

power of various beings.

The power of the supernatural is like the power

of a subtle being or another with various terms. The

power of the real world and the power of the

supernatural world side by side around human life on

earth. Humans had a physical called kula daging and

have a spirit called tendi (human spirit). The

combination of the two elements mentioned above

then the human beng will be life.

Human life is known for certain with a sigh or

breath. The breath has an effect on the physical and

the spiritual. Effects in the physical normally have

senses and energy.While the influence of the spiritual

to the human being has the mind and ideals.

Physical and spiritual conditions in humans are

not the same. Some humans have strong physical and

some are weak. There are humans who have a sharp

sense, some are moderate and some are weak. There

are humans who have a clever mind and high ideals

and some one are not.

Element kula daging and tendi can separate.

When separated and no longer relationship then the

human being is mate (died). But if separated because

of the interference from outside the human self then

happens sick. Formerly such treatment is called

raleng tendi, but now it is called nambari penakit

(treating the sick).

1214

Tarigan, K.

The Melodic Style and Contents of Rudang-rudang Si Melias Gelar as a Ritual Chanting in Karo Society.

DOI: 10.5220/0010069812141217

In Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches (ICOSTEERR 2018) - Research in Industry 4.0, pages

1214-1217

ISBN: 978-989-758-449-7

2 RALENG TENDI (CEREMONY

CALLING HUMAN SPIRIT) OR

NAMBARI PENAKIT (TREATING

THE SICK)

Acording to the shamans Len Tarigan, Nd. Pekan br

Ginting, Nd. Maklum br Tarigan, and Gindar

Ginting, that there are 4 (four) things may cause

physical separation with spirit in humans. These are:

1) fears caused by circumstances, 2) a great deal of

pain toward the parents for one thing, 3) running a bad

activity in one place of the spirits, and 4) the intention

of others who want to make the disease.

The ritual of calling the human spirit ceremony

is a way of treating the Karo people. The place to run

the ritual ceremony of raleng tendi must be at home

approximately at 19:30. Although this medication

ceremony I have seen many times, but became the

corpus in this paper that done by Shaman Gindar

Ginting in Pancur Batu on October 10, 2017.The

ritual ceremony is performed when the shaman sees

that the illness caused separation between the

physical and the spirit of a patient. The shaman may

know by performing the ritual nendong (fortune

telling ceremony).

Many symptoms of illness arise from the

physical separation with the spirit. On the physical

symptoms, such as there is pain in the head, chest,

abdomen or on other organs. Other influences may

also be on the mind of a person, as often confused,

may also not be able to run the work that has been

done and the other. Such circumstances according to

the treatment of Karo tradition should be done with

the raleng tendi.

Perform a ritual of the calling human spirit

ceremony, begins after the shaman arrives at the

patient's home. Families rather than patients provide

conditions to the shaman. The usual requirement for

a shaman to be received from a patient is belo cawir

(a good leaf betel given lime betel and areca nut split

eight). Furthermore, shaman takes the embellishment

of the dagangen (white cloth), and is opened for

widening and wrapping it upon him so that his whole

body is covered by a white cloth except the face. In

such circumstances the shaman presents the

mangmang. Mangmang consists of four parts, namely

1) persentabin (ask permission), 2) perleboh

(calling), 3) rudang-rudang si melias gelar (a group

of good name leaves of grass), and 4) tabas ngeleboh

tendi (spell of calling the human spirit). The four parts

of the mangmang are presented at certain intervals.

Besides, the four parts are significantly distinguished

both in terms of melody and from the meaning of the

text.

3 THE MELODIC STYLE OF

RUDANG- RUDANG SI MELIAS

GELAR

Shaman sings the rudang-rudang si melias gelar texts

or lyrics with free rhythms without musical

accompaniment. The text that becomes the lyrics are

not of a particular shape and is not tied to the number

of words and syllables. This causes the short length

of melodic phrases is vary. The language used is

atonal, the meaning of the word unchanged by the

change of tone. A sectional singing known with

melodic phrases. The phrase melodies are sung by

reclaiming. The song is singing the text with the same

tone continuously, except at the end of the phrase.

The melodic phrases are shown in Example 1.

Example 1. Piece song rudang-rudang si melias gelar part

In the above it seen that the melody is centered on

a-tone, while at the end of the e-tone. At the end of

the two melodic phrases there melismatic, one of the

vocal characteristics of the Karo songs. Melismatic in

Karo songs may be present at the beginning or in the

middle of phrase. Like show in Example 2. Based on

the tones contained in the rudang-rudang si melias

gelar melodies then the scale 3-tones, a-f-e.

The Melodic Style and Contents of Rudang-rudang Si Melias Gelar as a Ritual Chanting in Karo Society

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Example 2. Piece song rudang-rudang si melias gelar part

4 THE CONTENTS OF RUDANG-

RUDANG SI MELIAS GELAR

There are eleven kinds of flora that exist in the

rudang-rudang si melias gelar. Eleven kinds of flora

are made into seven symbols in support of human life.

