Kei Islands on film

Kei Islands on film

JAKARTA (JP): In the modern age, the written word is no longer adequate to document the complexities of society. Moving color pictures are more likely to reach the masses. A song sells better with a good video, films are being transferred onto CD-ROMS, and sophisticated classrooms are equipped with televisions and video machines. Despite protests from literary traditionalists, video imagery remains an indispensable means of documentation and education.

Dea Sudarman of the Sejati Foundation, a non-governmental organization working to document the cultures of Eastern Indonesia, subscribes to the magic of film. She and her colleagues publish books and produce films about ethnic cultures in the hope of preserving them for posterity. The books are written by locals themselves, and then translated into various languages. The films, on the other hand, serve not only as archives but also as catalysts for community action.

In July 1994, after two years of working with the Kei, Sudarman and her crew went to the Kei Islands to make a film about traditional resource management. What proved more important, however, was not the end-product, but the film-making process. The Kei youth became more interested in their culture as the film was being made. "We always showed to them what we shot," explained Sudarman, "so during the process of film-making, they came to appreciate their culture more."

"The culture isn't dead yet," Sudarman continued, "but the younger generation was not as familiar with their traditions. Many of them helped us with the filming, and learned a lot about planting, harvesting, etc. They had lost the knowledge because they had to go away to school on another island." There is presently only an elementary school on Kei Besar.

"When these teenagers return from their schooling, it is difficult for everyone," Sudarman said. "It is difficult for these children to live in the city and also to live in their village."

Rum Topatimasang, a representative from Forum Baileo Maluku, added that the children now work together with their parents on protecting the island's environment. "The elderly are not illiterate, but now they know all the problems of dealing with the government because their children help them communicate," said Topatimasang. Furthermore, local organizations are being formed by both the youth and the elderly, in an effort to strengthen their case against the exploitation of oil reserves in their forests.

The film contributed to this cultural revitalization. As Sudarman explains, "We are not just writing down the culture, we want it to continue. The purpose is not just recording the culture, but learning, writing, executing, and implementing it."

Film is an excellent media for information dissemination because "through films, you can absorb lots of information quickly," said Sudarman. "You can see the reality of the culture, what they eat, where they live and how they live. If there are pictures the audience is more likely to believe the story."

The film on the Kei is currently in post-production, the details of its release have not been fixed. For further information, contact the Sejati Foundation on Jl. Mendawai IV/2, Jakarta Selatan, phone: 724-7221 or 724-7217.

-- Dini Sari Djalal