Poet Emha draws crowd in first show after ban

Poet Emha draws crowd in first show after ban

By Lenah Susianty

JAKARTA (JP): Serious and relaxed. That is an appropriate
description of Emha Ainun Najib's three-day poetry reading and
Kiai Kanjeng music performance at the Graha Bakti Budaya, Taman
Ismail Marzuki.

The performance, which finished on Wednesday, obliterated any
notion that poetry reading is so serious that it can't be
entertaining or attract many spectators.

The venue itself, which has around 900 seats, indicated that
this was not an ordinary poetry reading. Besides Emha, only the
flamboyant "peacock" poet W.S. Rendra has performed in the
building. Other Indonesian poets modestly choose the smaller
Teater Arena, with a capacity of 300.

However, it seems that Emha was aware of his power and was not
grasping at something higher than his reach. From Aug. 22 to 24,
the Graha Bakti Budaya was always full and the Rp 5,000 (US$2.30)
tickets for the balcony were sold out.

Emha, who finally received permission to perform after a
government ban imposed in May for presenting his controversial
play entitled Pak Kanjeng in Surabaya, proved that he is not only
a poet, but also an entertainer who knows how to present his
works.

Sitting on the stage floor behind a small table along with
black clad musicians of the Kiai Kanjeng music group, Emha, also
in black, started the night by reading a poem called Doa minta
kutukan (A prayer for curses).

"All are in vagueness now, we do not know anymore which is
good and bad. We have received too many gifts from God, but we
are blind, therefore to be safe now, we have to pray for curses,"
Emha recited.

The second poem Abacadabra illustrated that, despite the ban,
Emha still speaks about social restlessness and reality. The poem
reminds us of the recent closure of DeTik, Tempo and Editor,
which discouraged other Indonesian newspapers and magazines from
indulging in the government promoted openness.

He read, "Abacadabra , we lie with our face downward because
there is no guarantee that the bullet is not for us. Abacadabra ,
we hide because freedom is still in discussion."

Kiai Kanjeng music

The accompaniment of the Kiai Kanjeng music group made Emha's
poetry reading beautiful. Composers Djaduk Ferianto and Novi
Budianto mixed Javanese gamelan with violin, synthesizer and
percussion music.

The rich variety of the Kiai Kanjeng music, which offered not
only a Javanese musical touch but also elements of Sumatran,
Timorese, Balinese, Sundanese, Betawi and even jazz and rock
music, responded harmoniously to everything Emha articulated.

During Abacadabra, for example, there were echoes of Middle-
Eastern music when Emha sang verses of the Koran.

Emha, who sang surprisingly well, jokingly said that he might
become a singer, "because there is no obligation to submit song
lyrics to the authorities before a performance."

Djaduk and Novi, explored and then developed a new form of
Javanese gamelan music they call Kiai Kanjeng to better enhance
Emha's poems.

The name was taken from one of Emha's most controversial
plays, Pak Kanjeng, which was banned in Surabaya early this year
because the police said it was overtly critical of the
government.

Unlike the conventional gamelan music which uses pelog and
slendro, Kiai Kanjeng music has Middle Eastern music nuances
which emphasize the minor keys. The exploration proved that
gamelan can also offer a very interesting alternative to modern
music.

The most lauded poem during his performances was Puisi
seadanya mengenai kepala (A simple poem on the head). This
allusion heavy piece drew applause and laughs every time Emha
recited the witty verse, "the poet knew that his words would be
applauded not because they were special but because of their
allusions." It was not clear whether this was an improvisation or
not.

The poem, which also includes verses like, "usually a head is
only used for five years," reaffirmed Emha's position in society
as a poet who speaks of social reality.

The five-year allusion refers to the period an official
usually stays in office in Indonesia.

His poems might be not so special, he admitted at a cultural
discussion taking place at the Graha Bakti Budaya on Tuesday.
Esthetically, Emha said his poems are not qualified for public
presentation, but he keeps writing them in order to communicate
the existing spiritual restlessness and social concerns.

"Poets are obliged to accommodate ideas, absorb them and
transfer them into poems," he said.

Emha Ainun Nadjib, a widower, featured 15 poems during the
two-hour presentation including Cerita kanak-kanak dari dunia
kucing (Tale of children from the cat's world), Tembok dan
gelombang (Wall and waves) and Ham (Human rights).

Born in Jombang, East Java in 1953, Emha is currently known as
an essayist, short story writer, playwright, columnist, religious
person and also orang pintar (wise person). People seek answers
to health, spiritual, love and marriage problems from him.

Emha's works have been collected into books such as 99 Untuk
Tuhanku, Sesobek Buku Harian Indonesia, Indonesia bagian dari
desa saya and Lautan Jilbab.