Made Wijaya, a stranger in paradise

Made Wijaya, a stranger in paradise

Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Sanur, Bali

Entering Villa Bebek, home and office of Made Wijaya, is like
visiting a Balinese family compound, with a separate and richly
ornamented pavilion, surrounded by beautiful gardens.

Born Michael White, Made Wijaya is one of the world's most
celebrated tropical garden designers with about 600 gardens to
his credit in locations as far away as Morocco, Hawaii, the
continental United States, Spain, India, Malaysia and Singapore,
Wijaya is a modest person.

"I am just a writer, an artist who happens to do architectural
work, interior design and tropical garden designs," Wijaya said.

Inside the house are Wijaya and dozens of young and talented
artists, architects and landscape designers. All work for PT
Wijaya, an architecture, landscape, interior design and pool
consultant company. Some of them work for Wijaya Words, a
publishing company that produces Poleng magazine and various
other publications.

Those who have seen and have read his work know that Wijaya is
a multi-talented artist.

His comprehensive and meticulous knowledge of Balinese
culture, architecture and tropical landscape design is documented
in a number of books that include: Stranger in Paradise,
previously published as a column in the Bali Post Sunday edition
from l979-l980, and now appears in Hello Bali and his own Poleng
magazine; Balinese Architecture: Towards an Encyclopedia (Wijaya
Words, l982); Tropical Garden Design (Wijaya Words and
Archipelago Press, l999); At Home in Bali (Abbeville Press); and
the most recent one, Architecture of Bali (Archipelago Press and
Wijaya Words, 2002).

A day before the launch of Architecture of Bali on Nov. 23 in
Neka Museum, Ubud, he shared his ideas with the Post at his
beautiful Villa Bebek in Sanur.

"It has been a painstaking work of around 30 years of studying
and documenting rich Balinese architectural masterpieces," he
said enthusiastically.

As Wijaya wrote, "Classic Balinese architecture is one of the
world's great art forms, surviving within a culture keen on
adopting the latest trends from overseas."

He commented, "This book is not about history; it is about
built form, an architectural style the great ethnographer Miguel
Covarrubias called 'a masterpiece of simplicity, ingenuity and
good taste'."

"Since Covarrubias's famous book, The Island of Bali (l937),
this is the most comprehensive documentation and literature on
Balinese architecture," he further claimed.

What's more important for him is that the book launch is very
timely given the wide exposure of Bali as "a cheap, bargain,
exotic holiday paradise for Westerners", and as the Oct. 12
bombing tragedy in Kuta may have a negative impact on the island
and its people.

"The book is a sort of a telling reminder to the people of
what Bali really is," he stressed. For him, the word Bali is
synonymous with beauty -- of culture, of spirit and of form.

"I feel really disgusted when reading numerous tourist
brochures promoting Bali as a surfer's paradise, as a great place
to live like a king at bargain prices. What terrible ads!" he
said angrily. He said it is a form of exploitation of Bali by
people who do not understand anything about Bali, its complex
culture and the spiritual people living on the island.

There are a lot of foreigners whom he calls "Super Bule (slang
for "white foreigner")" -- arrogant expatriates living on the
island to seek their fortunes while being indifferent to the
local culture, religion and traditions. "They are only
carpetbaggers," he said.

"I am a Bule Aga (a foreigner who deeply loves and respects
Bali)," he adds, similar in his approach to his adopted culture
like a handful of foreign artists such as Walter Spies, Rudolf
Bonnet and other respected scholars.

Originally from Sydney, Australia, Wijaya was still a 20-year-
old architecture student when he traveled to Bali in l973. He has
made Bali his home ever since.

His Balinese name was given to him by the Brahman (Hindu High
Priest) Family of Ida Bagus Anom of Griya Kepaon, who welcomed
him into their fold and guided his initiation into the Balinese
Hindu religion and its complex culture.

During his early years in Bali, he made a living coaching
tennis and as an English teacher at a local dance academy.

His fascination with traditional Balinese architecture --
fueled further by his uncanny ability with the Balinese language
-- led him to study and practice first-hand with local artisans
and Balinese master builders, the priest-architects known as
undagi.

His friendship with Balinese people of diverse backgrounds has
been very extensive. His closest friends include Balinese royal
families, prominent artists, religious leaders and scholars, as
well as ordinary people like Meme Disco, a satay vendor. His best
friends include photographers Rio Helmi and Putu Suasta, just to
name a few.

Wijaya has also worked closely with internationally acclaimed
filmmakers like Sir David Attenborough and Sir Hardy Amis, and
has collaborated with well-known architects such as Geoffrey
Bawa, Peter Muller and Dale Keller, all of whom, he said, have a
deep understanding about Bali. Among his clients is musician
David Bowie.

Reading his diaries, compiled in Stranger in Paradise, is
inspirational as he touches upon varied subjects ranging from
Balinese grand royal wedding ceremonies, life-cycle rituals,
religious events and funerals with an emotional intensity and a
clear devotion to the Balinese culture.

"I have always been very critical about things like the
development of the gigantic Garuda Wisnu Kencana (aimed at
creating a Balinese version of the Statue of Liberty) in
Jimbaran, or the Turtle Island development projects," he said.

During the New Order era, he might have been called an anti-
development person. As an artist and environmentalist, however,
Wijaya feels a responsibility in speaking the truth.

"Is Bali so poor that it should make architectural and
cultural 'gimmicks' to attract visitors?"

He blames the central government for letting Bali develop into
what it is now. "The flood of investors and developers from
Jakarta have more or less changed the face of Bali to its present
condition," he said.

It was the developers who "forced" local architects to build
buildings "according to their styles", which Wijaya calls "ugly,
superficial Balinese styles".

"If you want to create something in a Balinese style, do it in
the right way, and in consultation with the right persons," he
urged.

Physically, he said, Bali may have changed a lot but the
culture, religion and tradition are still very much alive within
the society.

"I hope that this book (Architecture of Bali) will help remind
some, and inform many others of the wonder of traditional
Balinese architecture. It is arguably the most perfect
architectural language, in terms of scale, beauty and
functionality that ever evolved in the tropical world."

Does this mean he will stay in Bali for the rest of his life?

"After more than 25 years living here, my love affair with
Bali has become very, very deep and intense," he said
thoughtfully.

When the Oct. 12 bombings happened, Wijaya observed how the
Balinese people viewed the tragedy and faced the grievance with
humility. "I was very impressed with their patience in facing the
sadness," Wijaya said.

He realized then his personal mission in the Balinese context,
as he saw himself as a patih (guardian) to the Barong (a sacred,
mythical lion-like creature), which represent the forces of good:

"I would like to be remembered as a guardian of Balinese
culture and architecture."