Play introduces history to the public
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
In the middle of the Fatahillah courtyard in Jakarta Old Town, a man in a bright red traditional Chinese costume hands a bird he has just bought from a vendor to a woman in the crowd that surrounds him.
The man was an actor and the crowd his audience.
The actor encourages them to let the bird fly free. "It was his nature to free animals that he thought were suffering in their cage," said a narrator.
The above scene was a part of a Sunday re-enactment of the life of Chinese entrepreneur Gan Djie, who was a prominent community leader in Batavia from 1663 to 1666.
Played by more than 50 amateur actors and actresses from the English Education Center, Jakarta State University and Krisnadwipayana University, the play was performed at the exact location where Gan Djie was inaugurated as a captain for his community.
The play was particularly interesting as it combined storytelling with interactive theatrical scenes.
Instead of sitting on chairs, the audience were expected to move around the square in front of the Jakarta Historical Museum, following the actors as they performed depictions of Gan Djie's life.
Gan Djie, originating from a small regency in Hokkien region in China, first came to Gresik, East Java in the 17th century to trade.
He moved to Batavia (old Jakarta) in 1659 after marrying a Balinese woman and continued his trading in the capital. Becoming famous for his helpful nature, he was rewarded him the honor of becoming a Dutch-chosen community leader.
Legend has it that Jl. Patekoan (now Jl. Perniagaan in West Jakarta), the street where Gan Djie and his wife lived, was named after their thoughtful habit of serving tea to passers-by.
"Patekoan means eight tea pots (pat means eight and teko means tea pot). Gan Djie used to serve tea in front of his house for thirsty passers-by," said David Kwa, who helped construct the play using the historical information he collated on the famous captain.
The re-enactment of the lives of Chinese people during the 17th century was part of the Jakarta Historical Museum's annual program.
"This is part of our effort to familiarize the public with museums and history itself," said Jakarta Historical Museum head Tinia Budiati, adding that this was their sixth performance.
Tinia explained that holding such events encouraged people to visit museums over and over again. "People will have a reason to come to the museum and find out new things about the city's history.
"We chose non-heroic themes because we wanted to show what the community was like centuries ago and what made them," she said, adding that in the previous years the play had depicted stories about European communities as well as locals in old Jakarta.
Aside from depicting the life of a prominent figure, play director Basukilla Daeng Nyonyo inserted traditional Chinese performances of wushu martial arts, a fan dance and barongsai (lion dance).
"This is rare, and definitely not boring. I did not even know that this person (Gan Djie) existed," said Nasrullah, one of the audience, munching a cucumber he received from one of the cast, who was playing a market vendor.
"And besides, where else would we be allowed to chat with the actors and even be given food by them," he added.
Despite the flaws in the on-and-off sound system, the interactive play bridged the gap between history and the public. (003)