Tracing The History Of Sultan Iskandar Muda's Romanticism Through Gunongan Dance

Photo: Doc. Antara/Disbudpar Aceh

BANDA ACEH - The Aceh Culture and Tourism Office (Disbudpar) held Gunongan Dance Week as an effort to reintroduce the history of Sultan Iskandar Muda's romance to the younger generation of Aceh.

"We want to invite the people of Aceh to retrace the history of the past. One of them is Gunongan, which was built during the time of Sultan Iskandar Muda," said Secretary of the Aceh Tourism and Culture Office Cut Nurmarita, as quoted by Antara, Sunday, October 23.

The historical event will last for two days on 22-23 October 2022, with traditional and creative dance performances in Aceh.

The first night, featuring Ariol Dance Theater feat UKM Tapal Suci UIN Ar-Raniry, Canang Trieng Dance, Meusare-sare Dance, and the strains of ethnic music from Sisir Tengah Ensemble.

Ariol Dance Theater feat. UKM Tapal Suci UIN Ar-Raniry received a lively response from the audience. The dancers managed to take advantage of the Gunongan room, by dancing on top of the ancient building. As well as acrobatic attractions with fire.

Cut Nurmarita said, Gunongan Dance Week made a different breakthrough from other events. Usually, the event is held at Taman Budaya or Taman Ratu Safiatuddin, this time it was pulled to Taman Sari Gunongan.

Thus, it can provide a different feel and experience to visitors and talents who appear.

"This activity was carried out because the dance also took the theme of history," she said.

Gunongan is a symbol of love and romance because it was built by Sultan Iskandar Muda for his consort, Putri Pahang or Putroe Phang. The garden became the empress's playground.

"We hope that this event will be a momentum to get to know the history and creativity of the artists," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of Language and Arts of the Aceh Disbudpar, Nurlaila Hamjah, said that the art performance was to invite young people to understand and at the same time introduce the history of the Gunongan site, which is hundreds of years old, and has now become one of Banda Aceh's icons.

In the Gunongan Dance Week event, visitors besides enjoying the art performances, can also see up close the building which was built in the 1600s era.

"Especially for this time, we are holding an art show at Gunongan Park to introduce the historical value of this building and the events that happened in this place," said Nurlaila.

A number of studios that performed at the Gunongan Dance Week were Sanggar Geunaseh with zapin dance, Keumala Intan with meusare-sare dance, Geunta Nanggroe with canang trieng dance, Sanggar Buana with seudati dance.

Then, Wondelust with creative dances, then performances of contemporary whip dance, obliviate dance, sisi tengah of musical ensembles, ADT, FADCO, to the apin uin ang opening art attraction.

"Hopefully this event will also become a place for cultural preservation and education for the young generation of Aceh about basic dances and creations in Aceh," said Nurlaila.