Holiday Ayo - Jambi Province is located in the middle of the island of Sumatra as one of the 5 largest islands in Indonesia. Jambi is made up of more than 80% of Muslims who come from the Malay, Kerinci, Chinese and other ethnic groups. Jambi with Kerinci national park is one of the world heritage sites in Indonesia which has so many traditional cultures.

Just like other regions in Indonesia, Jambi continues to preserve its traditional culture as part of Jambi's traditional traditions. They have some traditional clothes, music, dance and more. The traditional Sekapur Sirih dance is a welcome dance from Jambi and Riau Provinces, Indonesia. This dance has a slow and smooth motion accompanied by traditional musical instruments to welcome the guest of honor.

source: regional kompas.com

This dance move shows the humility of the indigenous people when welcoming guests. This Sekapur Sirih dance is mostly performed by 9 dancers which are divided into 3 male dancers, 1 umbrella person and 2 bodyguards. The dancers use certain properties such as Cerano or jars containing betel leaves, umbrellas, and Keris or traditional kris. The wardrobe used by the dancers is Baju Kurung or traditional clothing from Jambi. While the instruments are taken from traditional Malay music, which includes violin, harp, accordion, tambourine, gong and drum.

Artist O.K. Hundrick explained that the three parts describe the meaning of the Sekapur Sirih dance. In the early movements of the Sekapur Sirih dance, it consists of praying movements, flapping range movements, full range of movements of the flaps of vision, comfortable movements (wearing rings, bracelets and earrings), preening movements and betel concocting movements.

source: pendidikan dan seni budaya

The movement depicts Jambi girls who are making decorations, so that they are beautiful in front of the guests. Next is the core movement or the main movement of the Sekapur Sirih dance. The core movement consists of an up-swinging motion, an oblique range of vision, a glare motion, a full-fledged circular motion of reciprocating motion, and a half-turned circular motion. The meaning of the Sekapur Sirih dance which is described from the core movement is to receive guests politely and gently.

The meaning of the Sekapur Sirih dance depicted from the last movement is a symbol of happiness in receiving guests who come, by giving the prepared sekapur and betel to the Cerano or a container containing several betel leaves, bright areca nut, gambier, whiting and tobacco. The Sekapur betel dance movement depicts Seloko, which is Jambi's traditional literature about advice and safety and goodness, for people's lives.