The dance commemorates the tale of the Wali Songo (Nine Saints) of Java who spread the Islamic faith in the interior of Java. According to the legend, the Wali Songo rode on horseback and dramatised stories of the battles waged and won for the cause of Islam to draw and hold the attention of the congregation.
The lead ‘horseman’ is known as the danyang. Bujang Ganong (a masked dancer) and Barongan (dancers portraying tiger and snake-like creatures) emerge alongside the Kuda Kepang dancers. The Kuda Kepang dance is accompanied by a rich rendition of traditional music played with Malay and Javanese instruments such as gong, gendang, and kenong.
Country origin: Malaysia
Source: https://www.pusaka.org/communities-kuda-kepang
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