TIMES BANTUL, PONOROGO – Reog Ponorogo, the traditional art from Ponorogo, East Java, Indonesia is truly received a lot of love from local and international tourist. There are many characters performed in this art performance, one of them is Pembarong.

The artist of Pembarong is a little, because it needs a powerful body in carrying out Dadak Merak which has a mass of 50 Kg. Interestingly, there are maestro of Pembarong, they are 65 years old twin sibling from Banyudono village, Ponorogo, namely Suwondo and Suwandi (mbah Wondo and mbah Wandi).

However, they have been Pembarong artists since several years ago."Both of us have started to become Pembarong since the 80s," said Mbah Wondo.

Even though they are no longer young, however, they are still powerful to be Pembarong. Mbah Wandi and mbah Wondo have experienced in performing Reog traditional art in Indonesia cities, even in Suriname. Recently, they have a padepokan (a place to exercise someone’s skill) to prepare the next skillful Pembarong later.

 "In my padepokan there were 10 people that could be said as our cadres or successors later," said Mbah Wandi.

They told about the key of their persistence to exist in Reog Ponorogo traditional art, they are: feeling happy, herbal turmeric, Javanese eggs and honey.

Mbah Wondo and Mbah Wandi are the maestro Pembarong as well Indonesian figures who love the ancestors’ heritage traditional art. They are eager to preserve and develop Reog Ponorogo, the original Indonesian art from Ponorogo. (*)