From the Ritual Domain to the Digital World: The Development of Textual Singing 'Gita Shanti' in Bali in the Modern Era

"Gegirang" textual singing program on TVRI Bali (Photo Darma Putra, 2012).

The art of textual singing, locally known in Bali as gita shanti, which was once feared to be extinct in fact continues to grow in line with technological developments. Gita shanti means singing and interpeting line by line of traditional poetry in the Balinese language.

There are a number of terms that use to refer to textual singing including mabebasan or mapepaosan (the art of language), dharma gita (the song of religion), pesantian (singing for peace, also mean group of textual singin), mekidung or makekawin (textual singing with different poetic genres). The sung-poetic verse contains a lot of moral and spiritual advice so that it is expected to create a sense of peace (shanti).

Initially, the gita shanti activities were carried out specifically for entertainment and for accompaniment of traditional and religious ceremonial activities. The enthusiasts of textual singing have been predominantly old people, mostly men. Teenagers were less interested in gita shanti, who might considered the textual singing activity as an old fashion.

By the the mid 1980s, there many people praticed textual singing on handy talki (HT) means of radio communication. By the 1990s , gita shanti activity also appeared in the form of entertainment programs in electronic mass media such as radio and television. A new shift in gita shanti tradition took place in the 1910s where many recording of textual singin can be watched and enjoyed through social media especiallya Youtube and Facebook. The gita shanti activity is also developing in the digital world.

This article outlines the development of the gita shanti in Bali in almost the last four decades, 1980s-2020s. The writing is compiled from a summary of research on the development of interactive textual singing on electronic mass media funded by LPPM Unud in 2017. It was a continuation from a three years project, 2011-2013, titled Textual traditions, identity and cultural production in contemporary Bali”, funded by Australian Research Council for the schemes of Discovery Grant (Project Number DP110100448). The project was administered by A/Prof. Helen Creese form the University of Queensland. 

Early Development

The beginning of the development of the gita shanti on ‘the electronic stage’ took place in the middle of the  1980s when many members of ORARI (Amateur Radio Organisation of the Republic of Indonesia) used HT as a tool of distance communication. The tool used for chatting was slowly filled with interludes too including textual singin or gita shanti. This textual singing which was originally an interlude, gradually became a favorite of many ORARI members so that the textual singing finally became as interesting as the main activity of chatting.

In the early 1990s, Radio RRI Denpasar, introduced and broadcast a new program called ‘Dagang 'Gantal' (traveling petty merchants, selling betel, and snacks). The program, which was started in 1991, initially contained quizzes with prizes from sponsors, interspersed with chat and textual singing.

In a short time, fans increased sharply, so the program that was originally 10 minutes, became 2 hours. The mekidung program on the electronic stage was carried out with a pattern of inviting listeners at home to sing through the telephone line, while the announcer in the studio gave a meaning line by line in artistic ways.

Beginning in the mid-1990s, many radio stations throughout Bali aired interactive textual singing shows with various names. The radio for example Radio Yudha Bali (Denpasar), Global FM Bali (Tabanan), Suara Besakih (Karangasem), RRI Singaraja, and Singaraja FM both in North Bali.

The number of radio stations both public and private that broadcast interactive textual singing programs.

Television Electronic Stage

By the early 2000s, the popularity of interactive textual singing on radio, also began to appear on television shows. There were three main TV stations in Bali at that time, namely TVRI Bali, Bali TV, and Dewata TV (now Kompas Dewata TV). In Bali TV the gita shanti program came in two forms, namely the live broadcast called the Kidung Interaktif, and one of them again Gita Shanti is showing the recorded textual singing.

Dewata TV, initially a live broadcast but later decided to show recorded textual singing called "Tembang Guntang". On TVRI Bali this program is called "Gegirang", broadcast once a week with an hour duration.

Although the names are different, the format of the program is the same as on Bali TV and other radios, which are interactive. The duration of the one-hour event was filled with gita shanti group performances for the first 30 minutes, and 30 minutes filled with interactive. Now, viewers from home can call to the studio and develop a poem (song) from home. Broadcasters in the studio interpret line by line beautifully and with interesting illustrations.

Interactive balloon activities on radio and television run very lively, because from time to time from morning to night, there are always interactive balloons on radio or different stations throughout Bali.

Tradition and Technology

The lively gita shanti on radio and television shows that this traditional Balinese art is developing in line with technological advancements. This fact can be used to show that modern technology does not automatically pushed aside traditional life.

"Gita Shanti" in the ritual context (Photo Darma Putra, 2017).

The tradition that is usually practiced to accompany traditional or religious ceremonies in Bali, apparently can flourish well in popular cultural arean which are called  the electronic stage.

Interactive patterns in Indonesia emerged as a result of the reform movement that gave people freedom of expression since the late 1990s. In the New Order era which strictly controlled mass media, interactive forms of program never existed.

After the reformation, there were many interactive programs on radio and TV in Indonesia, including in Bali. The interactive program can be used to articulate social concerns and issues, expressing sense of public disappointment, and other current affairs.

In Bali, an interactive program also exists, but not only to discuss social issues, but is presented in an aesthetic textual singing format. Interactive song can be said to be a child of reform, where Balinese artists use it with art though.

In addition to maintaining the spirit of freedom of expression and creation, this kidung interaktif is clearly a form of preserving the art of literary tradition.

Latest developments

Towards the end of the 2010s, or entering the 2020s, the interactive textual singing program are generally still lively on the radios, but have declined somewhat on two televisions namely Bali TV and TVRI Bali.

In the distractive situation caused of the covid-19 pandemic, interactive textual singing program at these two stations were canceled. It is acceptable because it is impossible to invite gita shanti or pesantian groups to TV studio for live broadcasts. Practicing preparation prior the live broadcast will also not possible for those group. Information from Bali TV stated that after the covid-19 pandemic, the program would be aired again.

Despite the temporary stop on TV, radio stations in Bali continue to broadcast kidugn interaktif. The audience do not need to come to the studio, they can participate from home. This is good and positive picture of the life of textual singing tradition.

What is more optimistic about the future for Gita Shanti is that this event has begun to appear on social media such as FB, WahstApp Group, and Youtube. The existence of gita shanti in the digital world, through the platforms Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and WA seems to provide a new guarantee of the future life of the tradition of Balinese pesantian tradition in the future.

The mekidung or meshanti appearance in the digital world adds to the participation of teenagers who are familiar with digital world. Observation on the clips of textual singing uploaded on You Tube and observation on facebook show that the tradition of the art of gita shanti has grown from the past is still shows its ability to adapt to the latest technological platform.

The liveliness of the gita shanti on the electronic stage and the digital world is directly related reciprocally with that on the ritual stage. That is, in traditional ceremonial and religious activities in Bali, the presence of gita shanti is certain. No ceremony, simple or elaborated form, takes place without the gita shanti.

The development of gita shanti on the electronic stage and the digital world does not mean the transfer of the domain of appreciation from the realm of ritual to electronic, but rather adds to and extends the realm of appreciation and practice of gita shanti as a whole. This means that the existence of the gita shanti are not only limited to the ritual stage, electronic stage, but also in the digital world.

The bright future of gita shanti, preserve literary arts and traditional Balinese textual singing and interpreting traditions (I Nyoman Darma Putra)