Sundanese culture copes with modernization<\/p>\n
By Yuli Tri Suwarni<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): Children nowadays are becoming strangers to the
\nlocal folk stories of Ciung Wanara, Lutung Kasarung and
\nSangkuriang. In fact, they are more familiar with the Japanese
\ncartoon characters of Crayon Sinchan, Doraemon and Pokemon,
\nEngland's Teletubbies or the Irish boy band Westlife.<\/p>\n
This trend shows the strong influence of sophisticated
\ntelecommunication devices, in this case television, in the
\nglobalization era. It has always been blamed as the main reason
\nfor the decreasing recognition of local traditions among the
\nyounger generation.<\/p>\n
West Java Governor R. Nuriana, speaking at the First
\nInternational Congress of Sundanese Culture staged from Aug. 22
\nto Aug. 25, clearly accused TV programs, mostly featuring so-
\ncalled modern culture, as influencing young people.<\/p>\n
The conference tried to arrive at a solution on how to
\npreserve Sundanese culture among the younger generation. Six
\nhundred Sundanese cultural experts and observers attended the
\nconference, staged by the Rancage Foundation. The foundation,
\nchaired by Ajip Rosidi, received sponsorship from Japan's Toyota
\nFoundation.<\/p>\n
Ajip expressed concern that the culture's existence was in
\njeopardy. As an example, he pointed to Babaran - a mask dance
\nperformance staged by street dancers in Cirebon during the dry
\nseason -- which vanished in the 1970s.<\/p>\n
In contrast to Bali and Yogyakarta, children in West Java
\nrarely have district halls to practice dancing. Even artistic
\nperformances are hard to find in Bandung or other cities in the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
Only angklung, a traditional orchestra using bamboo
\ninstruments, has performances still playing in Padasuka, Bandung.
\nOne group, Saung Angklung Mang Udjo orchestra, was founded by the
\nlate Udjo Ngalagena, an angklung maestro.<\/p>\n
Sundanese arts were discussed in 12 essays at the conference.
\nOther areas, including history, archeology and philology,
\nreligion, spiritual beliefs and philosophy, populist economy, the
\nenvironment and architecture were discussed in 60 other papers.<\/p>\n
Sundanese literature has been facing tough challenges due to
\nthe lack of books published in recent decades. Ajip said that
\n4,000 copies were published in 1931 but the figure decreased
\ndrastically in the 1990s with less than 1,000 copies.<\/p>\n
The future of Sundanese language is also uncertain, especially
\nwith the trend of most parents rarely speaking Sundanese to their
\nchildren.<\/p>\n
Sundanese Teten Masduki, chairman of Indonesian Corruption
\nWatch, said on the sideline of the conference that he also faced
\nthe influence of modern culture.<\/p>\n
"The existing Sundanese language now is very aristocratic, as
\nit has different levels that have to be applied to different
\nsocial levels. I'm afraid to give the wrong impression when
\ntalking to the older generation due to my poor Sundanese.
\nTherefore, the younger generation prefer to avoid using it.<\/p>\n
"Besides, by speaking Sundanese, I have problems discussing
\npolitical, social or economic issues which directly refer to
\nmodernity. Sundanese language needs to develop," he said.<\/p>\n
Different view<\/p>\n
However, a completely different opinion came from observer
\nRobert Wessing of the Leiden University of the Netherlands. He
\nsaid he didn't see Tatar Pasundan (Sundanese culture) as facing
\nan "emergency".<\/p>\n
"I think the substance of Sundanese culture is still crystal
\nclear. Sundanese people are still polite and friendly and they
\nstill eat lalap (raw vegetables)," he said, with a smile.<\/p>\n
Wessing, who started to study Sundanese in the 1970s,
\nemphasized that change is unavoidable. For more than 30 years, as
\nwith other ethnicities in the country, the development of culture
\nwas very centralistic and homogeneous.<\/p>\n
"Everybody was forced to speak in Indonesian. Every
\ndevelopment program reached villages, even in remote areas,
\nstarting from providing electricity to deploying armies," Wessing
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Wessing saw the transformation of Sundanese society as a
\ncommon phenomenon. He considered the stagnant development of the
\nculture as being due to its geographical location being close to
\nthe center of power, Jakarta. That fact meant that West Java was
\nflooded with information while, at the same time, the local
\nadministration ignored the development of Sundanese culture.<\/p>\n
Observer Mikihiro Moriyama of Japan said Sundanese people
\ndidn't need to worry about the cultural change.<\/p>\n
"Japan, as well as other ethnicities or countries in the
\nworld, is also experiencing the same problem," said the Osaka
\nUniversity graduate.<\/p>\n
Both observers, who spoke fluent Sundanese, said Sundanese
\npeople still have a great opportunity to transform their culture,
\nparticularly with the regional autonomy policy applied by the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
However, they disfavored the prospect of, due to the
\nconference, the local administration overreacting by launching
\npreservation programs and standardization of the Sundanese
\nculture. The most important factor in developing the culture is
\nthe role of the people, they said.<\/p>\n
The conference agreed that the local administration needs to
\nbe active in providing funds for arts groups and Sundanese
\ncultural centers to remain creative and innovative.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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