Festival showcases ancient agrarian roots

I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali

Wayan Kun Adnyana has not reached the level of stardom currently enjoyed by Wianta or Gunarsa, to name a few internationally acclaimed Balinese contemporary artists. Not yet, at least.

Still, Kun and his fellow young painters, who call themselves the Solidarity of Young Artists, early this week managed to organize a festival quietly, the down-to-earth originality and symbolism of which might "disturb" their seniors.

Unfortunately, most of their seniors missed the four-day event.

The festival was unusual not only because it was being held in a very unique venue -- in this case a 1.5-hectare paddy field -- but also because it highlighted the concern and anxiety local farmers felt about their uncertain future.

"It is not an individual's work and certainly, it is not my personal work. This festival is a collective work -- both the concept and the realization of the concept were the products of months of discussion between the members of the solidarity and the local farmers," Kun said.

The festival was held in the paddy fields of Pekaseh Pakel on the northern outskirts of Denpasar in Peguyangan, under the supervision of Subak, or the traditional Balinese community farm association. The Subak has 300 members with 115 hectares of paddy fields.

The paddy fields used were among the few remaining paddy fields in the city, in which the land conversion rate from paddy to real estate property had reached as high as 1,000 hectares per year.

"Numerous people and land brokers came here and persuaded our farmers to sell their land. It is not always easy to resist the temptation of quick cash, but fortunately, so far our farmers here have refused to sell their land," the chief of Subak Pekaseh Pakel, I Wayan Marda said.

For years, the combination of high land tax and the low income from agricultural products had forced Balinese farmers to sell their paddy fields to the growing property, housing, manufacturing and tourism industry.

Moreover, the perceived low social status of any work associated with agriculture had only strengthened Balinese youths' reluctance to enter the sector. In contrast, working in a sharp suit and tie in any tourism establishment was considered the proper and most acceptable course of living among the younger generation.

It is no wonder that agriculture was on the verge of extinction, particularly in the island's prominent tourism areas, such as Denpasar, Badung and Gianyar, where paddy fields kept disappearing at an alarming rate.

"The development process has separated us from our cultural and spiritual roots and, simultaneously, marginalized our farmers -- the keepers of those roots.

"This festival provides a medium through which artists, farmers and other people can interact with each other and reflect upon the state of our agricultural sector," Kun aid.

The event was called Festival Lelakut, or the Scarecrow Festival, in commemoration of the scary makeshift dolls erected in the middle of paddy fields to scare birds and devious demons away. The artists and local farmers created about 25 scarecrows for the festival, most of which were much bigger than the usual scarecrow. Their form and shape were also different, and reflected the heavy influence of modern art.

"I don't think the birds will fear these modern-looking lelakut," a journalist commented.

"Well, you may be right. Hopefully, though, they'll scare away those rich people who want to buy the paddy fields in order to build villas or malls," Kun said.

Thirty paintings, mostly depicting the demise of paddy fields and the Balinese agrarian culture, were displayed at various corners of the paddy fields. Although of different colors and styles, they somehow fit beautifully into the surrounding natural landscape.

Art-enthusiasts, who have gotten used to marble-floored, air- conditioned galleries, flashy dresses and flowing cocktails, would either find the festival a nuisance or a liberating experience. It all depended on whether guests could appreciate the difficulties of walking carefully on the narrow and muddy raised paths that criss-cross the paddy fields.

The festival brought a breath of fresh air to the Balinese art scene, which has long been a playground of self-gratification, individual competition, personal bickering and ego-driven creations for some of its most senior artists.

"The festival reminded me of the Balinese culture's agrarian roots and the collective spirit of its artists in ancient times. Somehow, amid the garish glamor of modern times and tourism- oriented development, we had forgotten both our roots and our spirit. This festival has dragged us back into that muddy rice- growing culture of ours, and that's good," said poet Mas Ruscitadewi.

For the farmers of Subak Pekaseh Pakel, the festival had the effect of uplifting their spirits.

"It's wonderful to know that there are people who care about our fate and the future of our paddy-fields," Marda mused.

It is unfortunate that the festival only ran for four days, from 22 April to 25 April. It's too soon to be disappointed, however, as Kun has already promised that the Solidarity would approach other Subak in Bali to hold similar festivals.