JAVANESE MUSIC IN SURINAME

Abstract

Javanese music in Suriname came with the first group of Javanese who arrived there in 1890 as indentured servants for the sugar company, Nederlandsche Handelsmaatschappij at Mariënburg plantation. Gamelan, steel gamelan, terbangen, and kroncong were the main types of Javanese music that developed in Suriname. Due to a lack of brass, scrapped iron from abandoned railway ties were used to make the pans, and a lack of experienced gamelan musicians made for drastically reduced ensembles of five people. Gamelan in Suriname also came under the influence of the nearby Caribbean music, especially by steel bands from Trinidad. Islamic religious songs were accompanied by a terbangen ensemble, consisting of kinds of tambourines and large drum called bedug, Surinamese kroncong ensembles mostly use three or more acoustic guitars, a ukulele (sometimes a banjo), a double bass (or bass guitar), and a cello. However, because cellists are scarce, this is usually taken over by a guitar.