Readings show spirit of independence

By Yenni Kwok

JAKARTA (JP): Independence Day is more than a celebration of freedom from foreign rule. For those with creative minds, it also signifies freedom to express oneself.

As civil servants hoisted flags and neighborhood children vied in sack races, artists chose to celebrate in their own style. After all, is there anything more valuable to the motherland than giving the best of one's talent?

The glory of independence was extolled in government sponsored and independently organized poetry readings held around the city.

Jakarta Arts Council's annual tradition, Malam Renungan Kemerdekaan (Freedom Contemplation Night), was held in Taman Ismail Marzuki Arts Center, Central Jakarta, on the eve of Independence Day.

A big red-and-white flag adorned the wall and a speaker's podium was set up on stage. This, along with the packed audience seated in chairs and cigarette smoke choking the air, created an odd atmosphere more reminiscent of a political assembly than a poetry reading.

Despite the authoritative decorations, the council was liberal in its selection of performers. Renowned poets such as Taufik Ismail and Danarto shared the stage with their juniors. Contents ranged from romantic to critical pieces.

The night's main event was a lecture by poet Sapardi Djoko Damono, who is also the dean of School of Letters at the University of Indonesia.

Sapardi's lecture stressed the dynamism and the diversity of Indonesian culture. He criticized fears that foreign cultural influences would demolish Indonesian traditions.

"Humans create culture from something that has existed before, at present and from outside cultures."

Malam Renungan Kemerdekaan kicked off with a series of romantic literary pieces. Hamzad Rangkuti opened the night with excerpts from his short story, Gunting Pita (Ribbon Cutting).

Gunting Pita is a tale of a forgotten heroine who had to pay for her brave act of hiding the fighters with her body. Nobody honors her sacrifice until a regent, formerly a freedom fighter himself, seeks her whereabouts and invites her to the opening of a veteran's building. Her heroism is finally recognized as she gets the honor of cutting the ribbon.

Young poet Nanang R. Supriatin contributed the most nationalistic poem of the night. In a solemn voice akin to a TVRI news announcer, he read Kemerdekaan (Independence).

"Independence is people who work hard/Independence is not to slave or be enslaved by other nations..." he read, concluding that "independence is development in all fields, with the guidance of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution."

Nevertheless, the event did not descend into a night of serious messages. Taufik Ismail read an irreverent poem which toyed with Indonesian's proverbs, including: "Nationalism/Stone rains in other countries/Gold rains in own country/Better to be in own country".

As the night crept into the late hours, critical voices rose. In his Suara Yang Terpendam (The Buried Voice), poet Danarto spoke on behalf of the poor and the weak. "Who could understand the quiet kind, the silent poor?" he said.

Alternative

The next day, Pesta Rakyat (People's Festival) took place at the Monumen Proklamasi (Proclamation Monument), where the founding fathers declared the independence of Indonesia 52 years ago.

A couple of poets who performed at Taman Ismail Marzuki the night before also took part in Pesta Rakyat.

But no renowned poets read their pieces. No romantic nostalgia of the fighting days. Indeed, it took an alternative path to celebrate the Independence Day.

Organized by different theater groups and non-governmental organizations, Pesta Rakyat staged poetry reading and short plays riddled with social and political protests.

"We want to see that the Independence Day is more than a state ceremony, where people are only spectators. We want people to take part in the celebration," said Ratna Sarumpaet, the leader of Satu Merah Panggung and the event organizer.

Taking the idea of a festival, two stages were set up. One stage was poetry reading, led by poet Sitok Srengenge. Another stage was a drama performance, led by Ratna.

Critical verse, known locally as "pamphlet" poetry for their direct, caustic messages, dominated the poetry reading. Indeed, the critical nature of Pesta Rakyat attracted a mostly young audience and participants, who wandered around the monument under close watch of police officers and security agents.

Suyani, of Fighting for Democracy National Committee, read Wiji Tukul's Potret Negeri Ini (Portrait of This Country).

She said: "This country does not deserve/to be called free/because in the parliament/people aren't free to talk/and soldiers are free/to use the weapon."

Sometimes, artists even pushed the limit of the audience's understanding. A group of young theater performers staged a silent performance, full of symbolism but without a title.

A ruddy-faced man sat motionless in a giant plastic urn, his eyes and mouth open, apparently dead. A group of men and women chanted the text of the Independence Proclamation, occasionally interrupted by exultations of Allahu Akbar (Allah is great). It was as though they were conducting a tahlilan, the Islamic religious gathering following a death.

The man suddenly rose from the pot. His body was covered in red slime. He poured faded green, yellow and red paint onto the weeping widow, a woman dressed in white.

What did it all symbolize? Was the red-faced man the symbol of democracy? Did the weeping bride symbolize the people? Ironically, none of the performers, said to be from ADP Production, was willing to give the answers.

"Sorry, I have no right to talk," said one of the actors.

Historian Onghokham, poet-essayist Goenawan Mohamad and actress-director Jajang C. Noer were spotted among the predominantly young crowd. Other public figures, such as Mrs. Rachmi Hatta, the widow of independence proclaimer M. Hatta, Megawati Soekarnoputri and former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, had agreed to attend the event but later canceled their plans.

The first Pesta Rakyat was in 1995 and the content was more overtly political. "There were many political speeches and shouting," Ratna said.

Following negotiated with the police, this second Pesta Rakyat ended earlier than the scheduled time. After Ratna read her poem Doa (Prayer), written after she was detained for her mock-coffin protest last May, and the flag-lowering ceremony with the veterans, the crowd dispersed quietly.

Malam Renungan Kemerdekaan and Pesta Rakyat may be over, but they proved the independence spirit will never vanish.