Cultural diplomacy makes a bid in Bangkok
Cultural diplomacy makes a bid in Bangkok
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Bangkok
We, Indonesians, may have taken for granted the fact that we have
very diverse cultural backgrounds, nonetheless "outsiders" tend
to consider us as a single, monolithic cultural group.
There is perhaps nothing better to demonstrate Indonesia's
cultural diversity than to stage a cultural show. And that's
exactly what the Indonesian Embassy here in Bangkok did to
commemorate the 60th anniversary of Indonesian independence.
The embassy staged an episode of the Ramayana epic as part of
a cultural show last week on Aug. 19 and Aug. 20, featuring the
Padepokan Seni Bagong Kussudiardja troupe.
The first show took place at the prestigious Chulalongkorn
University, Thailand's first university. Thai Foreign Minister
Kantathi Suphamongkhon attended the first show along with the
university's president Khunying Suchada Kiranandana.
The second show was held at Srinakharinwirot University.
The show opened with the Smiling Indonesia dance, a medley of
several Indonesian dances performed by 10 dancers. It starts with
Malay steps, then moves on to the Acehnese Saman dance with its
complicated linear configuration.
It then moved to the island of Java with movements and
compositions from Betawi, Javanese and Balinese dances. Dayak and
Makassar cultures then followed with the Angin Mamiri song, and
then a tribal dance from Papua. At the end of the first
composition was a Sundanese dance using the music Manuk Dadali.
Unfortunately, the 10 dancers all came in together and wore
eclectic uniforms combining all kinds of traditional costumes
making it difficult to know who came from where.
I wished the dancers had rather came out in pairs for each
dance and wore different costumes to make our diversity mire
apparent.
But a friend, Aditya, said that perhaps it would have been
more expensive to match each costume with each dance and more
crowded visually. Maybe he's got a point.
Another example of Indonesian diversity was in the second
number when the traditional musicians, led by Djaduk Ferianto,
performed a medley of Indonesian compositions.
With Djaduk on board, one might expect that it would not be
classical traditional compositions but rather something
contemporary instead.
A traditional ensemble does not usually have keyboards,
violins, Western cymbals and chimes as part of its lineup.
"Well, that's Djaduk's signature style with Kua Etnika group.
Besides, we also want to give a different flavor of Indonesian
traditional musical compositions," troupe leader Butet
Kartaredjasa told The Jakarta Post.
The group did a great job delivering those compositions,
whether you are a purist or a contemporary.
The next numbers, Klana Topeng and Wira Pertiwi, were
classical Javanese dances in the Yogyakarta style.
Klana Topeng mask dance symbolized Prabu Klana Surawasesa of
the Bantar Angin kingdom who was fell in love with Dewi Sekartaji
of the Jenggala kingdom in Kediri, East Java.
Meanwhile, the Wira Pertiwi told the story of Bhayangkari
female soldiers in the ancient Majapahit Kingdom exercising their
sharp-shooting skills with bows and arrows.
The second musical composition had rich humorous nuances led
by Djaduk at his kendang (a small drum covered with leather at
each end) while other musicians played rebana (a tambourine-like
instrument) trying to follow Djaduk's beat.
As the act became funnier, suddenly they were surrounded by a
number of mask-wearing dancers -- albeit flashing machetes --
ready for the next number, Reyog.
No, it was not that colossal Reog Ponorogo performance where a
dancer wears a tiger mask decorated with a peacock feather fan as
heavy as 50 kilograms.
"It's not the Reog Ponorogo show although the dance number was
inspired by the Reog performance," said Butet grinning.
"Here we want to describe villagers' happiness during harvest
time."
The third musical composition included a catchy tune for the
Thais as they played Tom Yam Kung, a composition written by Her
Royal Highness Crown Princess Maha Chakri Sirindorn.
It prepared the audience for the grand finale, the Ramayana
Ballet. In Thailand this Indian epic is known as Ramakien.
The ballet was created in 1961 and is typically divided into
four acts: Hilangnya Dewi Shinta (The Abduction of Shinta),
Anoman Sang Duta (Anoman the Envoy), Gugurnya Sang Patriot (The
Death of a Patriot) and Api Suci Dewi Shinta (Holy Fire of Dewi
Shinta).
This time the group focused on the second act -- also called
Anoman Obong (Anoman on Fire) -- although of course it started
from the beginning when Ramawijaya and Dewi Sinta went hunting
and were lured by a kijang (deer).
It also showed the fight between Rahwana of Alengkadiraja --
who abducted Dewi Sinta -- with Jatayu, a mythical Garuda bird
who tried to save Sinta.
"The fight is so realistic compared to the Thai style. We only
use symbolism. But I enjoyed it," said Kavi Chongkittavorn, The
Nation's assistant group editor who watched the show at
Srinakharinwirot University.
"Another difference was the dancers lifted their feet quite
high while in Thailand dancers would never do so. We believe feet
are unclean," he added.
Kavi said the Indonesian Embassy should stage more cultural
shows to Thai public, saying the students loved the show,
especially the humorous parts.
The foreign minister agreed, hailing the cultural show as part
of people-to-people relations which would strengthen diplomatic
relations as a whole.
