The Last Tobong
(2018)
The Last Tobong represents a portrayal of a lost culture in a rapidly changing world. A story about resilience and sacrifice of once glorified traditional performing art originated from Java, ketoprak. This project documents the fragile nature of an almost-extinct community, Ketoprak Tobong Kelana Bhakti Budaya, the only one ketoprak tobong’s group left in the country.
Ketoprak tobong is a nomadic theatrical performance of Javanese traditional art. Tobong means a multifunction non-permanent building where the performers live and perform. Traditionally, Ketoprak tobong travels from one place to another every couple of months to entertain the Javanese community. In the 1920s, the ancient art blooms and become the enjoyment preference for every class in society.
Since 2006, the Javanese gypsy, the epithet given for the group who never settle, have decided to choose Yogyakarta as their home. The nature of ketoprak tobong has metamorphosed due to economical and agrarian problems. But, adapting to a more progressive approach and shifting its character in the cultural capital of Indonesia is not enough. Ketoprak Tobong Kelana Bhakti Budaya is still struggling to find their place in the conventional tradition of performance art.
