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