'Yogyaku Kampungku' tries to portray old Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
The photograph of a madman in the middle of the modern scenery
\nof Yogyakarta looks so anachronistic.<\/p>\n
And so are the photographs of children playing dakon (a
\ntraditional game) in Kandang Menjangan, an old building of the
\nHamengkubuwono I era in Krapyak, or of a bekakak (a traditional
\ndoll used in a Nini Thowong ritual, in which the doll, made of
\ntapioca dough, is slaughtered as a sacrifice). The same is true
\nof other photos that show the old traditions of the long-
\nestablished city, displayed in an exhibition held at Gramedia
\nbookstore, Jl. Sudirman, until July 31.<\/p>\n
Titled Yogyaku Kampungku (My Yogyakarta, My Kampong) and held
\nin conjunction with the 2004 Yogyakarta Arts Festival, the
\nexhibition features 51 photos by local photographers depicting
\nscenes of Yogyakarta traditional life, including that of becak
\n(pedicab) drivers, traditional soldiers from the Yogyakarta
\npalace, artists and children playing traditional games from the
\nold days.<\/p>\n
According to secretary of the exhibition's organizing
\ncommittee Effy WP, who is also a photographer for local daily
\nnewspaper Kedaulatan Rakyat, Yogyaku Kampungku was deliberately
\nchosen as the central theme of the exhibition to show the
\nstruggle of the city's people in the globalized era.<\/p>\n
\"Through the exhibition we want to show how Yogyakarta
\npeople are able to survive in a globalized world with
\ntheir own traditions and culture,\" Effy said.<\/p>\n
It was tradition and culture, according to Effy, that enabled
\nYogyakarta to exist in the globalized world. Unless it was
\ncapable of selling its traditional way of life, Yogyakarta would
\nbe nothing. That accounted for the Nini Thowong ritual.<\/p>\n
\"The bekakak is slaughtered of course, not to preserve the
\ntradition but instead to sell it so that it will attract people
\nto come to Yogyakarta to enjoy viewing the kampongs and their
\nlifestyles,\" Effy said.<\/p>\n
That also explained why becak and andong (traditional horse-
\ndrawn carriages) have become favored transportation for tourists
\nvisiting the city, even though modern cars are available.<\/p>\n
Similarly, nasi kucing (cat's rice), or rice wrapped in a cat-
\nsized portion served with either sambal (traditional chili sauce)
\nor other side dishes sold in an angkringan (hampers slung at
\neither end of a shoulder yoke), is attractive enough for tourists
\nto try, despite the presence of modern restaurants that are easy
\nto find here.<\/p>\n
\"It is this kind of life that we want to record in the photos
\nexhibited here. All depict Yogyakarta in its original state, full
\nof traditional nuance,\" Effy added.<\/p>\n
Oblo Dwi Prasetya of the exhibition committee, similarly, said
\nthat the photographs of luxurious, modern, star-rated hotels or
\nluxury cars were deliberately excluded from the exhibition,
\narguing that both were perceived as symbols of extravagance.<\/p>\n
\"It's ironic that while people waste clean water in star-rated
\nhotels, people in the barren areas of Gunungkidul and Kulonprogo
\nsuffer due to a lack of potable water for which they have to wait
\nin line,\" Oblo said.<\/p>\n
\"Such a contradictory and paradoxical situation is what we
\nwant to show in the exhibition. We want to show how people are
\nstruggling to live, to survive in this globalized world, so that
\nwe can learn something from it,\" said Oblo, adding that the
\nexhibition would also strike a nostalgic chord with visitors.<\/p>\n
Bantul Regent Idham Samawi, who officially opened the
\nexhibition on Monday, agreed that he felt a twinge of nostalgia
\nwhile viewing the photos on display. He said he missed the days
\nof yore when he often played football with children from a
\nneighboring village.<\/p>\n
\"I'm sure that today's children would also miss such
\na nuance. They would love to play football in a vacant field and
\nenjoy the fresh, morning air while listening to birds chirping.
\nBut, of course, those living in an urban environment will find
\nsuch nuance a rarity. Open fields have been turned into shopping
\nmalls or luxury buildings,\" Idham said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/yogyaku-kampungku-tries-to-portray-old-yogyakarta-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}