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."