Sindhenan Banyumasan: An Example of Variation and Pluralism of the Javanese Female Singing Tradition

Abstract

Sindhenan Banyumasan, meaning the female traditional Javanese singing in the style of Banyumas, represents an interesting “regional variant” of sindhen vocal tradition. Flourished in the court of Surakarta in the 19th century, the sindhen practice has spread rapidly across the centuries, reaching many territories outside the court centers. Deeply connected with the ancient practices of the singer dancers, sindhen styles are still indicative of the local traditions and a testimony of differences and continuity with the formal teaching of central Javanese institutions. Despite the importance of the local variants, existing international studies on sindhenan have mainly focused on the styles of Yogyakarta and Surakarta, often neglecting rural areas, like Banyumas. The aim of this paper is to shed some light on sindhen practice in Banyumas territory; and to investigate its history, performance practice, repertoires, and vocal style. The research outcomes reveal how Banyumas singing tradition has many common traits with Yogyakarta and Surakarta vocal practices, though it maintains some specificities, index of the pluralism of Javanese music and performing arts.