'Twixt orangutans and puppets<\/p>\n
Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan<\/p>\n
Each time he starts his leather puppet show in English, Ki Peter
\nKarsono, always quote Shakespeare: "The world is but a stage and
\nwe are only players." Then, he will also quote from Nawaruci, an
\nancient leather puppet book: "We are but dolls and the puppet
\nmaster controls our movements. The world is only a stage..."<\/p>\n
Karsono, better known as Ki Peter Karsono as a puppet master,
\nalways quotes these words of wisdom in the introduction to his
\nleather puppet shows. For expatriates living in East Kalimantan,
\nKarsono is something like a Jack of all trades: a leather puppet
\nmaster, an artist, a teacher at an international school and an
\nactivist and founder of the Balikpapan Orangutan Survival
\nFoundation.<\/p>\n
Peter Karsono is famous among expatriates in oil-rich East
\nKalimantan, particularly in Balikpapan International School
\ncircles. He used to be a teacher at Pasir Ridge International
\nSchool in Balikpapan and frequently performs leather puppet shows
\nin English and French. His reputation among the expatriates is
\nattributable to his position as executive director of the
\nBalikpapan Orangutan Survival Foundation.<\/p>\n
For him, this prestigious position came to him because "The
\nPuppet Master" wants him to be one.<\/p>\n
"We are just like puppets. God has arranged everything for us
\nand we simply have to lead our lives," he said when explaining
\nwhy he always quoted Shakespeare and Nawaruci.<\/p>\n
At first he got involved in rescuing orangutans in Kalimantan
\nbecause he only wanted to lend a hand. It was in 1991 and he was
\nstill teaching at the international school in Balikpapan. He was
\nassigned to organize school students to collect money for
\norangutan conservation. As he acquired more influence among the
\nstudents and their parents, he was able to persuade the community
\nof expatriates in Balikpapan to collect money and set up the
\nBalikpapan Orangutan Society.<\/p>\n
Together with others concerned about orangutans, Peter, who
\nbegan teaching at the international school as far back as 1976,
\nset up the Balikpapan Orangutan Survival Foundation. Since then,
\nhe has always been associated with the foundation.<\/p>\n
"I got involved in orangutan conservation for fun but now I'm
\nserious about it. Now I devote most of my time to this
\nundertaking although I don't get paid at all. I wish I could find
\nsomeone else to take care of the institution. Still, deep in my
\nheart I'm rather reluctant as I'm afraid this position will go to
\nan irresponsible person."<\/p>\n
Karsono, who was born in 1940, said he was also afraid this
\nposition would go to a foreigner although he admitted that most
\nof the donors were foreigners.<\/p>\n
"I don't think we need a foreigner to take care of orangutans,
\nwhich are part of Indonesia's natural wealth. My nationalism
\nalways gets the better of me. Although I have mixed with and
\nteamed up with foreigners for many years, I cannot allow them to
\nplay a determining role in this regard."<\/p>\n
Apart from a strong sense of nationalism, someone suitable for
\nthis executive position in this institution, which requires about
\nRp 14 billion annually for its operational expenses, must have
\ngreat loyalty and be ready to work for the institution without
\ncompensation.<\/p>\n
How does Karsono earn a living? "My pension from the
\ninternational school is enough for a decent life in East
\nKalimantan. All my four children have now got their own jobs," he
\nsaid. Apart from taking care of orangutans, he also gives courses
\non Javanese arts.<\/p>\n
"On certain occasions, the expatriate community invites me to
\ngive them a course on the Javanese arts and knowledge. They are
\ninterested, for example, in how to make traditional play things
\nfor children, make decorations from young coconut leaves, prepare
\nritual equipment from banana leaves and perform leather puppet
\nshows.<\/p>\n
"Foreigners here are really interested in the Javanese arts.
\nWhen I perform a leather puppet show, the gamelan is played by
\nexpatriates. They have set up the Unocal Gamelan Orchestra," said
\nKarsono, who is a graduate of Sanata Dharma University in
\nYogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Karsono, who used to be a domestic helper in an American
\nfamily in Yogyakarta while he was still a student, said that
\nalthough he was busy taking care of orangutan, he did not know
\nmuch about the animal.<\/p>\n
"I cannot distinguish one orangutan from another, let alone
\ncommunicate with them like the orangutan caretakers do. Still,
\nI'm greatly concerned over their wellbeing, their future and
\ntheir supporting habitat."<\/p>\n
What does Peter Karsono really want from his dedication to
\norangutans? "I often dream than when I die some day, orangutans
\nwith wings donning white garbs like angels will be waiting for me
\nat the door to heaven. That will be the satisfaction I've been
\ndreaming about."<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/twixt-orangutans-and-puppets-1447893297",
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