Dancers, choreographers to join anti-AIDS drive

Dancers, choreographers to join anti-AIDS drive

JAKARTA (JP): Traditional dancers, choreographers and puppet masters will join the anti-AIDS campaign which the government plans to launch on international AIDS day this Dec. 1.

The Indonesian AIDS Foundation organized a workshop yesterday dealing with the dangers of the Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), for the benefit of those involved in traditional performances.

Foundation deputy chairman Kartono Mohamad said such performances had proven effective in the past in driving home various messages, from family planning to the government's development programs.

"We have chosen traditional performances as the medium to inform the public about AIDS because they have a wide audience, ranging from the upper to lower classes," Kartono told reporters during the workshop.

But before they can relay the message, these performers should be fully informed about the disease, Kartono said.

The traditional performances that will spearhead the anti-AIDS campaign are the drama gong from Bali, ketoprak from West Java and Yogyakarta, lenong from Jakarta, ludruk from East Java, randai from West Sumatra, shadow puppet show from Central Java and Yogyakarta, Srimulat group from Central Java and a wooden puppet show from West Java.

Yesterday's workshop was opened by the Assistant to the Coordinating Minister of People's Welfare, Suyono Yahya, and involved about 50 people, mostly traditional performers. The chairwoman of the foundation, Martina Wijaya, was also present.

Kartono said traditional performances are a highly-effective medium, particularly in reaching the critical lower classes.

"Lower class people, especially those moving around such as truck drivers and others with heavy traveling schedules, are susceptible to AIDS," Kartono said.

He explained that about 90 percent of AIDS cases found in Indonesia were transmitted through sexual contact -- 80 percent from heterosexual relationships and 10 percent from homosexual relationships.

Traditional dances and puppet shows may prove more effective means of communication than newspapers or television.

"We are not asking them to change their storyline to accommodate our message. We're only asking that they, in a creative way, slip the message of the danger of AIDS in their performances," said Kartono, who is also chairman of the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association, one of the first non- governmental organizations to lead the anti-AIDS drive.

He said the workshop is essential so that these performers, choreographers and puppet masters fully understand the disease. "They are not the only ones. Many doctors still do not know about AIDS."

Noted Yogyakarta dancer Didik Hadiprayitno, popularly known as Didik Nini Thowok, welcomed the invitation to take part in the anti-AIDS campaign.

"Traditional performances can reach many people, mostly the under classes," he said.

"I can insert the AIDS messages into the jokes or dialogs of my performance, but I think it will be more difficult to use dance, which is full of symbolic gestures," Didik said.

The number of people infected with HIV in Indonesia has continued to increase. By the end of October, the government said 355 people had tested positive.

Of these 355, 82 have developed full-blown AIDS and 50 have died. (31)