Mother's Day Special : The Lost Kulintangan (Mom's Legacy)

I am still in Mother’s Day mood (though today supposed to be teachers day?). And I am still in a mood to post an entry about my mom. After all, everyday is mother’s day right? 

In my past entry, I did mention about my mom’s passion in music.  So, I think I like to share that passion and talent with you and how her music inherited by us, her children.

My mom couldn’t play a piano or guitar or any modern music instruments. Though I believe if she has the opportunity to learn all those instruments she would surely mastered it.  But what I am trying to share here is her talent on our traditional music instrument, the ‘kulintangan’.  Please take note that, there are many traditional music using this ‘kulintangan’ but, it is different based on ethnic or places. The one I am talking here is from the ethnic of ‘Sungai Obah’.

A ‘kulintangan’ of the ethnic of ‘Sungai Obah’ consist of 4 instruments that is a drum (using an old tin), 4 ‘gongs’ which give 2 types of rhythem, and the ‘kulintangan’ itself ( a group of smaller gongs).  A complete band will need 4 player.  One player for drum, one player for kulintangan, 2 player for gong which is one player play 2 gongs each at a time.  Basically, in this ‘kulintangan’ band, the ‘kulintangan’ is a song or melody, a drum is a beat, one set of gong is functioning like a ‘rhythm guitar’ and the other one is ‘bass guitar’.  Hahaha.  That is the only way I could describe it and it all based on my own observation and opinion.  Somebody correct me if I am wrong.

So, back to the story of my mom. She could play all instruments in this ‘kulintangan’ band.  She was and always will be an expert and for me (because I am her daughter), she is a legend in our ‘kulintangan’ music.  My dad once said, in their younger years while still courting each other, if there is a wedding or any other function and he heard a ‘kulintangan’ from far away, he could tell if it was my mom who were playing.  She has her own song, and the way she play sound so graceful.  It’s just different from the other.  Well, I know it sounds too ‘self praise’ but really, that’s what I heard my dad says.  I overheard a conversation among my aunts too.  They didn’t say it directly though, but as I gather the meaning of the conversations, they are talking about the song or melody that was created by my mom.  So, my mom was not only a player, she also was a composer!  

As for my siblings, almost all of us especially my brothers are very good in playing many kinds of modern music.  But, for this traditional instrument only a few of us could play.  And even that, we are not as good as my mom.  As for myself, I could play both the gong and the drum (in average level only).  But not the ‘kulintangan’.  It is the hardest of all to learn.  In fact, none of us, her children knows how to play the ‘kulintangan’.  So, I guess that is a big lost.  The melody is lost forever the day we lose our mom.  

So, enough talking.  Now I will share some pictures of moments we share with  my mom playing the ‘kulintangan’.

From left: My aunts (my dad's cousin), my mom, my dad and my brother John.

My Mom, my brother John, and my dad

Ok...that's me playing the gong.

 This 3 pictures above was taken on December 2008.  We were rehearsing for 'bertindik' function that taken place 1 day after that.  But I am not one of the player for that function.  I am just 'menyibuk' jer.  Hahaha.

My brother Jaffirin and I

My sister Cynthia.

This 2 pictures above shows myself, my brother and my sister playing the traditional instruments on 2010.  We were playing for formal ceremony of my sister's (stephanie) shop opening.  My mom was no more with us, so we ask my aunt...not in the picture (my mom's only sister) to play the 'kulintangan'.  It was our first attempt to play the instruments by ourselves (without the elders...except for the 'kulintangan' of course).