Chinese puppets perform once more

Chinese puppets perform once more

By Rita A. Widiadana

JAKARTA (JP): The audience members, most of them of Chinese
descent, were moved to tears. It was understandable -- they were
watching a rare performance of Wayang Po Tay Hie (Chinese
puppetry) at Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center in Jakarta.

The puppet master, 68-year-old Teguh Chandra Irawan alias Thio
Tiono Gie, performed the tale of a riot in Tay Tong Tiauw
Kingdom, somewhere in the land of China.

The story enthralled many of those in the audience, like
Susanah, who moved from Semarang to Jakarta 20 years ago.

"When I was a child, I used to watch this wayang performance
in front of a Chinese temple in my hometown in Semarang," said
Susanah, 70, who saw her last performance of wayang Po Tay Hie in
1964.

Like many other Chinese cultural performances, the puppetry
was banned by the New Order government.

Founded around 3,000 years ago in mainland China, Wayang Po
Tay Hie is believed to have been brought to Indonesia by Chinese
immigrants in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The performances, which are usually in Mandarin or Malay, are
based on Chinese mythology and legends.

An expert on oral traditions, Pudentia MPSS, said there are
many other Chinese cultural activities which once flourished in
Indonesia but have vanished.

"Wayang Po Tay Hie is only one example of dozens or maybe
hundreds of art forms which have strong Chinese cultural
influences," explained Pudentia.

She said Chinese cultural influences were still evident in
various areas of the country.

In Jakarta, Cokek (a folk dance accompanied by a local
orchestra), Tanjidor, Lenong (traditional drama) and the Topeng
Betawi (mask dance) are heavily influenced by Chinese art
elements.

In Sumatra, there is the Mak Yong in Riau. The culture of the
Dayak tribe in Kalimantan also shows Chinese influences. In Bali,
there is Barong dance (lion dance) and Drama Gong.

"It is a pity that people only know and promote the Barongsai,
lion dance, while other art forms are in danger of disappearing,"
said Pudentia.

She noted Indonesia's geographical position at the crossroads
between China and India. It is little wonder that the influence
of Indian and Chinese cultures has been prominent in the
development of literature, fine arts, textile and architectural
designs and performing arts.

A noted researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences
(LIPI), Ninuk Kleden Probonegoro, said the banning of Chinese
cultural activities in the past was a big mistake and defeated
the stated purpose of assimilation.

"Culture could be used as a tool for Chinese-Indonesians to
interact socially with the local culture and its people, which in
turn would also lessen the likelihood of any possible conflict,"
said Ninuk, an expert on Betawi culture.

In the past, many ethnic Chinese were patrons of the arts and
cultural activities.

"Cokek was developed among Chinese landlords in Jakarta and
surrounding areas," she explained.

In Central Java, Chinese entrepreneurs are also involved in
fostering Wayang Orang, the traditional Javanese drama, and in
batik manufacturing.

The famous Wayang Orang troupe in Surakarta was founded in the
1890s by an ethnic Chinese businessman. The company, now under
the name Sriwedari, still performs in the amusement park in
Surakarta.

University of Indonesia professor of anthropology and folklore
expert James Dananjaya acknowledged that Chinese-Indonesians were
culturally and politically marginalized by the New Order regime.

He said the ethnic Chinese suffered from "autohypnotized
amnesia", a mental condition in which people deliberately
eliminate their self-identities.

"For 32 years, Indonesians of Chinese descent were haunted by
the fear of revealing their origins because of the severe
political condition," said James, himself of Chinese descent.

The government intentionally created social and cultural
barriers between the ethnic Chinese and the indigenous
population, he added.

James, who is a noted Javanologist and expert in Balinese
culture, said the New Order was responsible for creating the wide
economic gap between Chinese-Indonesians and the indigenous
people.

The Chinese were restricted to the economic field because the
New Order systematically prevented them from entering other
sectors like the civil service and military, he added.

Film directors Teguh Karya, the late Wim Umboh and playwright
Nano Riantiarno are among the few who nurtured their professional
careers in the cultural sphere.

The majority of Chinese-Indonesians are now trapped in
stereotyped professions as bankers, traders and doctors, he said.

When he was appointed a lecturer at the University of
Indonesia, James recounted that many professors and members of
the faculty were doubtful about his commitment because he was of
Chinese descent.

"I told them that my father was a scholar and priest, my
youngest brother is in the Navy and my older brother is a music
teacher. Nobody in our family is in business," said James.

He said it was wrong to presume that all Chinese-Indonesians
were rich and behaved ignorantly through ostentatious displays of
their wealth. He said public stereotypes were based on figures
like tycoon Lim Sioe Liong, banker James Riady and notorious
criminal Edi Tansil, who escaped from jail while serving a
sentence for corruption.

Many Chinese-Indonesians are poor, he said.

Thousands of residents living on the outskirts of Jakarta like
Tangerang, west of Jakarta, Sawangan to the south of Jakarta and
Cilincing in North Jakarta are of Chinese origin and live in
poverty, he added.

"Many Betawi (indigenous Jakartans) are actually Hitachi,
which stands for Hitam tapi Cina (brown-skinned Chinese), or Cina
Benteng, because of their assimilation with the locals, "
explained James.

Assimilation

Assimilation and interaction between the Chinese and the
locals made easier through cultural and traditional activities.

James said an example was the celebration of the Lunar New
Year (Imlek), which previously functioned as a forum for
silaturahmi, or a social gathering among Chinese families and
their neighbors.

"The celebration of Imlek is rich in philosophical and social
values," said James.

The Chinese New Year was an annual event when the Chinese and
the pribumi (native Indonesians) mingled in a joyous atmosphere.

On the new year's eve, there were many cultural performances
like Barongsai (lion dance), tanjidor (a mix of Betawi and
Chinese orchestra), cokek, martial arts and a mask dance
festival.

Glittering firecrackers and circus performances also
highlighted the celebration, James remembered.

Ibnu, an Acehnese, recalled childhood memories of the event.

"In the 1950s, everybody in town -- Chinese families, Betawi
people, members of the Arabic and Indian communities-- would
flock to Glodok and Harmony in downtown Jakarta to attend this
merry event, especially during Cap Go Meh, the celebration 15
days after the new year," he said.

For the young, it was a time for affairs of the heart.

"A Javanese boy might meet and fall in love with a Chinese
girl. It was very common at that time."

He said nobody should be worried that the celebration would
cause Indonesians to lose their cultural roots.

"The Chinese people who were born in Indonesia always refer to
themselves as Indonesians, not Chinese, because it is their
country," he said.

But James said Chinese-Indonesians should continue this year
to celebrate the new year in a modest way. The government has
already opened a channel for greater freedom, but the ethnic
Chinese must be sensitive to their compatriots still suffering in
the economic crisis.

"Don't show off and hurt your local brothers," James warned.