Tarawangsa

Tarawangsa
A Tarawangsa ensemble in the Ngalaksa ceremony in West Java, Indonesia.
Classification Chordophones
DevelopedWest Java and Banten, Indonesia
Playing range
Pelog scales

Tarawangsa is a traditional Sundanese musical instrument from West Java, Indonesia, in the form of a stringed instrument that has two strings made of steel or iron wire.[1] Tarawangsa is an ensemble of chordophones (stringed instruments whose sound source is a resonator room) of two musical instruments. One is called tarawangsa itself, played by swiping and the other is called jentreng played by picking. The art of Tarawangsa is performed in the Ngalaksa ceremony, which is a ceremony for abundant harvests. The ceremony in the traditional agrarian society of the Sundanese is always identified with the figure of Nyai Sri Pohaci or Nyi Pohaci Sanghyang Dangdayang Asri or Dewi Asri or Dewi Sri as the Sundanese goddess of rice.[2]

In 2011, the tarawangsa musical instrument of the Sundanese people from West Java was recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Indonesia by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture.[3]

  1. ^ "Tarawangsa". Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI). Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Tarawangsa: Menghormati Dewi Sri sampai Hilang Kesadaran". Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Warisan Budaya Takbenda, Penetapan". Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Education and Culture of Indonesia. Retrieved 28 September 2021.