Mimicry and Hybridity of “Congrock Musik 17” in Semarang

Sunarto Sunarto,Udi Utomo,Irfanda Rizki Harmono Sejati

doi:10.15294/harmonia.v20i1.24563

Sunarto Sunarto, Udi Utomo + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.15294/harmonia.v20i1.24563

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Abstract

Keroncong, a slow and crooning music, serves as the art and culture that reflects Indonesian identities. This music style still exists today, particularly in Semarang that is widely known as an urban area. The resistance of such music is actualized with the process of mimicry and hybridity of keroncong and rock music, causing pros and cons that lead to a crisis. The performed mimicry and hybridity is a negotiation in identity construction that takes place in ambivalent behavior as a strategy to survive from the crisis. Building an identity of Congrock (keroncong and rock) is carried out to explore the mediation form in the third space, enabling the outlining of the position of Congrock identity in Semarang. A case study, an art research method, and historical reading were employed to interpret the existing phenomenon. The result indicated that the Congrock identity was the result of mimicry and hybridity that was formed due to the hegemony in Indonesia. Mimicry and hybridity had become the most important point because they took place in an urban area, such as Semarang. The integration of local and global cultures in Congrock generated a new identity in society as the third space and created a gray zone in Congrock, i.e., the area between the form of imitation and cross-cultural music integration. The position of Congrock in Semarang became a symbol of freedom in negotiating locality while partially articulating modernity.

Highlights

As written in a book entitled Indonesia Heritage: Seni Pertunjukan [Indonesian Heritage: Performing Arts] (Sedyawati, 2002), Semarang includes in the area of the keroncong music spreading map in Indonesia
Congrock identity of the “Congrock 17 Semarang” group is regarded as the third space or ‘intermediate’ space, in which there is a negotiation in congrock hybridity
The group members do not refuse identities or cultures brought up by the dominant group through the media. They show the dynamics of building an identity that continues to change, as well as a strategy to ‘survive’ from the rock genre exposure as the dominant culture

Summary

INTRODUCTION

As written in a book entitled Indonesia Heritage: Seni Pertunjukan [Indonesian Heritage: Performing Arts] (Sedyawati, 2002), Semarang includes in the area of the keroncong music spreading map in Indonesia. 36), Indonesian society as a post-colonial society, which referred to the historical period of post-independence at that time, had empiricism towards the practices of fascist colonialism or the racist administration This issue affects the existence of “Congrock 17” group that invites the pros and cons of its genre of music. The analysis of the works and performances of the group is used to answer the question regarding the position of congrock identity in “Congrock 17 Semarang” with mimicry and hybridity in a postcolonial study. In this context, keroncong has become an in-depth study in finding out the issue of the diversity of values in the process of forming the art itself. This study is useful for opening up the view of the society, local musicians, and government that the hybrid identity of congrock can be an icon for its group in the context of arts in Semarang, so that it will become a sustainable local art

METHOD

AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSIONS