More youths turn street singing as crisis drags on<\/p>\n
By Prabandari<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): For bus passengers and commuters from Solo
\n(Surakarta) to Yogyakarta, pengamen (street singers) are very
\nfamiliar. They get on the bus at every major bus stop and get off
\nat the next one.<\/p>\n
After the crisis almost sank the Indonesian economy, the
\nnumber of street singers kept rising. There are many reasons why
\nthese people choose to be street singers. Poverty is the most
\ncommon. A street singer will get at least Rp 15,000 per day and,
\nif they are lucky, they can earn up to Rp 40,000 a day.<\/p>\n
Ateng, a dwarf street singer from Klaten, said that he didn't
\nhave any other occupation or skill but singing. His physical
\nhandicap hasn't allowed him to find employment with a company.
\nBut despite the physical handicap, Ateng never feels inferior. He
\nis always optimistic and proud and tells people about his two
\nwives.<\/p>\n
\"Ladies and gentlemen, here I sing to get money for my
\nchildren, wives and WIL,\" this is a familiar prologue for the bus
\npassengers. WIL stands for Wanita Idaman Lain, which means
\nmistress. Ateng's prologue makes male passengers smile or laugh
\nand women embarrassed.<\/p>\n
Yanto, owner of a restaurant in the Klaten bus Terminal,
\nbelieves that street singers get more money than the average
\nIndonesian. Every night, street singers will come to his
\nrestaurant to change money. This is \"mutual cooperation\": Yanto
\nneeds the coins, and the singers need banknotes of bigger value.<\/p>\n
Bayu, a street singer, always takes his mini guitar when he
\ngets on the bus. Accompanied by Agus, he will first hum a tune
\nbefore singing traditional songs. His favorites are Campursari
\nsongs, a blend of Javanese traditional pentatonic music with
\nmodern music.<\/p>\n
Campursari is very popular in Solo and Yogyakarta. When Bayu
\nsings Mawar Biru (Blue roses) or Randha Kempling (New Widow), the
\npassengers usually move their feet and mumble a few of the
\nlyrics. At the end of his performance, Bayu usually says that he
\nwishes to receive money from the passengers.<\/p>\n
\"If you don't have any coins, I will be happy enough to
\nreceive your banknotes. If you want to give me a ring, bracelet
\nor necklace, I'll very much appreciate it,\" he says before he
\nbegins collecting money.<\/p>\n
Bayu said that older women are usually generous and never
\nthink twice before giving him money. Sometimes, especially when
\nthey love the song, they will give him up to Rp 1,000.<\/p>\n
Before the crisis hit Indonesia, there were only about 10
\nstreet singers that passengers saw regularly on the bus serving
\nthe Solo, Klaten and Yogyakarta route, but after the crisis their
\nnumber increased to hundreds.<\/p>\n
Nyadi, the manager of shelterhouse Rumah Singgah Anak Mandiri
\n(RSAP) in Yogyakarta blamed poverty for the increasing number of
\nstreet singers.<\/p>\n
\"Crisis makes it more difficult for people to earn their
\nliving, and the poor suffer even more. Many factories have been
\nclosed down, and people have lost their jobs. The whole society
\nis depressed and as a result, there are more children running to
\nthe streets to seek a living,\" Nyadi said.<\/p>\n
He added that runaway teenagers usually don't have the skills
\nto do any other jobs but singing.<\/p>\n
\"I always try to give them motivation to make a decent living.
\nAsking them to save and avoid the consumptive way of life doesn't
\nwork,\" Nyadi said hopelessly.<\/p>\n
He added that the street singers, especially the teens, are
\nvery comsumptive. They use their money to buy cigarettes, sex
\nservices, drugs and other nonproductive things.<\/p>\n
\"Sometimes I call on the people not to give them money. They
\nneed attention, education and love more than money,\" he said.
\n\"Being a street singer is the easiest way to get money, so they
\nnever think to seek for another job.\"<\/p>\n
\"Many university graduates fail to get jobs, and I think it is
\nnot a sin to be a street singer. No use going to school if in the
\nend we can't get a good job,\" said Sobur, a street singer in
\nYogyakarta. He said that he ran away from home at the age of
\neight.<\/p>\n
\"I'm happy to be a street singer. I can move from one city to
\nanother only with this simple icik-icik,\" he added. Icik-icik is
\na homemade musical instrument comprised of a string of Coke caps
\nplayed by striking it against the other hand.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/more-youths-turn-street-singing-as-crisis-drags-on-1447893297",
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