Sanggar Cepaka Kuning: The Semar Pegulingan Tradition in the Mentik Mini Album
Sanggar Cepaka Kuning is a center for karawitan education that has grown through a long and consistent process, with Semar Pegulingan as one of its main areas of focus. Through the mini album Mentik, the group encapsulates its journey and the values it upholds patience, quality, and honesty in the creative process across four compositions that reflect the cycle of life. The album stands as proof that cultural preservation can be carried out in a simple way, yet remain relevant and meaningful.
The origins of Sanggar Cepaka Kuning trace back to 2014, when I Made Gunanta purchased a set of Semar Pegulingan gamelan for personal use at home. At that time, the instruments were not intended as an educational medium, but were played informally within the family. The idea of turning this setting into a learning space only fully materialized in 2017, when Sanggar Cepaka Kuning was officially established and registered in Tabanan. Since then, the management of the sanggar has been continued by I Putu Andy Santika, S.Sn, who has guided it as a learning space oriented not only toward technical skill, but also toward the formation of musical character.
From its early days, Sanggar Cepaka Kuning has maintained a clear focus on Semar Pegulingan. This gamelan is not treated as a relic to be frozen in the past, but as a living medium that can continue to be taught and developed. The learning process begins from the basics, proceeds gradually, and emphasizes both technical mastery and musical sensitivity. There are no shortcuts; each player is encouraged to understand their role within the ensemble as a whole.
Children’s Practice Activities at the Sanggar (Source: Personal Collection)
To this day, the activities of Sanggar Cepaka Kuning are centered on the training of children and teenagers, particularly those at the elementary and junior high school levels. The learning system is structured in stages, yet without rigid mechanisms of level promotion. The sanggar deliberately avoids ranking or grading systems that could lead to unhealthy competition. Each instrument is treated as equal, because within a gamelan ensemble, no single part can truly stand on its own.
This approach plays a major role in sustaining the sanggar. Children who begin learning from an early stage are not only trained to play gending, but also to understand responsibility and cooperation. Over time, some of them grow into more mature players and even begin assisting in teaching younger members. Regeneration happens naturally, not by force. With around 50 members, the sanggar chooses not to pursue large-scale growth, but instead to preserve the quality of instruction and the depth of the learning process.
Beyond regular practice sessions, Sanggar Cepaka Kuning is also actively involved in various performances, ranging from ngayah at temples, collaborations with other sanggar, to appearances at cultural and tourism events. For this sanggar, the stage is not the final goal, but part of the learning journey. Through performance, members develop mental resilience, refine their musical sensitivity, and become familiar with the dynamics of playing together. It is through this quiet approach marked by consistency, patience, and trust in the process that Sanggar Cepaka Kuning continues to endure.
This long-standing consistency in nurturing members, maintaining quality, and allowing space for growth eventually led Sanggar Cepaka Kuning to the next stage: the need to leave behind a tangible body of work. After years of focusing primarily on learning and mentorship, the sanggar felt the importance of creating an achievement that could document its journey. From this need emerged Mentik, a mini album that stands as one of Sanggar Cepaka Kuning’s most recent accomplishments, and a marker that the long process they have undertaken does not stop in the rehearsal space, but takes form as a work that can be heard and passed on.
The Recording Process of the Mini Album Mentik (Source: Personal Collection)
The mini album Mentik emerged from a fairly long process that was never rushed. The works included in the album were initially created without any plan for recording or commercial release. Some of the compositions had even existed for quite some time in the form of digital notation, only to be realized later when there was a strong urge to shape them into a complete body of work. The production process took approximately six months, encompassing composition, rehearsals, and recording. From the outset, Mentik was not intended to chase popularity or virality, but to serve as a documentation of Sanggar Cepaka Kuning’s creative output, a marker that the sanggar possesses its own musical identity within the Semar Pegulingan barungan.
The title Mentik and the names of its four tracks: Putik, Mungkah, Jegjeg, and Gumuk were decided only after all the compositions were completed. From there, a unifying thread emerged, tying the album together through the idea of the life cycle. Putik represents the beginning or a seed, and is therefore performed entirely by children as a symbol of the earliest phase. Mungkah reflects a stage of opening and growth, drawing inspiration from wayang gending used to open performances. Jegjeg carries a stronger and more spirited character, inspired by the atmosphere of barongan. Meanwhile, Gumuk serves as a calmer and more extended closing piece, inspired by sekatian, portraying the final phase of life quiet and unhurried.
Through Mentik, Sanggar Cepaka Kuning seeks to show that Semar Pegulingan is not confined to a single color or character. In this compact album, Semar Pegulingan is treated as a flexible medium capable of being gentle, powerful, dynamic, or still without losing its distinctive identity. With only four compositions, Mentik feels concise yet complete, not merely a collection of pieces, but a connected narrative. For Sanggar Cepaka Kuning, Mentik is also a statement of attitude: it is better to present a small number of works that are mature and honest than many that feel empty. Every sound is carefully considered, every composition born from a long process rather than the pursuit of trends, standing as proof that cultural preservation can take place through works that are simple, distinctive, and grounded in genuine commitment.
Ngayah Mebarung at Pura Dalem Desa Adat Cepaka (Source: Personal Collection)
If Sanggar Cepaka Kuning is understood as a story, the message it carries is quite clear: tradition cannot be rushed. It requires time, effort, and patience from teachers, students, and parents who accompany the learning process. At a time when many things are expected to be fast and instant, this sanggar deliberately chooses a slower, more gradual path. They build from the ground up, accept existing limitations, and continue to believe that a process carried out with sincerity will lead to meaningful results. Through Sanggar Cepaka Kuning and the mini album Mentik, Semar Pegulingan is not only preserved, but also continuously revitalized and reintroduced in ways that remain relevant to the present day.
