Festival showcases ancient agrarian roots<\/p>\n
I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali<\/p>\n
Wayan Kun Adnyana has not reached the level of stardom currently
\nenjoyed by Wianta or Gunarsa, to name a few internationally
\nacclaimed Balinese contemporary artists. Not yet, at least.<\/p>\n
Still, Kun and his fellow young painters, who call themselves
\nthe Solidarity of Young Artists, early this week managed to
\norganize a festival quietly, the down-to-earth originality and
\nsymbolism of which might \"disturb\" their seniors.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, most of their seniors missed the four-day
\nevent.<\/p>\n
The festival was unusual not only because it was being held in
\na very unique venue -- in this case a 1.5-hectare paddy field --
\nbut also because it highlighted the concern and anxiety local
\nfarmers felt about their uncertain future.<\/p>\n
\"It is not an individual's work and certainly, it is not my
\npersonal work. This festival is a collective work -- both the
\nconcept and the realization of the concept were the products of
\nmonths of discussion between the members of the solidarity and
\nthe local farmers,\" Kun said.<\/p>\n
The festival was held in the paddy fields of Pekaseh Pakel on
\nthe northern outskirts of Denpasar in Peguyangan, under the
\nsupervision of Subak, or the traditional Balinese community farm
\nassociation. The Subak has 300 members with 115 hectares of paddy
\nfields.<\/p>\n
The paddy fields used were among the few remaining paddy
\nfields in the city, in which the land conversion rate from paddy
\nto real estate property had reached as high as 1,000 hectares per
\nyear.<\/p>\n
\"Numerous people and land brokers came here and persuaded our
\nfarmers to sell their land. It is not always easy to resist the
\ntemptation of quick cash, but fortunately, so far our farmers
\nhere have refused to sell their land,\" the chief of Subak
\nPekaseh Pakel, I Wayan Marda said.<\/p>\n
For years, the combination of high land tax and the low income
\nfrom agricultural products had forced Balinese farmers to sell
\ntheir paddy fields to the growing property, housing,
\nmanufacturing and tourism industry.<\/p>\n
Moreover, the perceived low social status of any work
\nassociated with agriculture had only strengthened Balinese
\nyouths' reluctance to enter the sector. In contrast, working in a
\nsharp suit and tie in any tourism establishment was considered
\nthe proper and most acceptable course of living among the younger
\ngeneration.<\/p>\n
It is no wonder that agriculture was on the verge of
\nextinction, particularly in the island's prominent tourism areas,
\nsuch as Denpasar, Badung and Gianyar, where paddy fields kept
\ndisappearing at an alarming rate.<\/p>\n
\"The development process has separated us from our cultural
\nand spiritual roots and, simultaneously, marginalized our farmers
\n-- the keepers of those roots.<\/p>\n
\"This festival provides a medium through which artists,
\nfarmers and other people can interact with each other and reflect
\nupon the state of our agricultural sector,\" Kun aid.<\/p>\n
The event was called Festival Lelakut, or the Scarecrow
\nFestival, in commemoration of the scary makeshift dolls erected
\nin the middle of paddy fields to scare birds and devious demons
\naway. The artists and local farmers created about 25 scarecrows
\nfor the festival, most of which were much bigger than the usual
\nscarecrow. Their form and shape were also different, and
\nreflected the heavy influence of modern art.<\/p>\n
\"I don't think the birds will fear these modern-looking
\nlelakut,\" a journalist commented.<\/p>\n
\"Well, you may be right. Hopefully, though, they'll scare away
\nthose rich people who want to buy the paddy fields in order to
\nbuild villas or malls,\" Kun said.<\/p>\n
Thirty paintings, mostly depicting the demise of paddy fields
\nand the Balinese agrarian culture, were displayed at various
\ncorners of the paddy fields. Although of different colors and
\nstyles, they somehow fit beautifully into the surrounding natural
\nlandscape.<\/p>\n
Art-enthusiasts, who have gotten used to marble-floored, air-
\nconditioned galleries, flashy dresses and flowing cocktails,
\nwould either find the festival a nuisance or a liberating
\nexperience. It all depended on whether guests could appreciate
\nthe difficulties of walking carefully on the narrow and muddy
\nraised paths that criss-cross the paddy fields.<\/p>\n
The festival brought a breath of fresh air to the Balinese art
\nscene, which has long been a playground of self-gratification,
\nindividual competition, personal bickering and ego-driven
\ncreations for some of its most senior artists.<\/p>\n
\"The festival reminded me of the Balinese culture's agrarian
\nroots and the collective spirit of its artists in ancient times.
\nSomehow, amid the garish glamor of modern times and tourism-
\noriented development, we had forgotten both our roots and our
\nspirit. This festival has dragged us back into that muddy rice-
\ngrowing culture of ours, and that's good,\" said poet Mas
\nRuscitadewi.<\/p>\n
For the farmers of Subak Pekaseh Pakel, the festival had the
\neffect of uplifting their spirits.<\/p>\n
\"It's wonderful to know that there are people who care about
\nour fate and the future of our paddy-fields,\" Marda mused.<\/p>\n
It is unfortunate that the festival only ran for four days,
\nfrom 22 April to 25 April. It's too soon to be disappointed,
\nhowever, as Kun has already promised that the Solidarity would
\napproach other Subak in Bali to hold similar festivals.<\/p>",
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