NIKEN SALINDRY : BAWAKAN LAGU LINGSIR WENGI, RITUAL, DAN NYANYI DI PANTAI SELATAN #OMMAMAT

Overview

Niken Salindry, a young Javanese sinden, joins host Fajar Aditya to discuss keeping the tradition alive—and the rituals, strange stories, and hard work that come with performing.

Becoming a Sinden

Niken says she has been a sinden since she was four, following in her family’s footsteps. She describes the traditional look: a bun, kebaya, jarit, and bold makeup.

As a child, she was mocked and excluded by classmates who considered the art old-fashioned. The experience only strengthened her resolve to help preserve it.

“Lingsir Wengi”

Niken teaches Fajar to sing “Lingsir Wengi” and performs it beautifully. Fajar’s less-polished attempt prompts laughter over his improvised “nana nana” lyrics.

They discuss how the song is often treated as spooky, though neither has a clear explanation of what its poetic lyrics mean. Niken says she has sung it many times—including at 3 a.m.—without anything unusual happening.

Preparations and Local Customs

Niken explains that some performance “rituals” are practical preparations: getting permission from her parents, avoiding ice and overeating, praying, preparing songs, and focusing.

She has also encountered local customs, including:

• A late-night tayub dance in front of a grave before a performance in Pujon.
• Kumkum, or bathing or soaking in spring water, at a site near her home in Kediri.
• During the month of Suro, prayers, communal meals, offerings, and local clothing rules.
• A beach ceremony in Banyuwangi, where offerings were sent out to sea.

Niken jokes that “Laut Kidul” is a heartbreak song about remembering a former relationship at the beach. She adds that she has never had a boyfriend, only gone through the getting-to-know-you stage.

Spooky Stories and Explanations

Niken shares stories ranging from eerie to comic. A fan photo of her went viral because people thought her face looked devilish. She also recalls a quiet mountain-area venue after a crowded show.

On another trip, her driver reportedly saw a shrouded figure near a grave called Gondo Mayit, though Niken saw nothing. Another unsettling situation turned out to have a simple explanation: what seemed like a booking in a forested area was a date mix-up by her mother, who is also her manager.

Fajar shares stories of strangers delivering messages supposedly from a grandmother, and the two compare dreams and family stories.

Trance Performances

They discuss trance performances in jaranan. Niken explains that some actions are part of the show and jokes that she would feel embarrassed if she failed to “go into character.” She also leaves room for different beliefs about what constitutes genuine possession.

Fajar adds to the comedy with playful attempts to imitate trance-like eye movements.

The Challenges of Performing

Niken describes the strain behind her work. During COVID, performances dried up for a year and a half, and she and her family had to plan meals carefully. She says her parents’ strictness helped her become independent.

She also talks about the pressure of learning requested songs in just a few hours, juggling overlapping bookings, and sometimes smiling onstage while privately upset.

The episode closes by celebrating Niken’s career and the importance of keeping traditional arts visible.

Personalities Featured

• Niken Salindry — Guest and sinden
• Fajar Aditya — Host of RJL 5