Indonesia should screen influences, says Soeharto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has no intention to insulate itself
\nfrom the onslaught of foreign cultures, but will be selective in
\naccepting new elements, President Soeharto hopes.<\/p>\n
Opening the exhibition of ancient manuscripts at the National
\nLibrary here yesterday, Soeharto said that no country would want
\nto be so open that it embraces other cultures indiscriminately.<\/p>\n
\"We have no intention whatsoever to seal ourselves off
\neconomically, politically, socially or culturally,\" he told a
\ngathering of academicians, librarians, senior officials and
\nforeign dignitaries.<\/p>\n
\"We are part of mankind. But that doesn't mean that we'll
\nswallow everything that comes from outside,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"An openness without limits will not only cause a nation to
\nlose its identity, but will also affect its direction in an
\nincreasingly complicated world.\"<\/p>\n
President Soeharto, however, acknowledged that it was
\ninteraction between cultures that has helped make Indonesian
\nculture rich and unique.<\/p>\n
The display of 100 old manuscripts -- some dating back to the
\nfifth and sixth centuries -- is the highlight of a series of
\nactivities designed to promote and conserve Indonesian literary
\nworks. The exhibition will be open until June 21.<\/p>\n
The manuscripts, which belong to the National Library, come
\nfrom all over the archipelago, according to Achdiati Ikram, the
\norganizing committee's chairperson.<\/p>\n
The University of Indonesia's School of Letters, the National
\nLibrary and the Lontar Foundation jointly organized these
\nactivities for the literary community to celebrate national
\nwriting traditions. An international symposium on old Indonesian
\nmanuscripts was held earlier this month at the University of
\nIndonesia's School of Medicine.<\/p>\n
The event yesterday was capped by the launching of a book on
\nthe history of Indonesian manuscript writing.<\/p>\n
The book, Illuminations: Writing Traditions of Indonesia, a
\ndetailed history of writing and the art of calligraphy in
\nIndonesia, contains a wealth of fine reproductions of old
\nmanuscripts.<\/p>\n
The book, written by experts commissioned by the Lontar
\nFoundation, was edited by Dr. Ann Kumar, and John H. McGlynn, an
\nAmerican co-founder of Lontar. It is jointly published by Lontar
\nand Weatherhill Inc. of New York.<\/p>\n
Sapardi Djoko Damono, another Lontar co-founder, said the
\nIndonesian edition of the book, Candi Bahasa: Tradisi Menulis di
\nIndonesia, will be published later in the year.<\/p>\n
Lontar, established in 1987, is a non-profit organization
\nwhose primary aim is to foster greater appreciation of Indonesian
\nculture. It has translated the works of noted Indonesian writers
\nand has been active in film, theater, dance and art as well as
\nthe preservation of old manuscripts.<\/p>\n
In her speech, head of the National Library Mastini
\nHardjoprakoso said that the library has more than 1,100,000
\ncopies of manuscripts, written on palmyra, tree barks, bamboo and
\na type of ancient paper called dluwang. (swe)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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