Ponorogo’s Dance of Lions: Reog Ponorogo

Hamilton is a musical created and led by music composer and songwriter, also occasionally dubbed a music legend, Lin-Manuel Miranda. His way of shedding light onto the forgotten life of U.S.A. founding father Alexander Hamilton, with the fast raps, energetic beats, and melodic harmonies, changed Broadway forever. Performance art was never the same after that. Well, modern performance art atleast. Although this modern world has led to rapid consumerism and swift online trends, society tends to forget about our very own roots. Of how, before we had Dear Evan Hansen or Chicago, before all the performance art majors at NYU, we only had our traditions. Fortunately enough, Indonesian cultures have kept up the work and preserved traditional theatre performance art forms for decades now. For example. Ponorogo’s very own Reog Ponorogo. 

The Ponorogo District Government stated that Reog Ponorogo is a type of traditional dance that is presented as a dramatic dance art, becoming the main identity of the Ponorogo region. Reog Ponorogo features a range of masked dancers resembling numerous characters in a typical Reog Ponorogo performance. One such example is a mask that resembles large tigers whilst adorned with peacock tail feathers, which symbolises the king of the Lodaya forest. Other leading characters in the Reog Ponorogo performances also include Kelono Sewandono (the king), Bujanggong (the village leader), Jathil (a terrifying warrior on horseback), and Warok (an almighty knight). In 2013, UNESCO recognised the Reog Ponorogo performance art as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, meaning that with this esteemed recognition, it features Reog Ponorogo as a cultural legacy that is not only extraordinary but also severely important for the Indonesian people, with the art being passed down from generation to generation. Every year in Ponorogo, a national festival is held as a way to celebrate and preserve the tradition of Reog, all while fueling the local economy. Along with the National Reog Ponorogo Festival, the residents of Ponorogo also celebrate Grebeg Suro Festival at the same time, coinciding with the Islamic New Year and offering a full month of special events, which include crafts, sports, religious tradition, competitions, and obviously, the cultural arts. 

Just like a lot of other traditional Indonesian arts, the exact origins of Reog Ponorogo are quite estranged, as people still ponder the start of it all. What we do know is that although numerous versions of Reog Ponorogo have popped up across the eastern part of the Java island, Ponorogo is the birthplace and spiritual epicenter of this traditional dance. However, due to the dance’s ancient history and roots, Reog Ponorogo has multiple alleged origin stories, with each story giving a different and unique insight into the dance’s meaning and evolution through time. One version says that the early Javanese people believed in animistic spirits, thus protecting the forests and surrounding villages. Specifically, in the Ponorogo area, they believed the tiger was a powerful and ferocious protector. Thus, people back then performed ritual dances with masks to channel the tiger spirit and to get rid of any bad luck. Over time, this dance evolved into what we now know as Reog Ponorogo. However, other versions are more political and dramatic, as they were based on local folklore and mythology. A popular tale referring to this is the legend of Ki Ageng Kutu, where he, a former court official of the Majapahit kingdom, created the Reog Ponorogo dance as a subtle way to protest against King Brawijaya V’s reign. The performance mocked the king through the dance’s satirical moves and masks. Another version is the Bantarangin legend, which tells a story of King Kelana Sewandana seeking the princess of Kediri’s hand in marriage. To win her favour, the king was asked to present a brand new form of musical performance that featured a creature with the head of a lion. What came afterwards was the iconic Reog Ponorogo tiger mask. All these stories, though drastically different one way or another, have their own interpretations on how Reog Ponorogo first started. But one thing is for sure, that no matter the conspiracies of how, where, and when Reog Ponorogo developed, the dance is still a crucial part of local Ponorogo life, culture, and especially art. 


Reog Ponorogo performances are spectacular, garnering even foreign tourists to come and watch. Reog Ponorogo dances are set at night, usually in the Ponorogo Town Square, with a typical performance having around 25-40 dancers. Additionally, the performance is further enhanced through the penyenggak (singers) and the gamelan music from the pengrawit (traditional musicians), who accompany the Reog Ponorogo performances. The main leading figure in these performances is Singo Barong, which refers to a mythical lion-like creature from Balinese-Hinduism culture who symbolizes goodness, protection, and health. The dancer who will play Singo Barong will also have to bear wearing the mask, which itself weighs around 30-40 kg and is supported by the strength of their teeth. Other leading figures in the Reog Ponorogo performances include a plethora of the already aforementioned characters, and more! The dance itself is a demonstration of defiance and Indonesian cultural pride.

With the dance’s ancestral and spiritual roots and captivating visual drama, Reog Ponorogo has still managed to adapt to the current times without losing sight of its traditions and history. Over the years, roles such as Jathil, who were originally played by boys with feminine features, are now played by female dancers, furthering the elegance and grace of the dance’s movements. In addition, Reog Ponorogo has managed to seep into modern education and religious life, as more schools in Ponorogo are now incorporating the art form into the cultural curriculum, whilst Islamic boarding schools have implemented a new way to blend traditional ideals with Islamic teachings through Reog. Costumes have been changed for modesty, and now performances are meant to portray moral lessons. Reog, even until now, reminds its audience of our inner strength, spiritual balance, and the constant battle between good and evil morals. The people of Ponorogo remain heavily proud of their heritage and culture. Professor Rido Kurnianto of the Muhammadiyah Ponorogo University stated that Reog Ponorogo isn’t just a visual or musical experience for one to witness, but it is a performance with layers upon layers of moral and philosophical symbolism. In a world that is going round and round, each second faster than the last, Reog Ponorogo teaches us to hold steadily to our roots, and that with time, art that arose from rebellion and resistance will live forever on in the souls and spirits of others. 





References 


Reog Ponorogo. The Official Website of Indonesia Tourism - Indonesia Travel. (n.d.). https://www.indonesia.travel/gb/en/destination/java/east-java/reog-ponorogo/ 

REOG – Pemerintah Kabupaten Ponorogo. (2023, January 9). https://ponorogo.go.id/reog/ 

Reog Ponorogo: From a Symbol of Resistance to a Living Cultural Legacy - Saibumi: Uncovering Asia, One Story at a Time. Saibumi. (2025, July 7). https://saibumi.com/en/reog-ponorogo-from-a-symbol-of-resistance-to-a-living-cultural-legacy/ 

The National Reog Ponorogo Festival and Grebeg Suro Festival. The Official Website of Indonesia Tourism - Indonesia Travel. (n.d.). https://www.indonesia.travel/gb/en/events/event-detail/the-national-reog-ponorogo-festival-and-grebeg-suro-festival/ 

Reog Ponorogo performing art - UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Intangible Cultural Heritage. (n.d.). https://ich.unesco.org/en/USL/reog-ponorogo-performing-art-01969

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