Luddy Wullur, Reverberation of the Kolintang from Lembean

Luddy Wullur have been familiar with the kolintang since his birth. His parents, siblings and grandparents were engrossed in the kolintang. Luddy has been nurturing his inborn love of the kolintang (wooden xylophone).

KOMPAS/ELSA EMIRIA LEBA

Luddy Wullur

Luddy Wullur, 60, has been nurturing his inborn love of the kolintang (wooden xylophone). This artist has emerged as a pillar supporting the development and preservation of the kolintang as the traditional wooden musical instrument of the Minahasa people in North Sulawesi. For him, the sound of the kolintang should keep resonating.

“I’ve been familiar with the kolintang since my birth. My parents, siblings and grandparents were engrossed in the kolintang, so there was some transmission to me,” said Luddy, recalling his childhood on Saturday (17/12/2022) when visiting Manado city.

Although he was born in Kediri, East Java, Luddy and his family come from Lembean village, Kauditan, North Minahasa. As a child, he was a member of the Karia-Ria kolintang group under the direction of the artist Maxi Luntungan, an uncle from his mother’s side. Since then, he has delved deeper into the kolintang art as he enters his advanced age.

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Throughout his life, Luddy has led his existence as a kolintang player, instructor, maker and observer. As an instructor, the role of the first of three siblings is very crucial in transferring knowledge of the kolintang to the younger generation in the country.

Luddy is the founder of Sinar Kaki Dian Kolintang Group, which was set up in 2008. Sinar Kaki Dian is a troupe of children from Lembean village and its vicinity with around 20 active members today. They usually train at the studio near Luddy’s house from the afternoon to the evening.

He is also involved in the formation of other kolintang groups such as the New Kadoodan and Maleosan and Triple L (Lembean, Lawid and Laley). “Originally the kolintang was associated with the music of the elderly. However, I thought, why should we not invite children to play the kolintang? So I have been recruiting them since 2006. They have appeared everywhere now,” said the father of four.

ARSIP PRIBADI

Kolintang artist from North Sulawesi, Luddy Wullur (second from left) playing kolintang. Luddy comes from Lembean Village, Kauditan, North Minahasa.

Luddy has also taught more than 25 kolintang groups from various schools, campuses, churches and institutions. Performing at different events and competitions, several groups under Luddy have won at least 20 champion titles.

Since 2006, Luddy has taught the kolintang as part of the curriculum of the Manado Independent School (MIS) that over 400 students follow. In 2016, around 40 junior and senior high school students in MIS staged a kolintang show in Denver, the United States, in a socio-cultural field trip, for the first Kawanua Convention program.

What comes as a challenge is that the kolintang is still considered as village music. This is about how to convince the young people in order to realize that the kolintang has the same value as that of other musical instruments, so they are ready to learn.

“In Lembean, Tomohon and Tondano, the kolintang has been internalized, so there’s no need to explain, compared with the condition of children in other regions,” said Luddy.

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He hopes the presence of kolintang groups and the achievements they have gained can dispel the hesitation of the present-day youth. They can witness directly that playing the kolintang can open the opportunities for creative work, domestic and foreign tours as well as giving performances at important events.

For the sake of drawing their interest, Luddy’s instruction method is adapted. Instead of merely offering regional or religious songs, this man teaches the kolintang by presenting contemporary songs to his students with songs such as “Croatian Rhapsody” by Maksim Mrvica, “Penasaran” by Rhoma Irama, “Dance Monkey” by Tones and I and “Secret Love Song” by Little Mix.

“We are playing modern songs and also national anthems. The point is that all songs can be played with the kolintang,” he added.

KOMPAS/ELSA EMIRIA LEBA

Luddy Wullur.

Reflection of Minahasa

The kolintang was initially used for rituals such as thanksgiving for the harvest or war triumphs. Luddy became acquainted with the kolintang that had been used for performances. Today’s kolintang has developed into the form of an ensemble, comprising nine to ten instruments.

The kolintang with 10 instruments consists of its melody (3 units), arsis/upbeat tone (5 units) and thesis/downbeat tone (2 units) as accompaniment, so there are 297 wooden bars. The names of the units are among others Melody 1 (Ina), Ukulele (Katelu), Banyo 1 (Uner), Guitar 2 (Karua-rua) and Bass (Loway).

In Lembean and its environs there is a great interest in the kolintang so kolintang studios and teams are mushrooming in village settlements. During the 1960s and the 1970s, kolintang music exploded in Minahasa so kolintang groups were almost certainly found in all villages. Luddy, too, formed his own team.

If I hold an electric guitar, I’m the king. It’s unlike the kolintang, which needs togetherness, cohesion, because the kolintang represents the order of the Minahasa community.

According to Luddy, as a kolintang observer the philosophy of playing the kolintang reflects life in Minahasa. The Minahasa community knows no kings, but rather tunduan (leaders) and so is the case with the kolintang, where its tunduan (melody) does not stand alone because it is accompanied by wadian (arsis) and teterusan (thesis).

“If I hold an electric guitar, I’m the king. It’s unlike the kolintang, which needs togetherness, cohesion, because the kolintang represents the order of the Minahasa community,” Luddy pointed out.

The kolintang earned recognition as an intangible cultural heritage (WBTB) from the Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry in 2013. Luddy joins a team for the compilation of a kolintang academic manuscript to strive for the recognition of this musical instrument by UNESCO.

Luddy explained that the kolintang seems to resemble the kulintang from the Philippines, but actually it is different from the aspect of musical organology. The kolintang also bears some resemblance to the balafon from Africa.

What is distinguishable is that the kolintang applies varied stick-hitting techniques such as teto and cako and the kolintang is not played along with other musical instruments.

With recognition from UNESCO, Luddy is convinced that Indonesia will enjoy cultural and economic benefits. “The kolintang is unique in terms of its playing method and spirit. With all its unique features, the kolintang is the only ensemble musical instrument in the world known by the name of kolintang,” he said.

Ludovicus Ibrahim Wullur

Born: Kediri, East Java, 3 November 1962

Wife: Memmie Sundah

Children: Four

Education: The Animal Husbandry Faculty, Sam Ratulangi University (1982-1989)

Instruction achievements include:

- Sinar Kaki Dian Kolintang, champion in the Senior High School Student category, Minaesa Festival, Bitung, North Sulawesi, 2013

- Sinar Kaki Dian Kolintang, champion in the general category, Klabat Festival, 2013

- Manado Independent School Kolintang, champion in the general category, Bunaken Festival, Manado Town Square, 2018

- Winetin Teens Kolintang, the runner-up in the senior high school/college student category, Emporium, Jakarta, 2019

- Winetin Excelsior Kolintang, champion in the general category, Emporium, Jakarta 2019

Experience:

- The North Sulawesi Kolintang Music Association (ASIK)

- The National Kolintang Players Association (Pinkan Indonesia), North Minahasa-North Sulawesi

- The Indonesian Kolintang Trainers Union (Ipkolindo)

This article was translated by Aris Prawira.