Cakalele Maluku Traditional Dance

Cakalele Maluku is a traditional war dance used to welcome guests or in the customary celebration. Typically, this dance is performed by 30 men and women. This dance is performed in pairs with a musical accompaniment of drums, flutes, bia (a type of wind instrument).

The male dancer usually wears a machete and salawaku (shield) while the female dancers use Lenso (sniffer). Male dancers wore costumes that dominated the red and yellow colors, and wearing a head penutuk aluminum inserted with white fur. Costume red underwear on the male dancer symbolizes the heroism, courage and patriotism of the people of Maluku. Swords or machetes on the right hand symbolizes the dignity of the people of Maluku dancers who must be maintained until death, while the shield and loud shouts of the dancers symbolize the protest movement against the system of government that the people considered to be impartial. Another source claimed that this dance is a tribute to the ancestors of the Moluccas which is a sailor. Before you across the sea to hijack the plane, their ancestors had a party with eating, drinking, and dancing. When the dance Cakalele shown, sometimes the ancestral spirits can enter the dancers and the presence of spirits can be felt by the natives.

Posted in: Traditional Dance