A Traditional Horse Dance

Kuda Kepang is a trance dance that originated from Jawa, Indonesia. When Javanese immigrants arrived in Malaysia in the early 20th century, they brought Kuda Kepang along with them, adding the fascinating activity into Malaysia’s rich traditional culture. At the moment, Kuda Kepang is most popular in Johor, as the Javanese immigrants arrived and settled at southern Peninsula Malaysia after their journey from their homeland.

Kuda Kepang is usually performed by at least 9 dancers, or “pemain”, dressed in traditional Javanese attire and accompanied by a mock horse which is usually made from hide or rattan. The dancers tell a story through their movements and performance, accompanied by a musical ensemble consisting mainly of traditional instruments such as anklung, gendang, jidur and others. Kuda Kepang today usually tells the story of the Wali Songo or the Nine Saints -nine holy men who played a major part in spreading Islam to Java. The dance shows the battles and struggles these men endured in spreading their religion.

Believed to be once originated from a form of totemic worship, Kuda Kepang is a very spiritual activity—it is said to involve spirit possession, and it is common to find dancers entering a trance during the activity. The mock horse is believed to hold spirits that have been appeased pre-dance by a bomoh (a Malay shaman) as well. Sometimes during a Kuda Kepang session, audience may see the dancers perform incredible feats without getting hurt, such as enduring whips to their body, touching broken glass and even biting glass shards. It is said that sometimes the dancers will lose themselves in Kuda Kepang—when this happens, the dancer has to be restrained and tended to by a bomoh to recover. However these aspects of the dance are focused on less in modern times.

 As a significant cultural tradition in Johor, Kuda Kepang is often seen performed in other states as well. Kuda Kepang is also included in most major celebrations of Johor, such as the Johorean Government festivals, cultural displays and the Sultan of Johor’s birthday celebration.