Preserving the ‘Sasando’

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

Johny Theedens

Johny Theedens\' concern about East Nusa Tenggara’s traditional musical instrument Sasando has never abated. Efforts have been sought to get more people play Sasando in the province, which is known for its Komodo Island tourist destination.

A signboard reading “Haleluya Music Course” is displayed on the side of Jl. Nanga in Naikoten subdistrict, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

The music course has about 500 members who learn to play the Sasando, keyboard and piano under the coaching of Johny Theedens, 63.

On Saturday (3/7/2021), Theedens had a break from teaching. He let the students practice on their own but he would not let any false notes go uncorrected.

"I let them play independently and creatively," he said.

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Haleluya is the only music course institution in Kupang. Among Kupang musicians, Johny Theedens is no stranger. His tenacity to study the traditional music of Sasando shows his high concern about the artistic heritage.

People on Rote Island, which is the origin of the musical instrument, use the word sasandu for the instrument, which means a vibrating instrument with seven strings. However, in Kupang, it is often called Sasando, which is a stringed instrument played by strumming with the fingers.

The king\'s daughter asked Sangguana to make a beautiful musical instrument so she could marry him.

One folktale goes that a young man named Sangguana was stranded on Ndana Island. He was brought before the King of Rote. The king\'s daughter asked Sangguana to make a beautiful musical instrument so she could marry him.

In the middle of the night, Sangguana was inspired to make a beautiful musical instrument. He then created a musical instrument that appeared to him in a dream, then brought it before the royal family.

The king\'s daughter was fascinated by the beauty of the music and agreed to marry Sangguana.

Sangguana\'s struggle impressed and inspired Theedens to preserve the ancestral heritage. He was worried that one day, the Sasando would not be of interest to the younger generation and would either disappear from this Flobamora land or develop rapidly outside NTT.

Theedens began to build his passion for the Sasando in 1988. He was interested in the Sasando particularly because the traditional musical instrument had a complete set of notations, namely bass, rhythm and melody.

Aspiring to help preserve the musical instrument, he opened in 1996 the Haleluya music course, where people can learn to play the Sasando, in addition to the guitar, piano and keyboard.

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

Johny Theedens (left) accompanies a participant in a music course in Kupang, Saturday (2/7/2021).

He offers the course not for economic gain but for the advancement of music in NTT.

"To this day, I still give free courses to underprivileged students," he said.

Music for all

Theedens also makes the Sasando instrument himself. The instruments are sent to Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi and Kalimantan. Among the customers are those who have attended Sasando courses for seven days to two months.

“If some people in Sumatra or Java play the Sasando better than NTT children, that\'s not a problem. Music belongs to mankind. Sharing knowledge and skills with other people, especially Indonesians, is beneficial.

“Foreign nationals, such as those from Germany, Australia, Japan and the Netherlands, have also learned the Sasando here. They could be more masterful than the NTT children," said Theedens.

Some students have continued their music education at ISI Yogyakarta, IKJ Jakarta and ISI Denpasar. Some of them are active as keyboard players in Churches, music teachers at schools and some have enrolled into the military or police.

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As part of his preservation efforts for the Sasando, he wrote three books. The first book, Mengenal Not-not Dasar Sasando [Learning the Basic Notations of the Sasando], was published by CV Pengharapan Karya Abadi Kupang in 1997. The book was used as teaching material for local content for fourth to sixth-grade students of elementary school throughout the city of Kupang in 1997-1998.

The second book, titled Seluk Beluk Alat Music Sasando (The Ins and Outs of Sasando Musical Instruments) was published in 1998 with the support of the directorate of arts of the Education and Culture Ministry.

The books were also distributed to schools throughout NTT. However, the effort did not work because of the difficulties in recruiting Sasando music teachers for the schools.

"I once urged the provincial government to send all elementary to high school art teachers to Kupang to take part in Sasando training. But it also failed," he said.

Not giving up, Theedens requested support from religious institutions for the Sasando to be used in churches to accompany spiritual songs.

"No church has yet played the Sasando instrument during worship, including in Rote as the origin of the Sasando," Theedens said.

His third book, Teknik Tingkat Mahir Bermain Sasando (Sasando Advanced Level Techniques), was a collaboration with the Education and Culture Ministry in 2019. The book is designated for Sasando players from intermediate to advanced levels.

Kompas

A foreign tourist poses in front of the sasando, a musical instrument typical of East Nusa Tenggara.

Through these three books, Theedens is seeking to encourage local people to play the Sasando and make it a priding musical icon.

According to him, a number of Sasando players already play well, but technically, they are not at the advanced level.

In Java, he said, many artists were able to reach the advanced level in a specific instrument because of the supportive environment.

He said it was difficult for the young generation of NTT to reach the advanced level because of the lack of music education facilities. In Java, he said, many artists were able to reach the advanced level in a specific instrument because of the supportive environment.

“There are many music courses that play an important role, helping musicians reach the highest level. The second aspect is they are economically better because the courses must be paid for. This music institution provides support for music universities in Indonesia,” said Theedens.

According to Theedens, NTT must have an arts college to support tourism. The presence of the art college will help develop traditional arts typical of NTT, classical art and other arts to be presented to tourists.

"We can as long as we are willing to sacrifice," said Theedens.

Johnny Theedens

Born: Kupang, Feb. 11, 1958

Wife: Nanik

Children: 2

Education: Bachelor of music, ISI Yogyakarta

Occupation: Lecturer of the Church Music Study Program, Kupang State Christian Institute

(This article was translated by Musthofid)