Kabasaran Dance, Traditional Dance From North Sulawesi



Kabasaran Dance is a traditional dance of war dance originating from the Minahasa community of North Sulawesi Province. This dance will usually be played by male dancers who dance in war clothes as well as weapons such as swords, spears, and shields. Kabasaran dance is a traditional dance that is quite popular among Minahasa people and is also often displayed at events such as ceremonies, ceremonies and also various other events.

History of Kabasaran Dance


Historically, this Kabasaran Dance was originally a war dance that is often performed by Minahasa warriors before or after the battlefield. According to the custom of the Minahasa community, it was formerly to dance this dance the dancers had to come from the descendants of kabasaran dancers as well. Due to every family dancers will usually have a special weapon inherited from generation to generation and also used to dance Kabasaran Dance. Also because of its sacred nature, this dance cannot be done by just anyone.

Along with the absence of war as in ancient times, making this dance no longer used as a war dance. But the dance was developed into a dance used in traditional ceremonies, welcoming, and other cultural events. At this time, Kabasaran Dance is more displayed as a tribute dance to the ancestors who have fallen on the battlefield for their courage in defending the homeland.

The Meaning of Kabasaran Dance


The name of this Kabasaran Dance is derived from the basic word that hasal meaning of rooster. For the Minahasa community, the rooster is a symbol of courage or virility. This can be seen from the face of the dancers at the time of dancing with a fierce, male, and also valiant facial expressions. The word wasal itself is called the kawasalan which means dancing like a rooster while fighting. Then along with the development of Malay Manado language, this word kawasalan itself turned into a word kabasaran with the same meaning. So it has nothing to do with the big word in the Indonesian language.

Kabasaran Dance Performance


This Kabasaran dance is usually performed by some male dancers dressed as Minahasan soldiers and armed with spears or swords used in dancing. In Kabasaran Dance there is also a leader who is in charge of leading the dance, the leader of this dance has usually been chosen by the elder's adat. At the time of the performance, the dancers danced with a fierce and also creepy face that showed their courage and masculinity.

In this Kabasaran Dance show is divided into 3 (three) rounds namely Cakalele, Kemoyak, and Lalaya'an. Cakalele itself comes from the word caka which means to fight and catfish which means chasing. In this round the movement of the dancers is dominated by the movement of fighting, chasing and also jumping up and down. Formerly this round was danced at the time before the battle or upon return of the war.

Then proceed with Kemoyak. This slash itself comes from the word koyak which means swinging weapons. The word torn can also mean to coax the opponent's spirit or the enemy who is killed in battle. This is done so that the spirit can be calm in the nature of their rest. In this round, the dancers will play a weapon with a movement that wove it forward and be overpowered by a poem sung by a dance leader and will be greeted with the cheers of the soldiers.

Then the last is the Lalaya'an round, the chapter where the dancers will dance freely and cheerfully. Unlike the case with the previous round which seemed serious both in terms of motion and expression. In this round, the dancers may dance with a smile and break away from a ferocious face.

Kabasaran Dance accompaniment


At the show, Kabasaran Dance will usually be accompanied by a traditional musical instrument called Pa'wasalen. In Pa'wasalen it usually consists of musical instruments such as gongs and also drums. It will also be accompanied by the poetry or cue of the dance leader and then followed by the cheers of the soldiers.

Kabasaran Dance Costume


For the costumes used by dancers in this Kabasaran Dance show is a Minahasa warrior costume in the past. The costume is dominated by red. This red color symbolizes courage. In the inner costume, usually, will use a shirt and pants are red. For the outer costume will usually use a kind of vest with tassels of cloth or leather from wood. On the head will use a typical head covering Kabasaran Dance that is shaped like a bird's beak and is also decorated with feathers. In addition, other accessories include skulls, weapons such as swords, shields, or spear guns used in dancing.

Development of Kabasaran Dance


Although it has been no longer used as a war dance, this Kabasaran Dance is still preserved and preserved by the people of Minahasa North Sulawesi Province. This dance is still often displayed in various events such as custom ceremony, welcoming, artistic performances, and also cultural festivals. Variations and creations are also often displayed in every show to make it more interesting, but it does not leave its trademark.