Soeharto opens Bali art festival

Soeharto opens Bali art festival

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto opened yesterday the 17th
Balinese art festival in Denpasar, calling Indonesians to be
careful in facing the negative impact of foreign culture.

The opening ceremony, which took place at Jayasabha Building
in the Bali capital, was followed by a long and colorful Balinese
procession displaying art creations from various districts of the
tourist island.

The procession was led by a large gong and students from
Jembrana regency. It was followed by a traditional drum band from
the Denpasar Academy of Arts.

The emblem of the Balinese province, made of flowers, was
depicted in a float while 50 pairs of twins, wearing traditional
costumes were behind. It was followed by 100 primary school
children wearing masks of animals living in Indonesian jungles.

Another aspect of Balinese art displayed in the parade was
multi-colored wreaths combined with coconut leaves carried by 100
women, Antara news agency said.

According to the organizing committee, the theme of this
year's festival is "finding and putting up magic powers from
behind the masks as a prerequisite of success."

Several foreign countries are represented in the month-long
festival. They are Thailand, United States and South Korea, who
sent art troupes, and Japan and Scotland sent observers.

Other Indonesian provinces taking part in the festival are
Jakarta, West and East Java, Yogyakarta, Central Kalimantan and
West Nusa Tenggara.

Also attending the opening ceremony were First Lady Tien
Soeharto, Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro
and Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono.

Soeharto said in his speech that Indonesia will not close its
doors to the influences of cultural values from outside. "What we
can do is to filter the foreign culture and evade those which are
not compatible with our personality," he said.

But, Soeharto added, the positive points of foreign values
should be absorbed to enrich national culture.

In facing the flow of alien influence, Soeharto said,
Indonesian people of arts and culture should remain "creative but
alert and faultfinding." (tis)