The Forbidden Art of Kuda Kepang

The traditional Javanese dance art of Kuda Kepang is dying in Singapore. As art practitioners and leaders of local Kuda Kepang groups desperately try to revive this precious art form, its reputation continues to plague their efforts.
Can Singapore get past the dance's controversial practices like eating glass and being in a ‘trance’, or is this art form doomed to extinction?
Read the full story here: bit.ly/3q6wIlS
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Executive Producer: Zat Astha
Producer: Eudea
Editor: Lauren Teo
Camera Operators: Zachary Tang, Stephanie Lee
Production Assistant: Hykel Quek
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[@madenaraputra6887]

Kuda lumping is: The Leathered Horse Trance dances Kuda Kepang: The Flat Horse Trance dancing

[@vkhaisu880]

Im 15, my family had their own kuda kepang grp, but we stopped because its disturbing and dangerous, and i was quite dissapointed cuz i admire kuda kepang and now i rarely see any kuda kepang performances.

[@user-lr6hw4dq4t]

This is why you shouldn't similize javanese with malays, bcuz both have very different underlied philosopy. For malays : religion is everything, but for javanese : culture is everything. Haram? Once again, Javanese mindset is not like Malays in terms of art form, and you can't force it.

[@absyahwa7698]

Even arabs arent seeing your people as equals to them why woshipping arab ideology and removing your own tradition, its javanese tradition not just indonesian ones

[@hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh888]

​@@absyahwa7698 Who said the Arabs don't see them as of equal status? Don't generalise

[@geniusboy94]

It's not a loss to our culture because it's not ours. It's an Indonesian culture. An art that has embedded itself in things that are against the teachings of Islam

[@kingafendikingafendi8897]

Kuda kepang is South East Asia culture , Islam is not South East Asia religion they were foreign religion an invasive , why don't you do Unta Kepang he he he he he he he 😂🤣

[@kingafendikingafendi8897]

Just like Arab Saudi , they have marina where bikini cladded women can be seen , is this Islam teaching , ISIS killed Muslim , in Malaysia Islam punishes Muslim with 2 laws shariah and cilvil , Islam teaches Islam to punish islam , Islam is very individualistic just like Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia Keadilan , keadil for who ? For himself!!! , Why the Malay has two laws did he fight for the Malay where is the Keadilan untuk Rakyat I think Anwar Ibrahim is Indian and his wife is Chinese , Are you South East Asian ?

[@kingafendikingafendi8897]

Hindu also not south east Asia culture they are foreign , I'm a Non Gay God 🤪

[@rexman9961]

Your name seem to indicate you have indo or javanese roots and you are in denial

[@user-lr6hw4dq4t]

That's why you shouldn't similize javanese with malays, both have very different underlied philosopy. For malays : religion is everything, but for javanese : culture is everything

[@aidil4214]

Kuda Kepang had been declared haram by certain Islamic authorities because the ritual involved chanting incantations directed towards supernatural entities other than God. The ritual also supposedly involved the ritual of spirit possession. This was deemed to be in violation of the Islamic doctrine of the Unity of worship towards the One God.

[@absyahwa7698]

Even arabs arent seeing your people as equals to them why woshipping arab ideology and removing your own tradition, its javanese tradition not just indonesian ones

[@mguvron6604]

Irronically jaran kepang coming from tradition from sultanate of Demak until Mataram Islam 😂😂

[@HidupBossKu]

Nak buat benda syirik, songkok jgn pakai bro.

[@muhammadrauf2600]

Songkok tradisi orang southeast Asia, bukan tradisi Islam . Takkan tu pun tak tau? Melayu apa kau ni?

[@pandupratondo]

Kuda Lumping / Kepang atau tradisi apa pun yang kita miliki mesti dijaga dan dilestarikan, tunjukkan kepada dunia bahwa betapa melimpahnya kesenian Nusantara.

