Dinamika Pelestarian Kesenian Senjang di Kabupaten Batang Hari Provinsi Jambi

Abstract

Senjang is a Malay musical art found in the provinces of South Sumatra and Jambi. In South Sumatra, the existence of Senjang is well maintained. This condition is achieved by combining Senjang with modern musical instruments. On the other hand, Senjang in Jambi has been in decline since the 1990s. The artists have made various conservation efforts to no avail, and Senjang in Jambi remains under threat of extinction. This article aims to answer the question of why the efforts to preserve Senjang for more than 20 years have not succeeded in making Senjang popular in Jambi. Through qualitative research I found that the decline of senjang in Jambi was caused by changes in people's livelihoods that changed the pattern of work organization in agriculture; changes in interest in music; and changes in social customs. However, what is important to note is that the traditional cultural preservation program that was planned by the local government to build local cultural identity, which should support the preservation of Senjang, has turned out to be an obstacle to the preservation of Senjang. This is due to a misunderstanding about the preservation of traditional culture.