Aiko, hip abbess who cares about youths

Aiko, hip abbess who cares about youths

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Quite petite even by Indonesian standards, she wears a black
skirt and black thin brocade top which reveals glossy red
lingerie.

Sporting short hair highlighted blonde streaks and with a
fully made-up face, Herwindra Aiko Senosoenoto, or Aiko, is not
your average run-of-the-mill Buddhist abbess.

Poised and a bit reserved, she endlessly puffs her menthol
cigarettes.

"As an abbess, people expect me to dress properly, but I
refuse. I think it's important to attract young people, to make
them not embarrassed about their religion and still feel hip and
fashionable even while respecting their religion," The 36-year-
old Aiko explained.

On a recent afternoon, during an annual youth program at the
complex of Sadaparibhuta Vihara at Megamendung, Bogor, Aiko was
on stage in front of hundreds of young Buddhists.

She asked one of them playfully, why Javanese people use the
term ngalor ngidul when referring to chatting about all sorts of
topics and without direction.

When nobody could answer the question, Aiko said it was
because the Javanese have understood for many years that the
earth is spherical.

"That's why they called it ngalor ngidul (literally means from
North to South), not ngulon ngetan (West to East)," she said,
followed by laughter from the young audience, members of Yayasan
Pandita Sabha Buddha Dharma Indonesia (BDI), a foundation
boasting several hundred members of the Nichiren Syosyu sect
spread across 14 provinces, and a prominent local dance company
Eksotika Karmawibhangga Indonesia (EKI).

In a serious tone, Aiko continued: "You see, we, Asian people
are as smart as anyone else. Nobody said we're dumb. We can do
anything and produce anything we want. You just have to be proud
of what you are."

As a chairwoman of BDI and also EKI, Aiko deals a lot with
youth and their problems.

"Every month, I go out of town to other provinces. And I see
that cases of drug abuse, teen pregnancy (out of wedlock), and
school drop-outs are on the increase. Starting from junior high
school, many don't want to continue their education.

"It's not because they are poor, they just don't like school.
They think even without going to school they can find jobs and
money. Young people are also not proud of being Indonesian," she
said.

After the program she changed into tight stonewashed denims
and a suede jacket with fur collar, and sat poolside with a
journalist at her family's mansion near the Vihara.

To overcome the youth problems, Aiko changed the concept of
the annual youth program into an event which included fun games
starting last year. Young people aged between 13 and 30 years
old from all over the country gather for a week during school
holiday. They attend different classes -- art, politics, history
-- and do skits on different topics.

Last year it had a political party them, while this year's
theme was school, where participants collected ideas on what they
considered to be an ideal school.

"Many students feel they can't express themselves at school.
That's why we chose school as this year's theme. We want to
inspire their curiosity and imagination," said the mother of four
children, from two to 10 years old.

Aiko feels that formal education here is not doing enough for
students as the system is too feudalistic and too serious.

"Through this program, we just want their passion to emerge
first. We want them at least to become more willing to go to
school," she said.

Has the program worked for those young people, she was asked.

"I don't know for sure. But at least veterans of the program
like myself have a better concept about education, and also
life," she said.

"And from what I have observed, those who come from poor
families have more initiative. At least they strive for higher
education. As for some of the Chinese-Indonesian students, they
are starting broaden, and are enrolling in majors other than
economics, like art for example."

She, however, has nothing against formal education as it is
the only one available.

"If I'm against it, that means I have to provide my children
with home schooling or private education. But that means my
children don't get to socialize as much with their peers, and I
don't want that.

"However, the existing (formal) schools are not adequate,
there should be other alternatives for education," said Aiko.

Aiko did not finish her degree at the University of
Indonesia's School of Mass Communication, saying that "I was just
lazy. I think if you've already started college, finish it. At
least to get a job."

In her family, she tries to be as liberal as possible,
although once, she was summoned by her son's kindergarten
teacher.

"Sex in our not family is not a taboo. If my son's penis is
itchy, he would say that his penis is itchy, not his 'thing' or
whatever. Her teacher thinks it's obscene," said Aiko who is
married to EKI's dancer/choreographer Rusdy Rukmarata.

"I also taught my children to use both their hands, even
though our culture always says that the left hand is lower than
the right hand. If that's so, it's like we're crippled, while
both hands can be useful and good. And my children like the
concept."

Aiko's concern for youth was what inspired the establishment
of EKI in 1996. Her vision was to try to provide a positive
outlet for youthful energy, especially in art performances. EKI
also handles artist management, with various clients such as
puppeteer/singer Sujiwo Tejo and singer Syaharani.

Syaharani praised EKI's professionalism and positive attitude.

"Working with them is an amazing experience. There are like
over a hundred people involved in a production, and they have a
difficult and tedious job, but they all work with smiles, you
know. I mean, how can you manage so many people and keep them all
so happy?" Syaharani said.

Apparently, Aiko's approach with young people works well. On
this, Aiko simply said that "by managing EKI, I feel like I am
able to use that to connect to young people and encourage them to
have a positive view of religion."