[@sirtanchannel5848]

A beautiful art

[@باعلويجمالالليل]

Kuda Kepang should be Haram as much as Dabus and any non Islamic performic arts.both involve the invocation of unknown spiritual entities into the body,self mutilation, and prolong trans…Islam teaches us to be aware of our surroundings and not to be preoccupied by any unIslamic practices, losing consciousness except for the remembrence of Allah..do not try to equate some animistic culture into Islamic teaching because in the end your funeral is held in Islamic “arab” way not by cremation nor any other unIslamic

[@muhammadrauf2600]

Your opinion is not important

[@باعلويجمالالليل]

@@muhammadrauf2600 suit yourself buddy..we enjoin good and forbid evil..thats what Islam teaches

[@jibranakbar5309]

I think some javanese aren't muslim because some of them practice buddhism

[@dayzoflot2022]

katakan tidak pada kuda kepang.

[@absyahwa7698]

Katakan tidak pada kadrun bangsat

[@mashadi8912]

Kalau dah berdamping dgn jin, haram lah hukumnya...Kenapa masih nak mempertikaikan

[@absyahwa7698]

Even arabs arent seeing your people as equals to them why woshipping arab ideology and removing your own tradition, its javanese tradition not just indonesian ones

[@muhammadrauf2600]

Dorang punya suka la

[@afiqh9909]

Next would be ulek mayang. That is even more enticing. Do not search for the original ulek mayang. I repeat DO NOT.

[@muhammadrauf2600]

But the music is nice

[@Punchable_kid]

They will banned every pre Islamic cultures

[@kingafendikingafendi8897]

It a South East Asia culture must be practice it is not Asia , Indian or middle east culture , this kuda kepang not Unta kepang

[@mrphantom8608]

Before u make such statement, u must know that Kuda Kepang has a lot of Hindu influence.

[@kingafendikingafendi8897]

@@mrphantom8608 India mean Hindu if it a Hindu influence why the indian don't practice them , the Indian continental people always want want to be part of it like laksa suddenly it come out with laksa curry then rendang rendang has been South East Asian food for many years it only cook with beef India don't eat beef , rendang don't cook well with other meat , Islam is an Arab influence and culture , you eat what you are that what the Malay said so you wear what your are if you wear jubbah you are an Arab not Malay , if you wear hijab you are not Malay , no Hindu had never been practicing kuda kepang if the Hindu start to practice kuda kepang they want kuda kepang to be their culture that believe s not correct , the only culture practice in the world that has spirit and can be been with their bare eyes that is something special during my younger days every Malay wedding has kuda kepang and silat with batin , now you cannot practice silat with batin in Singapore why can other cultures practice their own not the Malay practice the Malay Culture , so Assam pedas is Indian food just because it is Assam like the place in India 🤣😂 don't be jealous of Malay Culture , the Malay ancient silat is still practice no Indian marshall art practice In Singapore and by non Indian 😂🤣 , Hindu is a culture Not A RELIGON !!! Leave and let live 😂🤣

[@mrphantom8608]

@@kingafendikingafendi8897 I always thought Laksa was a Peranakan dish. Btw, Kuda Kepang is a Javanese tradition, not Malay. Don't be too high lol.

[@kingafendikingafendi8897]

@@mrphantom8608 the Malay use laksa leaves in their cooking like Assam pedas peranakan also cook Malay dishes , they are Chinese in a strait settlement , Malay used to wear kebaya now lots of them were the Malay is wearing jubbah in a humid weather 🤣😂 I call them the walking jackfruit wrap in a plastic bag 😂🤣 , Jawa is one of the dialect in a Malay race , the Chinese and Indian Muslim are not Malay 🤣😂 I would be collecting kuda Kepang thing in future 😜 by the way laksa Johor is one of the best laksa 😂🤣

[@mrphantom8608]

@@kingafendikingafendi8897 Peranakan cuisine is a fusion between Chinese and Malay. So u can't say that Laksa is a pure Malay dish.

[@ChantelleCalyssaMoore]

Yelah kuda kepang bagai lepas tuh solat kau lupakan? Apa jadah tuh?

[@user-lr6hw4dq4t]

Makannya org jawa itu jangan disamakan dgn org melayu. Filosofinya udah beda

[@absyahwa7698]

Even arabs arent seeing your people as equals to them why woshipping arab ideology and removing your own tradition, its javanese tradition not just indonesian ones

[@shearsshears9269]

Sial nye gov history melayu semue padam....yg mp mlayu pun diam je tak guna langsung

[@muhammadrauf2600]

Bukan government bro. Selalunya Majlis Islam yang minta bantuan dari government untuk haramkan kuda kepang.

[@lipatbaju382]

@@muhammadrauf2600sebab mengarut