by Amabilita Celessya Shafaswara
The “Kagungan Dalěm Sěrat Pasindhen Bědhaya utawi Srimpi” is a manuscript that belongs to KHP1. Kridhamardawa Keraton Yogyakarta contains lyrical (sindhenan) text of the song used in Javanese court dances such as Bědhaya and Srimpi. Of particular interest are two Bědhaya dances that have interconnected narratives of colonial-era histories. The first, the text of Bědhaya Gěndhing Kuwung – Kuwung, recounts the journey of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwana VIII to Rotterdam to visit the queen of the Netherlands and to send his son to study there. Its companion piece, Bědhaya Gěndhing Sudiragambuh narrates the return journey of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwana VIII to Yogyakarta and the event of his coronation as king due to the abdication of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwana VII. These historical narratives are incorporated into the dance performance through lyrics voiced by sindhen, the female singers in the traditional Javanese gamelan ensemble. The sindhen’s singing of these lyrics not only provides musical accompaniment for the dance but also serves as a means to convey the historical content embedded in the performance.
The living historical archives in Bědhaya Gěndhing Kuwung – Kuwung and Sudiragambuh show the complex relationship between the Yogyakarta Sultanate and its colonial rulers. This relationship appears in the story when the colonial interferes with the whole Yogyakarta Sultanate business, including the crown prince selection. Also, the influence of Dutch colonialism on Javanese language and culture is evident in the manuscript. This linguistic impact is demonstrated through the presence of Dutch loanwords that have been ‘Javanized’ or adapted to fit Javanese phonology and grammar since Javanese people used to write based on what they heard. Here is one of the examples:
| Text | Transliteration | Dutch | Meaning |
 | Sisten Dheyong | Assistent De Jong | Young Assistant or belongs to somebody’s name “De Jong” |
The manuscript is written in the Javanese language in the form of bědhaya and simple dances and lyrical texts that are closely tied to the structure of the song (gěndhing)in gamelan and visualization of the performance. Hence, there are many symbols or signs that can be found in the text, such as gamelan music’s structure, musical symbols, bědhaya dance’s signature words, and dance movement, as shown in the table below:
| Symbols | Text | Transliteration | Meaning |
| Gamelan music’ structure |  | Gongsa suwuk | Gamelan stop playing |
| Musical symbol |  | O, 6 or (6) | The Gong–one of gamelan instruments, falls on note 6 (něm) |
| Bědhaya dance’s signature words |  | Ěnggě | A sign for the gamelan players when entering the main part of the song |
 | Babo | An answer from the gamelan player that they are ready to play the song’s main part | |
| Dance movement |  | Bědhaya kapang-kapang | The dancers in stand position and ready to enter the stage |
The incorporation of the performance, historical events, and literature in this manuscript can happen through three stages procession: 1) The writing of historical stories by court poets, 2) The story submission to the music and dance arranger so they can adapt it to the performance structure, 3) The finished lyric and performance visualization transcribed to the manuscript.
The manuscript’s textual content is complemented by illustrative images that visually represent the narratives contained within the text. These illustrations are known as Wědana Gapura Rěnggan and can be found at the opening of each dance section. It not only enhances the aesthetic value of the manuscript but also provides visual cues in interpreting, understanding, and performing the text as presented below:
| Interpretation Wědana Gapura Rěnggan “Bědhaya Gěndhing Sudiragambuh” |
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Those illustrations represent the textual content of the Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono VIII departure journey to the Netherlands, illustrated by the Javanese Crown, N.L, and the Dutch Flag drawing. The king’s throne is depicted by spears and the yellow color as a symbol of majesty.
Wědana Gapura Rěnggan below is related to the textual content in Bědhaya Gěndhing Sudiragambuh, which is the coronation of Sultan Hamengku Buwono VIII. This event was held at Bangsal Siti Hinggil Keraton Yogyakarta as the building represented in this illustration, such as the front gate, stairs, fence spears, and bricks.
| Interpretation Wědana Gapura Rěnggan “Bědhaya Gěndhing Sudiragambuh” |
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Historical archives in Java are typically preserved in manuscripts with limited access as they belong to palace archives with restricted access, and not everyone can read the Javanese script. A more widely accessible and dynamic form of historical archiving exists through performing arts. This approach involves the adaptation of historical narratives into dance performances accompanied by specially composed lyrics and traditional gamelan music, as explained above. These kinds of performances, regularly reproduced and presented to wider audiences, serve to disseminate historical knowledge beyond the palace. The Javanese approach to preserving histories balances the need for accurate documentation with the imperative of public engagement and cultural continuity.
The audio below is an example of bawaswara2. Megatruh Mangkubumen3, with lyrics taken from the text of Bědhaya Gěndhing Kuwung – Kuwung in Kagungan Dalěm Sěrat Pasindhen Bědhaya utawi Srimpi manuscript.
Audio transcription:
(Javanese)
Kang riněngga tindak dalěm jěng sang prabu,
dhumatěng Nagri Wělandi,
sinukmeng esthining kalbu,
tumrap susilaning gěndhing
winor laguning lělagon.
(English)
Which is adorned (with dance is) the King’s departure
to the Netherlands.
Imprinted (and) contemplated in the heart
on the harmony of the song
(which is) combined (with) singing.
Footnotes
- KHP (Kawedanan Hageng Punakawan) is a functional administrative office in Keraton Yogyakarta ↩︎
- A term that is used on a song to begin or end the dance performance. ↩︎
- Referring to the reconstruction of Bědhaya Gěndhing Kuwung – Kuwung dance in the book Dokumentasi Rekonstruksi Tari Klasik Gaya Yogyakarta. ↩︎
References:
Manuscript
Kagungan Dalěm Sěrat Pasindhen Bědhaya utawi Srimpi. KHP Kridhamardhawa Kraton Ngayogyakarta. B/S 14.
Book and Thesis
Shafaswara, Amabilita C. (2024). Antara Prosa Dan Tembang: Eksplorasi Filologi Dalam Naskah Kagungan Dalěm Sěrat Pasindhen Bědhaya Utawi Srimpi [Undergraduate thesis, Universitas Gadjah Mada]. UGM Repository. https://etd.repository.ugm.ac.id/penelitian/detail/235587.
Sutiyah, Siti. (2014). Bedhaya Kuwung-Kuwung. In V. Retnaningsih (Ed.), Dokumentasi Rekonstruksi Tari Klasik Gaya Yogyakarta (pp. 13-69). UPTD Taman Budaya Yogyakarta.