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Kids Play Gamelan

Byron LCI Combined Schools Gamelan Workshop Program

During September, a meeting of LCI - Language Continuity Initiative Teachers in the Byron Area, decided to work together to create an End of Term gamelan workshop program to provide direct experience of Indonesian music and culture to the students of Indonesian language under the LCI Program. The program involved inviting well-known gamelan teacher Mike Burns to visit the area as a guest teacher and involve the LCI Indonesian language students in gamelan workshops based at Byron Bay Public School.

On Friday 21 and Monday 24 September, Mike brought a selendro gamelan orchestra with him from Newcastle which he set up in the Byron Bay PS school hall. On Friday, students from Durrumbul Public School, Byron Community School and Byron High School were invited to participate and on Monday LCI students from Bangalow PS and Byron Bay PS.

During the two day program mini-disc recordings were made of the children learning and playing gamelan and brief interviews with students and teachers were recorded and played over two Sundays on Suara Indonesia Radio Show at BayFM.

Interviews with Indonesian language students.

J-Apa kabar? (how are you?)
Siapa nama anda? (what is your name?)
Katriya--Nama saya Katriya (my name is Katriya)
J--- Are you looking forward to learning Gamelan?
Katriya--Yes I hope I get a turn
J--- I'm sure you will get a turn.
Do you like music in general? Do you play an instrument?
Katriya--Yes, I play piano.
J--- What sort of things have you been learning in Indonesian?
Katriya--We have been learning about the market, time and money.
J--- Do you think it's important to learn Indonesian?
Katriya--Yes if we want to go there when were older, it will help a lot.

J--- Siapa nama anda?
Emily--- Nama saya Emily.
J--- Emily senang Bahasa Indonesia?(do you like learning Indonesian?)
Emily--- Yes I do.
J--- Have you ever learnt any other languages?
Emily--- No.
J--- How do you find learning another language, is it easy or hard?
Emily--- Yes, Indonesian is easy to learn.
J--- Do you think you did well in your exam?
Emily--- Yes I think so.
J--- How do you find the things you did in the class is it easy, is it fun?
Emily--- Yeah heaps.
J--- What are the things you've been doing in your class this year? Did you like the music or puppet show or games?
Emily--- The music I liked the best.
J--- Did you like Angklung?
Emily--- Yes
J--- Ok thank you Emily

J--- Hello Apa kabar?
Melissa-Baik Baik saja.
J--- Siapa nama anda? (what is your name)
Melissa---Nama saya Melissa.
J--- Melissa berapa umurmu? (how old are you)
Melissa --Sebelas tahun (eleven years old)
J--- And how have you been enjoying Indonesian this year, Do you like it?
Melissa --Yes!
J--- What sort of things have you been learning this year?
Melissa---We have learnt new things, learning about another country.
J--- Do you like doing Angklung and singing? What sort of things did you like to do this year?
Melissa---I like playing Gamelan
J--- Is that your favourite thing?
Melissa---Yes.
J--- Is it better than playing games?
Melissa --Yep.
J--- Ok thank you very much.

J-- Hello- Apa kabar?
Dominic--Baik Baik saja.
J--- Siapa nama anda? (what is your name?)
Dom--- Nama saya Dominic.
J- How are you enjoying gamelan today? Do you like learning gamelan?
Dom--- Yes!
J--- Do you remember what instrument you have been playing?
Dom--- One of the sarons.
J---What sort of things have you been doing in Indonesian that you have enjoyed this year?
Dom--- Learning how to speak Indonesian and new things.
J---Why do you think its important to speak Indonesian?
Dom--- So if I go to Indonesia I know what they are talking about.
And I can talk back to them.
J- Do you find it easy to learn?
om---Yes sort of, some words are easy.
J-So do you feel that you are doing well in Indonesian?
J--Do think it will be good going to high school and learning Indonesian again?
Dom---Yes.
J--Well fantastic! thank you.
Dom--- Terima kasih.

J--- Apa kabar?
Cameron-Baik Baik saja.
J--- Siapa nama anda?
Cameron---Nama saya Cameron.
J--- What school do you go to Cameron?
Cameron-Byron Bay Primary School.
J--- How long have you been learning Indonesian?
Cameron- 2 years
J---Do you like learning Indonesian?
Cameron-yep.
J---What do you like about Indonesian?
Cameron---Gamelan.
J---Anything else you've enjoyed about this year,eg Singing, games, music, puppet show or anything else?
Cameron---Games and singing.
J--- What sort of things have you been learning about?
Cameron---Beach, market, fruits and vegetables.
J--- Did you find these things interesting?
Cameron---No I didn't like doing the warung.
J--- Do you think learning Indonesian is important?
Cameron---I suppose if I go there.
J--- Do you think you will go there?
Cameron-- Yeah Bali maybe.
J--- Why Bali?
Cameron---Cause of the beaches.
J---Well thank you I hope you enjoy your gamelan class.