-Guiding about Nekara Drum-

  Now we stand in matalalang, and i will tell you about

The story of Gong Nekara from china

    A nekara gong, called the bronzen drum, which is believed to be the largest and oldest gong in the world, a relic of China in the Selayar Islands, South Sulawesi, about 2,000 years ago, is believed to have magical powers.

  Toa (65), a gong keeper, said that the presence of the bronze age cultural heritage originated from a Chinese citizen who was sailing around the waters of the Selayar Islands. Somehow the ship that came from Dong Son was then stranded. "Nobody knows for sure why Chinese ships can be stranded," he said.

  But from the story of the ancestors, the gong, which had three functions during the Kingdom of Putabangun, namely religious, socio-cultural and political functions, was first discovered by one of the garden cultivators named Pao in 1969.

  The item was found in the ground with a depth of 2-3 meters at Papam Laheo, Bontosaile neighborhood. "At that time, Pao was about to plant coconuts. However, after the excavation reached 2 meters, the crowbar used by Pao hit part of the body of the gong until it rang," said Toa while cleaning the dust on the nekara gong.

  Historians interpret, the nekara gong is a relic of the bronze age. The conclusion was taken after the historians conducted research and found the gong made of bronze in the shape resembling an inverted cage, with a surface area of ​​396 cm square, circle waist area of ​​340 square cm, and height of 95 cm square.

  The uniqueness of the known sacred gong is the presence of flora and fauna motifs consisting of 16 tails elephants, 54 birds, 11 pieces of betel trees, and 18 fish tails. Meanwhile, on the upper surface of the gong there are 4 frog-shaped statues with a length of 20 cm and on the side there are 4 ears that function as handles.

  In the field there is a geometric decoration, as well as in the center of the gong there is a line of 16-shaped star pattern. Nekara vertically consists of a circular arrangement of legs, such as cylinders, bodies and convex shaped shoulders.

  The existence of the nekara gong who has high artistic value had encouraged irresponsible individuals to steal one of the frog statues. But after many years of searching, finally the frog statue was found in Jakarta. As a result of the incident, the provincial government took the initiative to make a house as a protector.