Sahita’s Performance, Satire of the Life of Javanese Women

Yustina Devi Ardhiani

doi:10.24821/ijcas.v3i2.1846

Abstract

Sahita is a performance art group established in Surakarta-Central Java with four members of Javanese women who are in their forties to fifties. On stage performance, Sahita acts upon old women who are not pretty, but plump, attractive, energic, and humorous. Their performance is considered “uncommon” considering the fact that Sahita’s cultural background is Javanese which is dominated by youth, beauty, proportional body as the beauty of female bodily form, and gentle manner as women described on stage performance. The research questions highlights why Sahita prefers to have satire style and chooses traditional art as the basis in producing new works? The data are gained through field observation, deep interview and library study. The finding reveals that Sahita prefers the satire style to express what is hard to talk in the daily life and to express critics in humorous ways so that the critized party can also enjoy the performance. In their works, Sahita makes traditional art as its base because of its strong background in traditional art and because of its unlimited exploration. What makes Sahita unique besides its members who are all women voicing women’s anxiety, Sahita also presents traditional art with contemporary taste in their works.

Highlights

IBJoCoAk Sof: RVeovl.ie3w, Number 2 December 2016. This situation is seen by Lindsay who explained that women in performance art in Indonesia face specific challenges mostly due to negative perception of family and society towards them
Sahita is one of few women artists in Indonesia that are able to express themselves as creator, choreographer, actor, artistic director, costume and make up director, as well as manager in their performances
The fourth difference is if Serimpi displays the majesty of a traditional dance that comes from the palace, in Srimpi Srimpêt, Sahita presents the simplicity of a performance, because Sahita positioned their work as a work of ordinary people, people with almost no wealth and power, and therein the satire

Summary

Introduction

Srimpi Srimpêt was born out of the interpretation of Sêrat Kalatidha that uses Serimpi dance as a foundation, and creates a parody to transform the dance into a satirical work different from its basis. Serimpi dance is generally performed as a tribute to the king, whilee Sahita creates Srimpi Srimpêt as a form of offering to the King, the Almighty, Creator of the Universe.

Results

Conclusion