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(U-WIRE) PROVO, Utah -- Perhaps there is a magic spirit whose presence is called at the strike of a gong; one strike creates a deep, reverberating sound that fills the room and flows through the halls.
The gong is part of a traditional Indonesian orchestra known as the Javanese Gamelan. It is used as an instrument of praise and is currently on loan at BYU's Museum of Peoples and Cultures as part of the "Seeking the Divine" exhibition. Immediately after stepping into the room, one can see that the black gong, which stands about five feet tall and hangs from wooden posts, plays an important role in the orchestra.
"The gong is the heart of the gamelan orchestra," said Glenna Nielsen, museum curator. "It creates a deep, resonating sound and signals changes. Gamelan music is in a key that is different than traditional western music."
Each instrument in the orchestra, which is made up of various percussion instruments, is significant and is believed by Indonesians to hold special powers. The musicians take off their shoes when they play and believe stepping over the instruments offends the spirits.
"Some people believe there are spirits in the instruments," Nielsen said. "They treat them with the highest respect because they are sacred."
Only ritually qualified players may touch some instruments including the gong, which is the gamelan's main spirit and leads the musical changes.
The orchestra is more than a thousand years old but is still very popular in Indonesia today. Its music is played in many different settings.
"There are gamelan ensembles everywhere in the world," said Adisti Regar, a media arts major from Indonesia. "The gamelan is still widely used for cultural ceremonies, religious festivals, parades, weddings, and performances in hotels, restaurants and even puppet shows."
Museum visitors are allowed to step up on the platform, pick up the colorful mallet, bang the gong and listen to the low, metallic rumble.
"Little kids just eat this up," said Rebecca Olsen, museum promotions manager. "It is a very interactive piece and we always have visitors who are excited to hit the gong."
Visitors can listen to recordings of a gamelan orchestra and hear how the gong sounds in the full ensemble. They are also invited to contemplate the role it plays.
"With music in our society we find a lot of meaning through the words, but what I've learned through this exhibition is that so much meaning can be found through the music itself," Olsen said. "For example, each hitting of the gong can signify something."
The "Seeking the Divine" exhibition, which explores rituals and ceremonies that empower people to seek spiritual guidance, has been on display since May 2005.
"We really like this exhibition because it is so wide ranging," Nielsen said. "We wanted to show the commonality in cultures throughout the world and visitors find that there are very many similarities in how people worship God through music, prayer, food and daily life."
(C) 2006 The Daily Universe via U-WIRE
