The Mystical Power of Kuda Kepang
Written by : Siti Nurafiqah binti Zulkifle The Kuda Kepang dance is famous for its mystical powers. This dance has other names such as jaran kepang, kuda lumping, jathilan and ebeg. For Javanese ‘jaran’ is a horse while ‘kepang’ refers to weaving. For the Javanese community, the nickname for the popular kepang horse is the jaran kepang because the show presented is using horse weaving. Kuda kepang are made using woven bamboo. At first, kuda kepang used woven pandan but now some are made of plywood or cowhide. It is usually black with yellow feathers. However, renovations have taken place when there are also horses wrapped in velvet to make the horse look more attractive. Usually decorations like this are for the purpose of presentation at a high level. In ancient times, the performance of kuda kepang was played in worship ceremonies. Some believe that kuda kepang are played for the living to establish contact with the spirits of the dead. Apart from that, it is believed that kuda...