Kuda Kepang.

The Kuda Kepang

A dancing warrior horsemen who came from Java, Indonesia. It also brought by immigrants to Malaya. This game is a cultural game of people in Indonesia and Malaysia, especially in Johor, and they normally play at weddings or parties. This group consists of 9 dancers, 5 musicians, 2 'Healers', and 10-15 people to guard the area and the dancer. In the group, there must be a leader which they called him 'Danyang'. The Danyang will leads the ceremony until the end.

This game needs..

1. Five 'Angklung'
2. A drum
3. Gong(s)
4. Bonang(s)
5. Saron(s)
6. Jidur(s)
7. Kenong(s)
8. 9 horses.
9. Pecut
10. A chain of rope which 100 feets length.

The musicians of Kuda Kepang

How to play.


This game is normally performed in the open area or on a big stage. Before the dance begins, Village shaman would burn incense and recite incantations to give power to the horses. He uses raw eggs, flowers, grass, and water for the show.
Being controlled by a "Danyang" who determines the rhythm of the dance, each dancer will ride on their horse. When the music began to resonate, dancers, led by "danyang" to go into the ring. Music begins with the slow pace and rather tedious. Each dancer will ride and drive horses, according to the pattern determined by the pace and rhythm of the song.
When the music became faster, the horses will trot faster. Sometimes the organizers will block cunning cloth for players pass. Dancers can perform movements that strange and unusual such as jumping as high as six feet. Dancers danced for two hours until they are dazzled by the greatness of their movements. When drunk, they sometimes would dream of riding a real horse as he danced to the accompaniment of music. As a result, they try to pursue music. This condition is called "up sheik". If things get too wild and can not be controlled, the Village Shaman will instruct the guards which stationed at every corner of the field to catch and knock them to the ground, and so will the Shaman will read spells to heal them back.

The Shaman reciting incantations

The players riding their horses

Drunk and Exorcist players

Taboo.

As the laws of the game braid horse, players can not be mocked or disturbed during a game or while being drunk as feared would spread and made ​​the situation uncontrollable. The players also can not see the red cloth as this is forbidden by taboo's nature. In addition, players can not see the glass for fear that they will eat the glass.