Learn about the Sipitu Cawan Dance

Why should tourists visit North Sumatra? Apart from its tourist spots, there are many attractions available. For instance, visitors can enjoy a unique and beautiful Sipitu Cawan Dance. It is a traditional dance of Batak Tribe. Not to mention it has become the part of local culture. Some people consider it the same as Tor-Tor Dance. Though, it is a little bit different. As the name implies, the dance is performed by women. They also carry cups as the property. It is actually a sacred dance and it is only performed in special events.

About Sipitu Cawan Dance
Apart from its sanctity, Sipitu Cawan Dance has unique moves. In fact, it is quite intricate. Only chosen dancers are able to perform such dance. Due to these reasons, it becomes the most unique and valuable dance in North Sumatra. It consists of 5 to 7 dancers. All of them are females. They wear a traditional Batak clothes and carry some cups. Each of the moves has a unique meaning. Since they need to hold the cups using their body, the must perform the dance carefully.

Sipitu Cawan Dance is a difficult dance. The dancers should have a perfect balance. The cups consist of lime water and the dancers should use their head to carry those cups. Not only they use the head, but they may use other parts of the body. These include the arms, hands, and shoulders. It takes much time for training. Only skilled dancers are allowed to perform the dance. Due to its uniqueness, many tourists come to North Sumatra and enjoy it.

Tourists can also learn the history behind Sipitu Cawan Dance. According to the locals, the dance originally came from the sky. 7 beautiful angels came down to the earth and took a bath in Pusuk Buhit Mountain. Sipitu means “seven” and Cawan means “cups”. It is the dance of 7 beautiful angels carrying the cups. Since it is as sacred dance, the locals only perform it during special occasions like the Kings’ inauguration. For tourists, it seems hard to enjoy the performance. That means you should look for the schedule first.

Sipitu Cawan Dance has many purposes. For example, it helps both the dancers and audience to get rid of sins and negative thoughts. The lime water in the cups is believed to repel bad things. Thus, the dance is quite sacred. It shouldn’t be performed carelessly. If you want to enjoy such dance, you must have been invited to a sacred event. Make sure you have talked to the locals prior to visiting North Sumatra.

How to Get There
You can visit North Sumatra either by air or land. There is Lintas Sumatra Street. It connects big cities in such island. If you come from Jakarta, you should use an airplane to reach Kualanamu Airport. From here, you need to take public transportation. A taxi or rented car is a good choice. The next destination is Tobasa. You can talk to your tour agency regarding the nearby sacred events. If you are lucky, you are able to enjoy the famous Sipitu Cawan Dance.