Sounding agriculture: Interlocking rhythms, ritual practice, and embodied knowledge in Kurung-Kurung Hantak

Muhammad Najamudin; Yudi Sukmayadi; Juju Masunah; Tri Karyono

doi:10.12975/rastmd.20261414

Sounding agriculture: Interlocking rhythms, ritual practice, and embodied knowledge in Kurung-Kurung Hantak

Abstract

This study explores Kurung-Kurung Hantak, a traditional bamboo percussion ensemble of the Dayak Meratus community in Ranggang Village, South Kalimantan, with a particular focus on its rhythmic system and performance practice. Using an ethnomusicological and ethnographic approach, the research situates Kurung-Kurung Hantak within its ritual, agricultural, and cosmological contexts, where music functions as both a sonic expression and a cultural technology. Central to this tradition is the complementary rhythmic technique known locally as basaluk, in which several single-pitch bamboo idiophones interlock to form a composite rhythm. The ensemble is characterized by a distinctive “Dun–Dung–Dun–Dun” rhythmic motif, which functions simultaneously as a musical pattern, a ritual signal, and a symbolic sound believed to repel the Dundun Ghost during agricultural activities, particularly the manugal (rice planting) season. Rhythm in Kurung-Kurung Hantak is structured around a repetitive 3/4 meter, producing a staggered and asymmetrical pulse through interlocking entries among instruments such as indung landung, indungan, capak, and tinti. Data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews with senior performers (tetuha), and audio-visual documentation. The findings reveal that rhythmic coordination in Kurung-Kurung Hantak is achieved without written notation or verbal counting; instead, it relies on embodied memory, gesture-based cues, and collective listening. To support analysis and preservation, the study transcribes the rhythmic patterns into adapted Western notation while maintaining sensitivity to local musical logic. The study demonstrates that the rhythm of Kurung-Kurung Hantak is not merely a musical structure but a living cultural archive that encodes social cooperation, ritual protection, and ecological knowledge. As a tradition facing declining intergenerational transmission, Kurung-Kurung Hantak highlights the resilience of indigenous rhythmic systems and underscores the importance of culturally grounded documentation in ethnomusicology and Southeast Asian ritual music studies.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. All research activities were conducted independently by the authors.

Ethical Statement

This study was conducted following ethical principles for qualitative and ethnographic research. Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to interviews, observations, and documentation. Participants were informed about the research objectives, procedures, and the use of data for academic publication. Cultural sensitivity and respect for local customs were upheld throughout the research process, and no sacred or restricted knowledge was disclosed without community approval. Contributions of authors Muhammad Najamudin: Conceptualization, fieldwork, data collection, ethnographic observation, data analysis, manuscript drafting, and final revision. Yudi Sukmayadi: Theoretical framework development, critical review, and supervision of ethnomusicological analysis. Juju Masunah: Methodological guidance, interpretation of cultural and educational contexts, and manuscript review. Tri Karyono: Visual documentation analysis, organological interpretation, and contribution to discussion and conclusion refinement.

Thanks

The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the Dayak Meratus community of Ranggang Village for their openness, trust, and generosity in sharing their cultural knowledge. Special appreciation is extended to the traditional elders (tetuha) and Kurung-Kurung Hantak performers who participated in this study and provided invaluable insights through interviews and demonstrations. The authors also acknowledge the support of local community leaders who facilitated fieldwork activities and documentation.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Music Education

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Muhammad Najamudin ^*
Indonesia

Yudi Sukmayadi
0000-0001-6637-3297
Indonesia

Juju Masunah This is me
0000-0001-6024-3547
Indonesia

Tri Karyono This is me
0000-0001-6763-1518
Indonesia

Early Pub Date

February 5, 2026

Publication Date

February 5, 2026

Submission Date

August 13, 2025

Acceptance Date

January 31, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 14 Number: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.12975/rastmd.20261414

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA42CF47CE

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Najamudin, M., Sukmayadi, Y., Masunah, J., & Karyono, T. (2026). Sounding agriculture: Interlocking rhythms, ritual practice, and embodied knowledge in Kurung-Kurung Hantak. Rast Musicology Journal, 14(1), 93-117. https://doi.org/10.12975/rastmd.20261414

AMA

1.Najamudin M, Sukmayadi Y, Masunah J, Karyono T. Sounding agriculture: Interlocking rhythms, ritual practice, and embodied knowledge in Kurung-Kurung Hantak. RMJ. 2026;14(1):93-117. doi:10.12975/rastmd.20261414

Chicago

Najamudin, Muhammad, Yudi Sukmayadi, Juju Masunah, and Tri Karyono. 2026. “Sounding Agriculture: Interlocking Rhythms, Ritual Practice, and Embodied Knowledge in Kurung-Kurung Hantak”. Rast Musicology Journal 14 (1): 93-117. https://doi.org/10.12975/rastmd.20261414.

EndNote

Najamudin M, Sukmayadi Y, Masunah J, Karyono T (March 1, 2026) Sounding agriculture: Interlocking rhythms, ritual practice, and embodied knowledge in Kurung-Kurung Hantak. Rast Musicology Journal 14 1 93–117.

IEEE

[1]M. Najamudin, Y. Sukmayadi, J. Masunah, and T. Karyono, “Sounding agriculture: Interlocking rhythms, ritual practice, and embodied knowledge in Kurung-Kurung Hantak”, RMJ, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 93–117, Mar. 2026, doi: 10.12975/rastmd.20261414.

ISNAD

Najamudin, Muhammad - Sukmayadi, Yudi - Masunah, Juju - Karyono, Tri. “Sounding Agriculture: Interlocking Rhythms, Ritual Practice, and Embodied Knowledge in Kurung-Kurung Hantak”. Rast Musicology Journal 14/1 (March 1, 2026): 93-117. https://doi.org/10.12975/rastmd.20261414.

JAMA

1.Najamudin M, Sukmayadi Y, Masunah J, Karyono T. Sounding agriculture: Interlocking rhythms, ritual practice, and embodied knowledge in Kurung-Kurung Hantak. RMJ. 2026;14:93–117.

MLA

Najamudin, Muhammad, et al. “Sounding Agriculture: Interlocking Rhythms, Ritual Practice, and Embodied Knowledge in Kurung-Kurung Hantak”. Rast Musicology Journal, vol. 14, no. 1, Mar. 2026, pp. 93-117, doi:10.12975/rastmd.20261414.

Vancouver

1.Muhammad Najamudin, Yudi Sukmayadi, Juju Masunah, Tri Karyono. Sounding agriculture: Interlocking rhythms, ritual practice, and embodied knowledge in Kurung-Kurung Hantak. RMJ. 2026 Mar. 1;14(1):93-117. doi:10.12975/rastmd.20261414