Hence the Baduy may at least have known about the existence of gamelan ensembles for several centuries.

In Section 6.5, Table 13, I mention a Baduy pantun text about a gamelan/ goong that is out of tune and at risk of being stolen. However, the word goong, currently used for gong and also another word for Sundanese gamelan, is frequently mentioned in the pantun stories and it may stand for the king and/or the kingdom. None of these 19th century authors mention a keromong (gamelan) in the Outer Baduy area, and it may be that this is a relatively recent addition to the Outer Baduy instruments. Chapter 7 will discuss some Baduy susualan that I recorded. Van Hoëvell presents several verses in Sundanese and Dutch translation. In his article Van Hoëvell ( 1845: 411–427) discusses the sung four-line poems, called susualan or sisindiran in Sunda (and pantun outside Sunda – see Van Zanten 1989: 68–70). That the Baduy recite pantun stories that are known in the whole of West Java was also mentioned by several other 19th century authors as will be further explained in Chapter 6 that is based on Van Zanten 2016a (see also Van Zanten 1989: 18–21 1993: 144–148). These authors classified the pantun stories under ‘language and literature’ and discussed it in a special section of their book, written by Meijer (Jacobs and Meijer 1891: 111–175). Without further evidence it seems likely that Jacobs and Meijer made a mistake. Jacobs and Meijer ( 1891: 24) also mention that the Baduy angklung consists of four instruments and that is very different from the nine instruments that are used nowadays in every ensemble in Kanékés. Inner Baduy have always had the karinding Jew’s harp, and the tarawélét (or taléot) and kumbang flutes as well, as far as we know. I presume that these authors refer to the Inner Baduy, but even then this seems to be wrong.

For instance, Jacobs and Meijer ( 1891: 24) report that the Baduy only have angklung and kacapi and that they are not allowed to have other instruments. However, it is not always clear whether the remarks concern the Inner or the Outer Baduy, or even the surrounding Sundanese. The angklung (now a set of 9 bamboo idiophones, which are shaken) is mentioned by almost all 19th century visitors to the area: Blume ( 1993: 32), Spanoghe ( 1838: 303), Van Hoëvell ( 1845: 429), Koorders (Meinsma 1869: 331), Jacobs and Meijer ( 1891: 24). The information in these reports cannot always be taken at face-value. As already mentioned, the earliest written sources about Baduy music, other than the Old Sundanese manuscripts, date from the beginning of the 19th century.

Tangga nada angklung