Have you heard, Indonesia has a culture that is recognized by the world? Indonesia is known for its cultural diversity so it is known for its rich traditional heritage. One of the traditional heritages is dance. Traditional dance in Indonesia has its own uniqueness and characteristics that are reflected in every movement, costume, and music. The dance not only has artistic value, but also has high social and cultural values contained in it. So, it is not surprising that some of them are recognized as Human Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Curious what are they? Here’s the explanation: 

1. Saman Dance 

You may already be familiar with this one. Yes, that’s right. Saman dance is a traditional dance which originated from Gayo, Aceh. Of course, the dance is accompanied by poetry in the Gayo language. This dance emphasizes the speed and harmony of the dancers’ movements. This fast and compact movement is what makes it look unique. The dance, which is performed quickly and compactly, carries messages about religious values, educational values, religious values, courtesy values, heroic values, cohesiveness values, and solidarity values. Saman dance was then designated as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2011. 

2. Gambuh Dance 

Gambuh dance is a Balinese classical dance drama that is considered the source of all Balinese classical dance. Gambuh combines several elements of art at the same time, including dance (most dominant), sound, literature, and so on which are packaged in the form of theater. Because of the beauty of the art, Gambuh Dance was recognized as a cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2015. 

3. Balinese Barong Dance 

If you’ve ever watched a movie about a hero who fights against evil, then that’s more or less what Barong Dance is like. The Balinese Barong Dance tells the story of Barong (the guardian angel of the earth) who fights Rangda (the demon queen who destroys the earth). Barong uses keris belati to fight Rangda who wants to control the world. At the end of the story, Barong successfully won the war. This dance has the meaning of maintaining the balance between good and evil in the world. The Balinese barong dance was recognized as a cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2015.

4. Baris Dance

Ceremonial Line Dance Baris dance comes from the word “babarisan” which means troops. As the name implies, the dancers will line up in a straight position like a war army. This dance is a support for the Dewa Yadnya Ceremony. The function of this dance is to welcome the arrival of Dewa. Baris Ceremony Dance was recognized by UNESCO in 2015 as a world cultural heritage. 

5. Reog Ponorogo Dance 

What do you think of when you hear the word “Reog Ponorogo”? Is it dance form from East Java? The lion-headed mask? Or its energetic music? All of those are true. The Reog Ponorogo dance is a traditional dance form from East Java where the dancers wear lion-headed masks with energetic music. The icon of this traditional dance is a massive mask in the shape of a lion’s head or what is commonly called the Singa Barong which symbolizes strength and courage. Reog Ponorogo Dance is currently included in the list of intangible cultural heritage (WBTB) council which will be held at the end of 2024. 

Now you know some traditional Indonesian dances that are recognized by UNESCO. How is that? Indonesia has many diverse cultural heritages. Each of these cultures also has its own story behind it, that is not widely known to the public. Therefore, so that this information is known to a wider audience, let’s help spread this information to all cultural enthusiasts in Indonesia. Protect our culture, create a glorious civilization.