''Cakalele'' dance (pronounced "cha-ka-leh-leh", spelled ''tjakalele'' by the Dutch) is a
war dance
A war dance is a dance involving mock combat, usually in reference to tribal warrior societies where such dances were performed as a ritual connected with endemic warfare.
Martial arts in various cultures can be performed in dance-like setti ...
from
North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''no ...
and
Central Maluku in
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
. Hybrid versions also exist among the natives of
Sulawesi,
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, in the north of the Timor Sea. The island is divided between the sovereign states of East Timor on the eastern part and Indonesia on the western part. The Indonesian part, al ...
, and the
Tanimbar Islands
The Tanimbar Islands, also called ''Timur Laut'', are a group of about 65 islands in the Maluku province of Indonesia. The largest and most central of the islands is Yamdena; others include Selaru to the southwest of Yamdena, Larat and Ford ...
. The dance is performed by men, two of whom represent opposing captains or leaders while the others are the warriors supporting them. After an opening ritual, the captains engage in a mock-duel with a spear (''sanokat'') and long knife (''lopu'') while their supporters use a long knife in the right hand and a narrow wooden shield in the left hand. The shield is referred to as a
salawaku
A Salawaku (in the Tidore and Pagu languages), is a traditional shield originating from the Maluku Islands, Indonesia. It is also known as Ma Dadatoko, Salwake, Saluwaku or Salawako in Galela, Salewaku-mu in Loloda, Hawau-mu in Madole, Emuli i ...
, or by a local name such as the
Tobelo
Tobelo is a town and a district on the eastern Indonesian island of Halmahera. It is the capital of the regency (''kabupaten'') of North Halmahera, part of the province of North Maluku. The town was formalised as the capital of North Halmahera in ...
''o dadatoko''.
The cakalele originated as a way for the warriors to celebrate after a successful raid. Dancers dress in full warrior costume and are backed by the rhythm of the drum and gong (''tifa'') and fife (''sulin'').
Gallery
File:Cakalele.jpg, Cakalele dancers wearing traditional clothes
Cakalele - Maluku.jpg, ''Cakalele'' dance performances in Maluku
File:cakalele.gif, ''Salawaku
A Salawaku (in the Tidore and Pagu languages), is a traditional shield originating from the Maluku Islands, Indonesia. It is also known as Ma Dadatoko, Salwake, Saluwaku or Salawako in Galela, Salewaku-mu in Loloda, Hawau-mu in Madole, Emuli i ...
'', the shield used in performances
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Honitetoe-Alfoeren voeren de 'Tjakalélé' krijgsdans op Seram TMnr 10003481.jpg, ''Cakalele'' dance performances in the 1900s
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM 'Tjakalélé' dansers voeren een dans op in kampong Bora te Biromaru Donggala Celebes TMnr 10003467.jpg, Two ''cakalele'' dancers
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Groepsportret van Ambonezen met muziekinstrumenten TMnr 10000859.jpg, ''Cakalele'' performance
See also
*
Kabasaran
*
Arnis
Arnis, also known as Kali or Eskrima/Escrima, is the national martial art of the Philippines. The three are roughly interchangeable umbrella terms for the traditional martial arts of the Philippines (" Filipino Martial Arts", or FMA), which e ...
Notes
External links
Museum Maluku
War dances
Maluku (province)
Dances of Indonesia
Theatre in Indonesia
Traditional drama and theatre of Indonesia
{{Indonesia-stub