Gandang Sarunai is a form of traditional Minangkabau music which lives, develops and grows in the daily life of the Alam Surambi Sungai Pagu community of South Solok District, West Sumatra. During the kingdom era when Alam Surambi Sugai Pagu was still led by kings, Gandang Sarunai music was acknowledged as the music of the kings. The performances of the gandang nobat repertoire and gandang puluik-puluik marked the coronation of the kings of Alam Surambi Sungai Pagu. At present, however, Raja Alam is no longer acting as the administrative leader of the community, but the head of the community’s cultural affairs known as the penghulu, niniak mamak of the Alam Surambi Sungai Pagu community. Along with the changes of the king’s roles, Gandang Sarunai has also experienced some role changes. Gandang Sarunai is now also performed in alek kawin and batagak panghulu festivals. Gandang Sarunai in this case, is seen by Keammer as an expression of how this traditional music is now valued pragmatically by its community, meaning that that the traditional music is now practiced for obtaining both material and moral benefits. In other words, Gandang Sarunai is now valued as more an expression of an adaptive culture than an expressive culture of the community of the Alam Surambi Sugai Pagu. Gandang Sarunai performances in the events like alek kawin and/or batagak panghulu festivals can be seen as a reflection of the community’s efforts to strengthen their identity (clan, family), to raise their social status and to improve the community solidarity.

Terdapat empat jenis pertunjukan yang dibahas dalam buku ini, Tulisan Pertama, Wimbrayardi memaparkan dengan lugas tentang keberadaan seni pertunjukan bernafaskan islam Solawat Dulang dalam kehidupan masyarakat Minangkabau. Tulisan Kedua, Yensharti menjelaskan tentang maraknya seni pertunjukan orgen tunggal dalam kegiatan sosial/ adat masyarakat di Minangkabau. Tulisan Ketiga, Marzam membahas tentang Gandang Sarunai yang terdapat dalam kehidupan masyarakat Alam Surambi Sungai Pagu di Kabupaten Solok Selatan, Sumatera Barat, Tulisan Keempat, Jagar L. Toruan tentang musik talempong unggan di Desa Unggan Koto Kecamatan Sumpur Kudus, Kabupaten Sijunjung - Sumatera Barat

Randai is a traditional Minangkabau art that presents a combination of literary, dance and music. The essence of randai presentation is as a medium to convey kaba (folklore) through gurindam or poems sung, and galombang (dance) originating from Minangkabau martial arts movements. Randai performance is good for 2 to 3 hours, depending on the kaba or folklore delivered. This article is prepared based on the research of randai performances in the context of tourism in Kawasan Seribu Rumah Gadang Jorong Lubuk, Jaya Solok Selatan District, West Sumatra. Research on this was carried out using qualitative methods. The data was collected through literature study, observation, interviews, and recording. As a tourist attraction, the randai shown is randai which presents compaction of Bujang Selamat folklore, which begins with talempong music as an introduction to anak randai to the performance arena, followed by sambah, plate dance, galombang, compaction of bujang salamat folklore, then ends with sambah. All randai offerings as tourist attractions last for 20 to 25 minutes