Sholawat Montro as the Media of Learning Culture and Corroborating Santri's Identity through Prophetic Art in Javanese Traditional Santri Community

Abstract : Preserving art can always be associated with spiritual aspect andart appreciation is closely related to subtlety of feeling and intuition. Art can also be used as a means of learning culture (enculturation), a social process carried out by an individual in learning and adjusting his/her thought and attitude to custom, norm-related social system, social order, and regulations living in its cultural characteristics. This research will discuss Sholawat Montro art variety using a qualitativeresearch method. This Sholawat Montro art was found firstly in Kauman Hamlet, Pleret Sub District, created by Kanjeng Pangeran Yudhonegoro (Prince Yudhonegoro) or the Son in Law of Sultan Hamengkubuwono VIII. This art contains a group of performer and music players, all of which are men who sing songs praising Allah SWT and Prophet Muhammad SAW by means of singing (Javanese: nembang), accompanied by gamelan and terbangan traditional music. This prophetic art arises as a means of enculturation and a process of social learning for its proponents. In Javanese conception, there is a fine-rough pair (Indonesian: pasangan alus-kasar) traditionally constituting a parameter to assess the quality of Javanese people in general and priyayi in particular. The consciousness of the importance of having fine (alus) attitude is represented by the reality that immature childrenare called durung Jawa, meaning having not reflected Javanese people yet. To be an adult Javanese, an individual should be able to conduct him/herself in accordance with etiquette and to comply with his/her obligation. He/she is also expected to learn spiritual aspect by knowing the rules.