“Mberot”: Music, Conflict and Understanding

Abstract

“Mberot” was a documentary film that narrates a phenomenon which is trending on social media today, the phenomenon reflects a significant innovation of Bantengan in Batu, East Java. Bantengan was originally art which was sacred and rooted in traditional values, that now experiencing reinterpretation through musical innovation and modern presentation style. Mberot means to rebel and uncontrolled, becoming a symbol of creativity between the younger generation in the form of innovation of Bantengan with evolved music that is according to the interests of the current generation.
This study examines the phenomenon from the perspective of ethnomusicology and visual anthropology, focusing on musical innovation that combines traditional instruments such as kendang, jidor, and angklung with modern electronic beats. This research shows that innovation of Mberot is not merely a form of entertainment, but it is an adaptive strategy to sustain tradition amidst the currents of modernity. Through an expository documentary film “Mberot”, this research illustrates the process of cultural negotiation between traditional Bantengan and Mberot, and conveys that music also functioned as an agent of social change. The result of this study emphasizes that cultural preservation is not always identical to the presentation of existing traditional arts, but can also be realized through creative interpretations that are relevant to the context of the times.