'Basis' still strong, fifty years on

'Basis' still strong, fifty years on

Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

The inaugural edition of Yogyakarta-based cultural magazine
Basis was officially launched in October 1951. Fifty years later,
it remains in existence even though others have vanished. Basis
is still there giving its readers cultural discourses,
intellectual thoughts and reflective analysis in its 48 to 100
page bimonthly editions.

"It's amazing that Basis can survive in a country where people
lack passion for cultural discourse," Basis's chief editor,
Sindhunata, a Catholic Jesuit priest said.

Only a few of the socio-cultural magazines and scientific
journals that have been published in the country have been able
to remain in business. Jakarta-based scientific journal Prisma
ceased publication several years ago, while cultural magazines
Horison and Kalam still survive but appear only on an irregular
basis.

Such magazines fail to survive because more people are wanting
access to instant information on economics and politics rather
than reflective discourses focusing on culture, the arts,
theology and philosophy. They simply come to an end when their
main source of funds runs out.

"The issues covered by cultural magazines are always
peripheral issues for newspapers or magazines, which prefer
economic and political issues," Sindhunata said.

Basis has always made a profit, even if the amount has been
small, from both sales and advertising since it was founded by
Jesuit priests J. Bakker, A. Djajasepoetra, J. Dijkstra, R.
Soekarto, the late G. Vriens and P. Zoetmulder, despite its
limited financial capital. In 1955, for example, more than 3,000
copies of each edition were sold. Over the last few years, it has
printed 5,000 copies of each edition and been sold at Rp 7,500
(US 72 cents) per copy, with readers in Java remaining the
largest in number.

"We don't want any permanent sponsors. Let Basis earn money
based on the market's framework," said Sindhunata.

Basis always tries to find the best way to attract new
readers. At the same time, Sindhunata must retain Basis's spirit
within the magazine's articles amid the rapid changes in modern
culture.

He, along with noted philosopher Franz Magnis Suseno, senior
journalist Raymond Toruan, P. Swantoro, priest Kuntara
Wiryamartana, J.B. Banawiratama, and Andy Siswanto, who are
members of Basis's board of editors, made drastic changes to the
magazine's design soon after he was appointed as chief editor in
1996. It was made larger and thicker, giving it a similar look to
other popular magazines.

"The spirit and soul we inherited from our predecessors always
colors Basis's content. That is humanism and more than that, it
is patience and honesty in working for this magazine," Sindhunata
said.

During its 50 years of existence, Basis has received various
responses from the public. Some praise the magazine and others
criticize it. Sometimes, its management has also been intimidated
by those who have accused Basis of disseminating communist
teachings.

"People should read Basis's history. When the magazine became
one of those in the Cultural Manifest (Manikebu) fighting against
communist publications affiliated to the outlawed communist
party's People's Cultural Association (LEKRA) in the era of first
president Sukarno," Raymond Toruan said, adding that Basis's Dick
Hartoko was one of Manikebu's founders.

Journalism's influence in Basis articles is clearly seen, a
consequence of Sindhunata's experience as a journalist and book
writer. Most of them are written by Sindhunata in a popular
style.

Compared to his predecessor, Dick Hartoko, whose concept was
purely influenced by Western thought, Sindhunata always offers a
perspective combining Western theory and local cultural idioms
and traditions.

In its latest edition, in which 10 articles and stories are
written by Sindhunata to commemorate its 50th anniversary, Basis
takes a Javanese idiom Melik Nggendhong Lali (Greed for Wealth
Makes People Unaware) as its cover story.

Basis covers educational issues once a year. In its July-
August edition, it discussed Paulo Fraire's thinking. In its two
earlier editions, Basis highlighted philosophers Anthony Giddens
and Nietzsche's works.

"Giddens' thinking is important to remind Indonesia that we
don't have to argue on the basis of two conflicting ideologies,
capitalism and socialism, as Giddens offers an alternative way
popularly known as The Third Way," Sindhunata explained.

"If we agree that religions can be prone to political rulers'
manipulation for the sake of their power, then Nietzsche, whom
many consider an atheist and whose thought sharply criticizes the
existence of religious institutions, is crucial as a reminder to
this nation."

Basis has tried to disseminate cultural, religious and other
reflective and scientific thoughts to the nation as part of
efforts to guide people to find their identity as a nation.

"Basis is only a poor institution which is too small to
challenge the complicated problems of this nation. We, of course,
expect the other elements of this nation to work hand in hand
with us," Sindhunata said.

He believes the complicated problems of this nation are rooted
deep in the nation's heart. "It is suffering from a cultural
crisis rather than an economic and political crisis."