Gandang Sarunai is a form of traditional Minangkabau music which lives, develops and grows in the daily life of the Alam Surambi Sungai Pagu community of South Solok District, West Sumatra. During the kingdom era when Alam Surambi Sugai Pagu was still led by kings, Gandang Sarunai music was acknowledged as the music of the kings. The performances of the gandang nobat repertoire and gandang puluik-puluik marked the coronation of the kings of Alam Surambi Sungai Pagu. At present, however, Raja Alam is no longer acting as the administrative leader of the community, but the head of the community’s cultural affairs known as the penghulu, niniak mamak of the Alam Surambi Sungai Pagu community. Along with the changes of the king’s roles, Gandang Sarunai has also experienced some role changes. Gandang Sarunai is now also performed in alek kawin and batagak panghulu festivals. Gandang Sarunai in this case, is seen by Keammer as an expression of how this traditional music is now valued pragmatically by its community, meaning that that the traditional music is now practiced for obtaining both material and moral benefits. In other words, Gandang Sarunai is now valued as more an expression of an adaptive culture than an expressive culture of the community of the Alam Surambi Sugai Pagu. Gandang Sarunai performances in the events like alek kawin and/or batagak panghulu festivals can be seen as a reflection of the community’s efforts to strengthen their identity (clan, family), to raise their social status and to improve the community solidarity.
Continuity and Changes in Gandang Sarunai's Music Performance in Alam Surambi Sungai Pagu Society's Socio-Cultural Activities, South Solok Regency, West Sumatra
