“Tung... Tung... Tung..†the sound of the talempong that was hit to the village of the Puar River, Agam Regency, West Sumatra.
The sound originated from the semi permanent building of rumbia, the workshop of the talempong craft. Powered by smoke collection, crafting talempong tone by tapping part in talempong using hammer and wood to adjust the basic tone.
Nagari Sungai Puar area is a talempong manufacturing workshop, traditional percussion music instrument from Minangkabau.
Talempong, the shape boasts almost the same as the bonang instrument in the gamelan device, but it has a unique sound of Minangkabau.
Diameter 15 to 11.5 centimeters. The bottom is perforated while on the top there is a round that stands out the diameter of five centimeters as a point to hit.
Talempong has different tone. The sound is produced from a pair of wood that is raised on the surface.
To make it, craftsmen need a little 30 days, starting from printing to play.
According to craftsmen, making talempongs can not be any person, because the ability is lowered from the previous generation.
First, the crafter must print a talempong-shaped candle. After dry, the candle is then dive with a plated soil.
The first layer consists of condensed soil, sluing the inner and outer shaped candle of the talempong. Then dipped back until the fat-shaped talempong.
The weather condition greatly affects the rapid or slow process of making talempong, because the sunbathing needs sunlight.
After the sunbathing for the last layer, it is new to the talempong mold is burned in a special combustion furnace. At this time, the candle in the lining of the soil will melt and form a talempong mold.
The soil layer is burned up to twice for a strong talempong mould, as it will be filled with brass metal liquid from scrap metal by melting it.
Metal liquid pouring process in talempong mould requires extra caution and will fail when the mold is leaked or broken.
After cold, the mold can be broken and leave the already finished talempong in it. It will be set the tone and then polished repeatedly until shiny.
One piece of talempong is rewarded from Rp190 thousand to Rp250 thousand. Usually talempong is played with eight to 16 pieces.
A number of talempong’s business workshops in the village still survive in the middle of the development of modern lifestyle. And during the talempong congratulations still sounds up to the cities, the workshop will continue to collect the smoke ramated the typical sounds of the metal being hit.
Photo and text : Iggoy el Fitra
Author : Fanny Octavianus