Reog Ponorogo, In The Old Order Era Becomes The Art Of The Mainstay People Of The Voice Net Political Parties

Reog Ponorogo, the art of the people who in the Old Order era were used by political parties to attract votes. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - No one doubts the appeal of the art of Reog Ponorogo. Many people are waiting for the performance. In fact, this art is a assurance of the quality of bringing in large numbers of spectators. This condition was utilized by the Old Order era political parties.

Reog Ponorogo is used by political parties as a political tool. The Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and the Indonesian National Party (PNI) use the art to gather votes. Anyone who doesn't use Reog, surely the party's voice will fall.

Each General Election (Pemilu) has its own uniqueness. The celebration, which is often referred to as a people's party in today's era, is always greeted enthusiastically. The political attraction that has been the estuary. This condition has taken place from the inaugural election of the Old Order era in 1955.

The 1955 elections provided great space for all political ideologies to compete. A party with a religious, riceist, and communist ideology can fight in their respective ways. Their opportunity to compete with ideas in public is wide open.

Political parties began to rack their brains to attract the masses. This is because they must be able to prepare candidates for members of the DPR (election September 29, 1995) and members of the Constitute Council - now the MPR (December 15, 1955) who are qualified.

The voting process alone took place in 16 electoral districts in the archipelago. The collection covered a total of 42 million voters, more than 208 districts, 3,141 sub-districts, and 42,092 villages.

Creative ways that rely on art are absolutely needed. propaganda songs are prepared. Slogan-slogan populist let alone. Regional arts are also widely used by religious, nationalist, or communist parties.

The Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), for example. They not only use regional arts as an attraction to attract the masses. They also often support art actors. Their life celebrations are considered. This condition makes many studios or art groups side with the PKI.

"I, as a non-communist writer in loving literary and artistic life, have never been found, political parties sincerely and systematically include their activities and leadership events, encourage, lead and teach the life of literature and art."

The life referred to as an effort so that literature and art really become components of the political struggle in order to complete the Indonesian Revolution with its stages. In this case, just tell honestly and openly is the PKI," said Utuy Tatang Sontani, written by Rhoma Dwi Aria Yuliantri and Muhidin M. Dahlan in the book Lekra Tak Burns (2020).

Efforts to use traditional art are not always the monopoly of the PKI in capturing votes. However, other parties also do the same thing. This condition can be seen in making Reog Ponorogo a political tool for capturing votes.

The choice to use Reog Ponorogo is based on the popularity of the art on the island of Java. Whenever the appearance of a masked tiger dancer 'Singa lion' ridden by a cultivator is played, of course, a place will be crowded.

Political parties began to see Reog as a popular art, not as a dance that according to oral tradition was a dance to satirize the ruler at that time Maharaja Majapatih, Brawijaya V. A series of political parties were attracted.

The PKI, the Indonesian National Party, and the Nahdlatul Ulama Party (NU) have started to attract groups and units of Reog Ponorogo to capture people's votes. The effort to capture is not difficult. Each village in Ponorogo has at least two units of Reog Ponorogo.

The option brought success to the Political Party. Those who choose to use Reog Ponorogo have a good voice. Political parties who do not use the sound of falling in Ponorogo. Masyumi Party, for example. This condition proves that the role of regional arts can be added value to attracting people's voices.

Towards the G30S/PKI 1965 rebellion, this people's art is indeed progressing rapidly. Especially because the communist organization at that time was used to attract the attention of the masses. Even the reog was considered only to belong to Lekra, the cultural organization of the PKI at that time.

But not only PKI reog for political purposes (in the 1955 Election). Also PNI and NU. If PKI claims to have 300 units, PNI claims to have 400 units and NU reports 100 units. The atmosphere of competing between parties is huge," wrote Tempo magazine report entitled Reog Without Warok and Gemblak (2008).