Saman Gayo is a dance that comes from Gayo tribe, has gayo people, Gayo-owned, introduced by gayo people, saman is a traditional dance Gayo community located in Blangkejeren Gayo Lues district, Kuta cane Southeast Aceh district and Gayo people residing in Tamiang Hulu , Lokop Serbejadi.
While Gayo people in Central Aceh and Bener Meriah districts do not have Saman dance, there is one village in Bener Meriah district that has a saman dance, Buntul Permata District, but this community is 100% original from Blangkejeren Gayo Lues, in the district of jewel bener festive comes from gayo lues.
but often there are saman dance performances in takengon or bener meriah, those who perform saman dance is a community of gayo lues, like saman dance from FORMAGALUS (Gayo Lues Student Forum). The saman dance formed by Gayo-lues students in takengon is often performed in events such as kits, weddings, or other formal events.
History of Saman Dance
The history of saman certainly has not been known until now, because there is no scientific study or research to challenge this problem, the main factor causes not known for sure the origin of this saman dance is caused by the lack of literacy culture in Gayo community, the original owner of saman dance, so the story about saman is only delivered by word of mouth (Gayo's language kene bekene which means people's words).
The absence of written data about this saman dance causes can not be known with certainty since when and where the origin of the word saman. According to the recognition of the parents in the gayo area, before the Dutch came to the area Gayo saman dance has existed on the Gayo tribe, especially in Blangkejeren area. It can be proven that in the Dutch dictionary entitled "Gayosche-Nederlandech Wooddenboek met Nederlandsch - Gajosch Register, Batavia: Landsrukkerij Hazeu, G.A.J. Hazeu in 1907 has included the words saman ".
but I as a gayo can not prove in writing about the origin of this gayo saman dance. according to the narrative gathered from the circles who live in gayo lues, SAMAN originally comes from the name syekh saman, Sheikh saman this is a cleric of gayo who developed the Islamic religion in the gayo area.
From the name of ulema Syekh Saman is the dance performed by Gayo society at that time called saman, so from this opinion can also be suspected that saman dance has existed since Islam into Gayo highlands, but about the year when and what year until now is not there is written data, but it is estimated around XIV AD.