Home | Vol 11 Table of Contents | Previous Issues | Contact Us: 07 55278753 / 0405463663 | Email: judybyronbay@yahoo.com

New schools program at the Indonesian Embassy

John Davenport, Education Officer at the Indonisian Embassy in Canberra, has sent the following information.

The Embassy of Indonesia is in the process of refurbishing its museum and cultural centre on the Embassy grounds at Yarraluma. Students will now experience a unique 'hands on' program, not offered at present by any other Embassy in Canberra. And it's free! All age levels and subject areas are welcome. What then would a class experience?

The interactive journey begins when you pass through the gates of our replica Balinese Hindu temple. Visitors have now officially left Australia and are on Indonesian territory. Students will dress in traditional sarongs from Indonesia and then enter the land and people section of the exibition. Some student volunteers will dress in traditional costumes from various Indonesian provinces and students will locate these areas on our large wall map. They will also learn about the diverse wildlife of this equatorial archipelago.

Our resident puppeteer and musician will then lead students into a darkened Indonesian village complete with appropriate village sights and sounds. Students are invited to watch a short traditional shadow puppet play with some spectacular fight scenes. The class then selects its own puppeteers who perform for their class a shadow puppet play with an Australian flavour.

Ever wanted to play Waltzing matilda on an instument dating back over two thousand years? Your class volunteers will do this and more. After watching our expert play various gamelan instruments, selected students will then demonstrate their newly acquired skills for their classmates.

Then it's off to see the tidy bedroom of an Indonesian teenager in 2002. What music do they listen to when they should be doing their homework? Who are the top Indonesain pop stars at the moment? Are Indonesian teenagers just like Aussie teenagers? Then we learn about Indonesia's delicious food and try some snacksefrom a traditional food stall. Do they have fast food outlets in Indonisia in 2002? Find out.

Discover the many options to those available to those who would like to further their Indonesian experiances. We have comprehensive information on student tours to Indonesia or family holidays. Interested teachers will be given class resource packs and resource lists to enable then to do some extension work with their class after the excursion.

Do your students want to buy some cheap Indonesian souvenirs? An independant retail outlet will be established near the display area.

We also offer specialised Friday workshops usually led by Indonesian experts an a range of topics covering most subject areas. The workshops could include: cooking, dance, Indonesian language, music, pupperty, drama, history, geography, commerce, creative writing, martial arts, religion, maths and science. If you have a special idea for a workshop, please tell us about it and we may be able to help you.

The new exhibits will cater for both primary and secondary students. School groups will be welcome to visit the Embassy from the beginning of April, but bookings may be made at any time from now on by calling 02 6250 8628 or 02 6250 8627 during office hours. The opening hours are Monday to Friday from 9.30AM to 12.30PM and 1.30PM to 4.30PM. Tours take one hour from arrival to departure. The workshops are only held on Fridays.

We would be pleased to recieve you bookings. Terima kasih.

John Davenport. Tel: 02 6250 8627 (wed to fri).