The seven symbols are 1) the symbol of calling

human spirit, b) the symbol way of life, c. the symbol

of power, d) the symbol of wealth, e) the symbols of

many offspring, f) the symbol of harmonious, and 7)

the symbol of powerful spirit. It is like a lyrics

rudang-rudang si melias gelar below.

a. The Symbol of Calling Human Spirit

1. Dage enda lit kap katana rudang-rudang

simelias gelar

(This is a statement from a group of good name

leaves of grass)

2. Aku ka kap si entua nina bulung ertok

(I am the oldest, leaf ertok said)

3. Kai dalanna kam si entua bulung ertok

(What is you oldest cause, leaf ertok)

4. Bagem nina si nami-nami

(Asked by whose helps)

5. Sebab aku si ngiap-ngiapi

(In that, I waved)

6. Aru bage maka tendi ku rumah

(Therefore, human spirit will be to home)

7. Bagem nina bulung ertok

(Like that, the leaf ertok said)

8. Payo kam tuhu si entua bulung ertok

(Really you are the oldest, leaf ertok)

9. Aku kap si entua nina bulung sanggar

(I am the oldest, leaf sanggar said)

10.Kai dalanna kam si entua bulung sanggar

(What is you oldest cause, leaf sanggar)

11. Aku ngugursa rudang-rudang maka erdosar-

dosar

(I whose rocked this group leaves of grass so

ripple)

12. E maka tendi ku rumah

(Therefore, human spirit will be to home)

13. Bagem nina bulung sanggar

(Like that, leaf sanggar said)

14. Payo kam si entua bulung sanggar

(Really you are the oldest, leaf sanggar)

b. The Symbol Way of Life

15. Aku kap si entua nina cinta-cinta

sarimendapet

((I am the oldest, cinta-cinta sarimendapet said)

16. Kai dalanna maka kam sintua nindu cinta-

cinta sarimendapet

(What is you oldest cause, cinta-cinta

sarimendapet)

17. Sebab aku bas rudang-rudang e maka uga i

suran bage i dapet

(With me on the a group good name leaves then

how to aspire so like that get it)

18. Payo kam tuhu si entua cinta-cinta

sarimendapet

(Really you are the oldest,

cinta-cinta

sarimendapet)

c. The Symbol of Power

19. Aku ka kap si entua nina tongkil-tongkil

(I am the oldest, tongkil-tongkil said)

20. Kai dalanna kam si entua tongkil-tongkil

(What is you oldest cause tongkil-tongkil)

21. Sebab aku ngongkilsa maka tendi banci

mulih ku rummah

(Because I push up, so the human spirit will be

come to home)

22. Payo kam tuhu si entua tongkil-tongkil

(Really you are the oldest, tongkil-tongkil)

d. The Symbol of Wealth

23. Aku ka kap si entua nina embera bayak

(I am the oldest, embera bayak said)

24. Kai dalanna kam si entua embera bayak

(What is you oldest cause, embera bayak)

25. Aku erbanca maka tendi ku rumah jadi kalak

bayak

(I make the human spirit come to the house

become rich)

26. Payo kam tuhu si entua embera bayak

(Really you are the oldest, embera bayak)

ICOSTEERR 2018 - International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches

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e. The Symbols of Many Offspring

27.Aku ka kap si entua nina sampe lulut

(I am the oldest, sampe lulut said)

28. Kai dalanna kam si entua sampe lulut

(What is you oldest cause sampe lulut)

29. Sebab aku erbansa maka anak kemuna rulut-

ulut

(Because I make, many offspring)

30. Payo kam tuhu si entua sampe lulut

(Really you are the oldest, sampe lulut)

f. The Symbol of Harmonious

31.Aku ka kap si entua nina nderasi

(I am the oldest, enderasi said)

32. Kai dalanna kam si entua enderasi

(What is you oldest cause enderasi)

33. Sebab aku erbansa maka ia sekula serasi

(Because I make harmony and balance)

34. Payo kam tuhu si entua enderasi

(Really you are the oldest, enderasi)

g. The Symbol of Powerful Spirit

35.Aku ka kap si entua nina beras-beras

(I am the oldest, beras-beras said)

36. Kai dalanna kam si entua beras-beras

(What is you oldest cause beras-beras)

37. Sebab aku erbansa maka piher pertendinna

(Because I make powerful spirit)

38. Payo kam tuhu si entua beras-beras

(Really you are the oldest, beras-beras)

39. Aku ka kap si entua nina betah-betah

(I am the oldest, betah-betah said)

40. Kai dalanna kam si entua betah-betah

(What is you oldest cause) betah-betah

41. Sebab aku erbansa maka mejuah-juah

(Because I make, powerful spirit)

42. Payo kam tuhu si entua betah-betah

(Really you are the oldest, betah-betah)

43.Aku ka kap si entua nina sumbul-sumbul

(I am the oldest, sumbul-sumbul said)

44. Kai dalanna kam si entua sumbul-sumbul

(What is you oldest cause, sumbul-sumbul)

45. Sebab aku erbansa maka tendina piher)

(Because I make powerful spirit)

46. Payo kam tuhu si entua sumbul-sumbul

(Really you are the oldest, sumbul-sumbul)

47.Aku ka kap si entua nina padang teguh

(I am the oldest, padang teguh said)

48. Kai dalanna kam si entua padang teguh

(What is you oldest cause padang teguh)

49. Sebab aku erbanca maka entegoh

pertendinna

(Because I make powerful spirit)

50. Payo kam tuhu si entua padang teguh

(Really you are the oldest, padang teguh)

5 CONCLUSIONS

In the early 1980s many Karo peoples have been

reluctant to seek out shamans because they are

considered incompatible with their religion. This fact

has changed, since around 2015, many Karo peoples

have re-used traditions treatment without having to

connect with religion. Therefore, the treatment of

tradition has been in great demand. One is tendi

raleng, but with different terms, ie treating the sick.

In practice this medication has ritual chanting

which is useful to increase the spirit of life. This is

done by creating a variety of flora that serves as a

supporting symbol in human embracing. This

chanting actually uses a very minimalist tone, but has

the power in the meaning of the text that can enter

into the soul of listens to it. So there is still hope to

keep improving human life.

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