A place for everyone at Umbul-umbul Festival
A place for everyone at Umbul-umbul Festival
Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali
The upcoming Umbul-umbul Festival draws from a key concept in
Bali, the nawa sanga, whereby different Hindu deities are
positioned at each of the eight principal cardinal points, and
one in the center.
Each supreme being represents a different color, character,
sound or weapon.
The four-day festival of umbul-umbul (decorative flags), which
opens here on Friday, was organized by chairman of the Arti
Foundation Kadek Suardana and Thomas Bertschi of the Rainbow
Project, both in Switzerland.
"Nawa Sanga is a representation of the cosmos in many
dimensions. In layman's terms, the manifestation of the gods in
many colors reminds us that all men have a place on earth," said
Kadek.
The festival, which is themed Uniting the Colors of the World,
aims to encourage intercultural communication, on Bali and
internationally.
Thomas has brought to the festival 18 umbul-umbul, which were
painted and printed by children and artists from around the
world.
"The umbul-umbul toured the globe and are a way of uniting
people and their projects," said Bertschi on Monday.
In 1989, Bertschi collected 20 umbul-umbul of the colors of
the rainbow for an international event called the Planetary
Partnership in Switzerland.
Suardana and Bertschi met in 1994, when they thought of
holding an umbul-umbul event on Bali, mainly because of its
multi-ethnic population.
"This is a chance for us to think as one, with a view to the
future of the planet," he said.
About 600 people from 49 countries and all walks of life have
confirmed their participation in the event.
The festival will feature an exhibition, a competition and
performances of poetry and dance, among other things.
There will be three categories in the umbul-umbul competition:
for the public, high school students and junior high school
students. Each team will comprise three people, who will work
together to make a five-and-a-half-meter-long umbul-umbul.
Contestants do not need to bring their own materials as they will
be provided by the organizers.
A number of eight-meter-long umbul-umbul, created by artists
from other countries -- including the United States, Japan,
Nepal, Italy, and Switzerland -- will be exhibited during the
festival, as well as the work of Balinese artists.
There is often a picture of a snake-dragon on an umbul-umbul.
The snake-dragon god is believed to be the guardian of mother
earth, and the Balinese include its image in processions to
remind people of the god's presence -- as a protector and symbol
of great strength.
Three dimensional umbul-umbul will also be included in the
festival, with the longest one -- about 14 meters -- from
Jakarta.
"Regardless of one's ethnicity, religion, nationality or
political beliefs, the festival is a chance for us to find new
meaning in life, and share it with others, so that there will be
love, peace and humanity in the world," Bertschi said.
The festival is to be inaugurated by Denpasar Mayor AA Ngurah
Puspayoga. The night program of the festival, which will be held
on Puputan Badung field in Denpasar, includes an ethnic drum show
-- brought to Bali by the Arti Foundation -- and dance
performances Bayu Perempuan by Carmencita Palermo from Italy and
Is There Another Freedom by Jane Chen.
On the second day, Erika and Sura from Japan will perform in
modern dance Touch, while Salil Kanika from Nepal will feature in
an ethnic music show called Sarangi. All in all, 68 foreign
artists will perform during the festival.
On the third day, hundreds of umbul-umbul will be carried
south to Sanur beach, about five kilometers away from Puputan
Badung. The Bali governor will lead the procession, followed by
two dance groups.
The umbul-umbul will be displayed along Sanur beach.
Suardana said the organizers chose Sanur for the venue as the
government overlooks it.
"People are on the move to develop Nusa Dua and Kuta, while
Sanur is ignored. In fact, people from around the world first
knew Bali because of Sanur beach. Therefore, we want to remind
the people of its qualities," Suardana said.
On the last day of the festival, Sanur customary village will
hold a creative kite competition. People can also watch Gong
Kebyar and Barong Telek traditional dances.
Both Suardana and Bertschi hope the colorful umbul-umbul,
which symbolize hope, will encourage locals to stay true to their
culture, while remembering that, regardless of the circumstances,
no person is superior to another.