The Meaning of the Deer Representation on Dambus from Bangka Island

Abstract

Dambus is one of the art products (traditional music) found on Bangka Island used by the landbased people. They are obviously related to Malay people. Dambus is a term used for musical instruments, music (ensembles), patterns, techniques, songs and dances. The dambus art in its ensemble consisted of a tawak-tawak, a larger main drum, anak drum that was smaller in size, a tambourine and a gong. The dambus has a unique feature. It is the instrument head shape that resembles a deer head which contrasts with Malay beliefs namely with the teachings of Islam. In Islamic teachings it is strictly prohibited to make something similar to a statue or idol as the form of a dambus. The Bangka community also had the activity of ngelapun or berasuk in the past. Ngelapon or berasuk is a community activity that hunts deer in groups using a type of Lelapun (trap). During the Berume event, tradition of Ngetep Nasik Baru, Rusa's animal meat was one of the side dishes presented during the process of preparing food from the first crop, called ‘new rice’. This research will explain how all these things are interconnected to get a common thread about the meaning of the deer head representation on the musical instrument dambus of Bangka.