The Social Lives of Nekara: Mapping the Biographies of Bronze Drums across the Indonesian Archipelago

Rizka Purnamasari1* and Elora Tribedy2

Nekara, the Indonesian term for bronze drum, represents more than a relic of the Metal Age; it is a dynamic cultural object whose "social life" spans millennia. Distributed across the Indonesian archipelago—from Sumatra, Java, and Bali to Nusa Tenggara and West Papua—these artifacts are found within burial and settlement sites often associated with Megalithic traditions. This paper explores the shifting biographies of these drums, categorized primarily into the Heger type, originating from the Dong Son culture of mainland Southeast Asia, and the Pejeng (or moko) type, a localized Indonesian variation. The presence of these drums maps the initial phases of interaction between the Southeast Asian mainland and the archipelago. This research investigates two pivotal temporal perspectives: first, how early island communities perceived and adapted these drums within ancient socio-ritual contexts; and second, the contemporary meanings and symbolic values attached to them by present-day Indonesian societies. This study identifies the evolving purposes and persistent similarities of bronze drums across the region. The findings illustrate how these objects transitioned from prestige goods and ritual tools to modern heritage icons. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the shared cultural foundations and "commonalities" inherent in the early Megalithic and Metal Age societies of Southeast Asia, tracing a continuous narrative of connection from antiquity to the present.