Dul Muluk

“Dul Muluk” is a performing art that originally developed in South Sumatra. However, the content of the story was written by an artist from Riau.

The story of Dul Muluk tells about a king named Abdul Muluk. However, being influenced by the story of Panji, Siti Rafi`ah, the second wife of Dul Muluk colors the important part of the story. If this story were composed by a woman (in the kingdom of Riau-Lingga there is Raja Kalsum, Encik Kamariyah, Aisyah Sulaiman or Salmah binti Ambar) it would not be impossible that the title will be changed into Syair Siti Rafi`ah (Siti Rafi`ah`s Poem). To give a brief picture about the poem of Abdul Muluk the work of J.J Hollande (1893) is quite representative, cited as follow:

From the entire story entitled “Siti Dua” (Siti Two) which tells about the faithfulness of wives is the most adored by the community.

Around 1919, in Tebing Abang, a village situated about 80 kilometers from Palembang, in the sub district of Banyuasin III, Musi Liar district, a teacher introduced an performing art of Dul Muluk. The teacher`s name is Hasan, coming from Talang Pangeran, sub district of Pamulutan, the district of Ogan Komering Ilir.

The people from Pamulutan were those who play significant role in the formation of Dul Muluk performing art. Some equipment used in the show are also the creative invention of the Pamulutan people. Among those equipment are for example, fabricated horse and jidur (a musical instrument also from Pamulutan).

In a strict performance rule, before the show, the actors of Dul Muluk gathered in a special place called kebung. In the kebung they dress and make up according to the characters they played. Then they go out of the kebung to the stage to perform.

Each of the actors usually dressed up himself or sometimes they help one another. For those who act as man are provided with powder and ash. In its early establishment, the lighting used torch. Along with the new inventions, it uses modern technology and contemporary light.

The example of the dialogue of a king to his prime minister is:

Wahai perdana menteri yang bijak bestari
Dengan sebenar saya berperi
Apakah khabar bicara negeri
Ramai tiada engkau khabari
Engkau bilangkan nyata dan pasti
Supaya saya dapat ketahui

Then the prime minister replies:

Daulat tuanku usul berstari
Dengan sebesar patik berperi
Tuanku bertanya bicara negeri
Negeri kita ramai tiada terperi
Wayang dan landak topeng raenari
Di bawah alam payung negeri
Begitu saja pafik berperi
Kepada tuanku empunya din

As the consequence, all the actors and actress of Dul Muluk are required to be able to sing as higher ability and skills necessitated to the actors of wayang bangsawan.

Before the show, all actors of Dul Muluk gathered in the kebung to pray. This ritual is begun by preparing a set of serving which contains rice fat is a kind of rice which is cooked with coconut milk, an egg called punjung, and a roasted chicken. Incense is burned on a censer. One of them recites prayer for safety. Afterwards, the rice and the side dishes are distributed for all the actors, they eat together as a requisite of safety prayer ritual.

After the ritual a leader of the actors (usually an old man or those who perceived to be the eldest among them) sings a song Kisoh from the kebung. It means Dul Muluk show begins. One by one all of the actors follow the singer going out of the kebung to have the ritual Beremas or opening regard to welcome the audience. The example of the lyrics in Beremas depicts the out line of story that will be played on the night. One of the Beremas lyrics is the following:

The leader (sing in solo):

Tabikencik, tabib man
Tabik kepada laki-laki perempuan
Kami bermain berkawan-kawan
Salah dan khilaf ampun dimaafkan

The members (sing together):

Tabik encik, tabib man
Tabik kepada laki-laki perempuan
Kami bermain berkawan-kawan
Salah dan khilaf ampun dimaafkan

After singing the Beremas song, the actors go back to the kebung. Later then, the scene after scene is displayed based on the story. An actor who acts in the Dul Muluk enters the stage and then introduces the character he plays. For example a king from Barbari goes out of the kebung into the stage saying: “Now, I am Sultan Abdul Hamid Syah the king of Barbari” or “Now, I am, Sultan Syihabuddin who leads Hindustani”.

Similar to most of performing arts in Indonesia, Dul Muluk also experiences difficult time regarding modernity. In its own period, this performing art has taken good places in the heart of its supporters, not only in its original place but also in its surroundings.

Dul Muluk, as well as other traditional performing arts should be learned deeply, hopefully the performing art could be modified to be suitable with the changing of time. An informant says, even though Dul Muluk performing art is now in not quite good condition, there are stake holders who strive very hard to lift it up and introduces it to broad artist communities, to be taught and learned as the part of historical art in Indonesia. In many cases, something that has been forgotten is being sought, learned, and given a new spirit of revitalization. Better if those performing arts develop without waiting movement for revitalization or revivalism.

As a national cultural heritage, Dul Muluk needs preserving and developing. A famous and prominent French man of letters said that a thing that is kept silently in the museum is waiting for an artist who will give it new meaning.

(HQ/ter/83/12-07)

Source:

Amanriza Pe Ediruslan and Junus Hasan, 1993, Seni Pertunjukan Tradisional Daerah Riau, Pekanbaru.