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Bangkok
We, Indonesians, may have taken for granted the fact that we have
very diverse cultural backgrounds, nonetheless "outsiders" tend
to consider us as a single, monolithic cultural group.
There is perhaps nothing better to demonstrate Indonesia's
cultural diversity than to stage a cultural show. And that's
exactly what the Indonesian Embassy here in Bangkok did to
commemorate the 60th anniversary of Indonesian independence.
The embassy staged an episode of the Ramayana epic as part of
a cultural show last week on Aug. 19 and Aug. 20, featuring the
Padepokan Seni Bagong Kussudiardja troupe.
The first show took place at the prestigious Chulalongkorn
University, Thailand's first university. Thai Foreign Minister
Kantathi Suphamongkhon attended the first show along with the
university's president Khunying Suchada Kiranandana.
The second show was held at Srinakharinwirot University.
The show opened with the Smiling Indonesia dance, a medley of
several Indonesian dances performed by 10 dancers. It starts with
Malay steps, then moves on to the Acehnese Saman dance with its
complicated linear configuration.
It then moved to the island of Java with movements and
compositions from Betawi, Javanese and Balinese dances. Dayak and
Makassar cultures then followed with the Angin Mamiri song, and
then a tribal dance from Papua. At the end of the first
composition was a Sundanese dance using the music Manuk Dadali.
Unfortunately, the 10 dancers all came in together and wore
eclectic uniforms combining all kinds of traditional costumes
making it difficult to know who came from where.
I wished the dancers had rather came out in pairs for each
dance and wore different costumes to make our diversity mire
apparent.
But a friend, Aditya, said that perhaps it would have been
more expensive to match each costume with each dance and more
crowded visually. Maybe he's got a point.
Another example of Indonesian diversity was in the second
number when the traditional musicians, led by Djaduk Ferianto,
performed a medley of Indonesian compositions.
With Djaduk on board, one might expect that it would not be
classical traditional compositions but rather something
contemporary instead.
A traditional ensemble does not usually have keyboards,
violins, Western cymbals and chimes as part of its lineup.
"Well, that's Djaduk's signature style with Kua Etnika group.
Besides, we also want to give a different flavor of Indonesian
traditional musical compositions," troupe leader Butet
Kartaredjasa told The Jakarta Post.
The group did a great job delivering those compositions,
whether you are a purist or a contemporary.
The next numbers, Klana Topeng and Wira Pertiwi, were
classical Javanese dances in the Yogyakarta style.
Klana Topeng mask dance symbolized Prabu Klana Surawasesa of
the Bantar Angin kingdom who was fell in love with Dewi Sekartaji
of the Jenggala kingdom in Kediri, East Java.
Meanwhile, the Wira Pertiwi told the story of Bhayangkari
female soldiers in the ancient Majapahit Kingdom exercising their
sharp-shooting skills with bows and arrows.
The second musical composition had rich humorous nuances led
by Djaduk at his kendang (a small drum covered with leather at
each end) while other musicians played rebana (a tambourine-like
instrument) trying to follow Djaduk's beat.
As the act became funnier, suddenly they were surrounded by a
number of mask-wearing dancers -- albeit flashing machetes --
ready for the next number, Reyog.
No, it was not that colossal Reog Ponorogo performance where a
dancer wears a tiger mask decorated with a peacock feather fan as
heavy as 50 kilograms.
"It's not the Reog Ponorogo show although the dance number was
inspired by the Reog performance," said Butet grinning.
"Here we want to describe villagers' happiness during harvest
time."
The third musical composition included a catchy tune for the
Thais as they played Tom Yam Kung, a composition written by Her
Royal Highness Crown Princess Maha Chakri Sirindorn.
It prepared the audience for the grand finale, the Ramayana
Ballet. In Thailand this Indian epic is known as Ramakien.
The ballet was created in 1961 and is typically divided into
four acts: Hilangnya Dewi Shinta (The Abduction of Shinta),
Anoman Sang Duta (Anoman the Envoy), Gugurnya Sang Patriot (The
Death of a Patriot) and Api Suci Dewi Shinta (Holy Fire of Dewi
Shinta).
This time the group focused on the second act -- also called
Anoman Obong (Anoman on Fire) -- although of course it started
from the beginning when Ramawijaya and Dewi Sinta went hunting
and were lured by a kijang (deer).
It also showed the fight between Rahwana of Alengkadiraja --
who abducted Dewi Sinta -- with Jatayu, a mythical Garuda bird
who tried to save Sinta.
"The fight is so realistic compared to the Thai style. We only
use symbolism. But I enjoyed it," said Kavi Chongkittavorn, The
Nation's assistant group editor who watched the show at
Srinakharinwirot University.
"Another difference was the dancers lifted their feet quite
high while in Thailand dancers would never do so. We believe feet
are unclean," he added.
Kavi said the Indonesian Embassy should stage more cultural
shows to Thai public, saying the students loved the show,
especially the humorous parts.
The foreign minister agreed, hailing the cultural show as part
of people-to-people relations which would strengthen diplomatic
relations as a whole.