Indonesian Angklungs Herald Christ’s Birth
The Angklung Players began to shake their traditional, Indonesian instruments, ringing out “Away in a Manger” during the Christian Reformed Church’s Christmas Chapel and Luncheon this week in the Prince Center at Calvin College.
Consisting of representatives from agencies and offices in the denomination’s Grand Rapids location, the players practiced on the bamboo instruments for several weeks so they could play a series of Christmas carols and accompany the congregational singing during the pre-lunch chapel at the college.
“Practicing has been fun. It brings unity, has given us the Christmas spirit, and has brought us together for Jesus,” said Periskila Brink, music coordinator of the event and one of the performers. “We can be from all different agencies and offices and work together for the Lord.”
View a video of the Angklung Players performing at the Christmas chapel below:
The origin of the angklung goes back many centuries to the Sundanese tribe in West Java, Indonesia. They played the instrument for celebrations and ceremonies. Since then, the instrument’s popularity has spread throughout Southeast Asia and beyond.
Carved to produce resonant, bell-like sounds, the angklung is made of two bamboo tubes and attached to a bamboo frame. To play it, a person needs to hold the base of the frame in one hand, while the other shakes the instrument rapidly. One person can play an angklung or thousands of people can perform music together using angklungs.
“The angklungs produce a joyful sound and put zest in our Christmas program,” said Brink, who works in the Financial Services office. She grew up in Indonesia and is very familiar with the instrument, which is played frequently at various events and activities.
Conducted by Marcia Dewi Hartanto, the nearly 20 musicians played their angklungs during pauses from dramatic readings of Christmas biblical passages and materials presented by Bill Thornburg, a missions consultant for Christian Reformed World Missions.
Along with “Away in a Manger,” the group rang out “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” first as instrumentals and then as the people sang.
Helping in the performance were Christian Reformed World Missions employees Marcea Holtrop, who played the piano, and Nalini Van Den Bosch, who led the singing.
Included among the players was Paul Buursma, whose has special needs but was able to play his part with assistance from his helper, Tracey Porter.
Periskila Brink came up with the idea of including the instruments in this year’s program after she and others played them for an event at Church of the Servant, her CRC congregation in Grand Rapids, Mich.
A Church of the Servant couple provided the angklungs for the church event and for the chapel on Wednesday. The couple had brought the instruments back with them after serving in Indonesia.
The annual Christmas chapel was presented by Christian Reformed World Missions. CRWM decided to add an international aspect to the prayers, readings and songs by including the angklungs.
Meanwhile, a group of Indonesian Calvin Theological Seminary students and others played Christmas carols on angklungs last week during the Christmas Around the World Celebration at Calvin Theological Seminary.
The Angklung Players representied many CRC denominational agencies and offices as a show, they said, of unity within the denomination.
Besides Brink, Buursma and Porter, the players were Linda Berkompas from Faith Alive Christian Resources; Jim Boldenow from Information Services; Janice Buist from Christian Reformed Home Missions, and Julie Ebels, Patricia Fisher and Lorraine Woodward from CRWM.
Also performing: Tom Post from the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee; Dick Mulder from Back to God Ministries International; Sharon Ellens from Advancement Services, and Connie Bolt, Nancy Edgell, Anne Howell, Sherry Laninga, Patricia Vander Bie, and Mike Dykema from Financial Services
