Dhondhong apa salak, dhuku cilik-cilik… Ngandhong apa mbecak, mlaku timik-timik… Do Javanologi Friends know this one song? This song is titled “Dhondhong Opo Salak”, which is a folk song from Central Java. This one traditional play song was composed by Kris Bintoro, an Indonesian actor and singer who was famous in the 70s and 80s. As the name suggests, “Dhondhong Opo Salak” is often sung while kids were playing.
Each regional song has its own meaning, and “Dhondhong Opo Salak” is no exception. This song has meanings about different human characters and traits. This is illustrated in the use of the characters kedondong (ambarella) and salak (snake fruit) in this song. Kedondong fruit has a smooth outer skin, but the flesh is fibrous and has a sour taste. In contrast, salak fruit has a rough and thorny skin, but the fruit has a soft texture and tastes sweet.
This shows that we should not judge someone by its appearance. It is as the same as “don’t judge a book by its cover”. Someone who looks good and has a sweet face in front of other people, may has a heart that is not as kind as we thought. Meanwhile, someone whose appearance doesn’t look nice, could turn out to have a good mind, character, and heart. A good appearance doesn’t determine that someone’s personality is good. Apart from that, the lyrics of the song “Dhondhong Opo Salak” also give advice in the form of children to not being naughty when their mother leaves them.
Javanese Traditional Play Song
“Dhondhong Opo Salak”
Lyric:
Dhondhong apa salak, dhuku cilik-cilik
Ngandhong apa mbecak, mlaku timik-timik
Adik ndherek Ibu tindak menyang pasar
Ora pareng rewel ora pareng nakal
Ibu mengko mesthi mundhut oleh-oleh
Kacang karo roti Adik diparingi
