Exploring the Functions of Sakura Performance Art in West Lampung, Indonesia

One of the traditional forms of performing arts in Lampung is Sakura. Although a considerable amount of research on Sakura performance art has been done and despite the importance of Sakura performance art, but to my knowledge no researcher has studied about the holistic understanding of this performance art in terms of its functions. This study is qualitative in nature in which the data were collected through observations, audio-recorded interviews, documents, and artifacts which were descriptively analyzed and interpreted. This study was conducted through intense and prolonged contact with informants in natural setting in four villages (Kenali, Kegeringan, Canggu, and Kuta Besi villages) in Batu Brak District, Liwa, West Lampung Regency as Sakura performance art cannot be found anywhere else. The key informants were purposively selected to take part in this study, including traditional Lampung elders, Sakura artists, and cultural experts from the four villages. Based on the results and discussion, it can be stated that the function of Sakura performance art was initially as a means of worship for harvest festival and village safety. Today, however, it has several functions such as a means of socialization, social solidarity, entertainment, and aesthetic presentation. Finally, some implications for the preservation of the Sakura performance art and recommendations for future research are also discussed.