Tanjidor Traditional Music of Bekasi City, West Java Province

In Bekasi City, travelers can find many types of tourist attractions including traditional performances called Tanjidor. For some people, such tradition is quite interesting and worth a learning! So, what is it actually? The origin is from Betawi Tribe, but it has inspired people who live in nearby regions especially Bekasi. In fact, it has been performed since the first arrival of the Portuguese in the 14th century. No wonder, the locals works hard to retain such heritage and promotes it as one of the best traditions in Bekasi.

The Nuance
It can be said Tanjidor is a music show performed by the locals during a special occasion. Here is the unique part. The performance involves various types of traditional musical instruments including tambur, drum, percussion, sax, trombone, clarinet, and piston. Not to mention it uses stringed instruments. After all, the name derives from “Tagedor” which means stringed musical instruments. As people may expect, the performance is done in a group since it involves lots of items. For the information, there are about 7-10 people who perform it! Also, the people wear traditional attire of Betawi during the performance.

More about Tanjidor Traditional Music
Some tourists are interested in Tanjidor due to the history. They can get the information either from villagers or local guides, actually. It is said the performance was brought by the invaders. In the past, those people carried many slaves when visiting Indonesia. The good thing was these slaves possessed a good skill in playing musical instruments. After the eradication of slavery system (in the 1800s), those slaves formed a group and performed a show called Tanjidor! No wonder, it has become the part of Bekasi City since then.

For the information, Tanjidor is often performed during special occasions like circumcision and weddings. Even the local government holds it when celebrating the Independence Day of Indonesia. Moreover, some locals also perform it during the Chinese’s New Year or Cap Go Meh. Another allure is related to the variety of music, which becomes the feature of the show. These include Cente Manis, Kramton, and much more!

In addition, Tanjidor got a significant European music. No wonder, it involves mainly the diatonic tone system. Despite the fact, the performers wear traditional attire of Bekasi City. This explains why the show looks both unique and interesting. Moreover, tourists are allowed to learn or play those instruments after the performance is done. One thing, they must talk to the musicians first. They would be lucky if those artists may teach them freely!

Nearby Attractions

• Namat Public Fishing Pond
• Go Wet Waterpark
• Kembang Market
• Jakarta City

How to Get There
The best place to watch Tanjidor Performance is definitely in Bekasi City. From Bandung City, a trip to Bekasi may take around 2 hours and 25 minutes. After all, the distance between those cities is 133 km. What about the best route? Tourists can take Purbaleunyi Highway and Pantura Street for a faster trip. Make sure to use the best transportation service, as well!

Where to Stay

• Asa Hotel
• Green Hotel
• Aston Imperial Hotel
• Amaroosa Hotel
• Horison Hotel