Rebana Kercing of Kampung Laut: Sustaining the Communal Activity With Academic Collaboration

Abstract

The Rebana Kercing of Kampung Laut is a historical religious traditional performing art combining the elements of stylized movements, vocals, and music in a single presentation and is claimed to be a Malay heritage that has been passed down for at least five generations of more than 150 years. The traditional art today is upheld by less than ten activists, with only one main activist left. Therefore, from being a communal gathered activity in the past, Rebana Kercing today is at the brink of extinction. This paper presents a new approach to teaching, converting the traditional learning method to a more structured pedagogical approach. By investigating the significance of Rebana Kercing components, interviewing the activists, as well as participatory observing the traditional training, the pedagogy entitled 'Training of Trainers' was planned. It was first conducted with five schools located in Kelantan state, Malaysia. Through the engagement of this pedagogy, the historical and religious components embedded in the performance are highlighted. Additionally, the training creates awareness in the community. The concept of 'togetherness' is addressed via the synchronization of dancing, singing and music performing. While written records of the earlier version of Rebana Kercing are scarce, as it has been passed down orally and informally, this paper has presented the safeguarding method to disseminate this intangible knowledge academically. That would assert further understanding of its origin and history, and it can ensure the continuation of this Rebana Kercing performance.