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Surat Surat

Letter from Efiq

Saya di Australia sudah 3 bulan lebih sebagai Musician Residence. Dan selama itu saya mengerjakan beberapa workshop baik di sekolah, gamelan group ataupun privat. Selain itu saya juga banyak berkolaborasi dengan musisi-musisi yang ada di beberapa tempat yang saya kunjungi seperti di Sydney, Brisbane dan Byron Bay.

Saya senang sekali mendapatkan pengalaman yang sangat berharga selama disini. Selain dapat mengekspresikan kemampuan musik saya, secara tidak langsung saya bisa menciptakan hubungan yang lebih baik antara Indonesia dengan Australia melalui seni dan budaya. Dan sekaligus dapat melestarikan budaya bangsa itu sendiri sebagai media untuk memberikan informasi tentang keberadaan Indonesia kepada masyarakat di Australia.

Sebagai imbas dari situasi politik antara Indonesia dengan Australia dewasa ini, banyak sekali hal yang perlu digaris bawahi tentang peran seniman yang sangat penting bagi terciptanya hubungan yang lebih baik maupun situasi perdamaian lewat seni dan budaya. Karena saya yakin bahwa melalui kesenian orang akan merasa terhibur dan interest sehingga bisa menikmati seni itu sendiri tanpa melihat situasi politik yang melatarbelakanginya, karena seni itu bersifat universal.

Selama saya disini, banyak dukungan yang saya dapatkan dari berbagai fihak seperti AIAA, AII dan Garuda Indonesia. Selain itu, dari fihak seniman lokalpun sangat mendukung dan menghargai apa yang saya lakukan selama disini. Saya sangat berterima kasih atas dukungan mereka dan salut terhadap mereka yang masih menghargai dan melestarikan seni budaya Indonesia. Dan yang paling penting buat saya adalah terciptanya hubungan damai dan harmonis antara Indonesia dengan Australia khususnya dan negara-negara lain di dunia pada umumnya.

Semoga apa yang kita harapkan sebagai bangsa yang mencintai perdamaian dunia dapat terlaksana melalui seni dan budaya.

Miko, Emma and Efiq with friends

 

English Translation

I have now been in Australia for over 3 months as Musician-in-Residence. During this time I have led several workshops, both in schools, with gamelan groups and privately. Besides that I have also had a lot of opportunity for collaboration with musicians in the various places I have visited such as Sydney, Brisbane and Byron Bay.

I have been very happy to have had this extremely valuable experience while here. Besides expressing my musical ability, I have also indirectly worked to create a better relationship between Indonesia and Australia through art and culture, while also celebrating my own culture as a medium of providing information about the Indonesian existence to the Australian community.

At a glance from the political situation, lately there have been many things that need to be stressed about the role of the artist, which is extremely important for the creation of a better relationahip as well as a peaceful situation through art and culture. I am sure that through Art, people will feel entertained and interested, as long as they can enjoy art itself without looking at the political situation or background, as art universal in nature.

While I have been here, I have received much support from AIAA, AII and Garuda Indonesia. Besides that, local artists also have been extremely supportive and have valued everything that I have been doing. I am very grateful for their support and I greatly respect those who continue to value and preserve the culture of Indonesia. The most important thing for me is the creation of peaceful relationshipa and harmony between Indonesia and Australia in particular, and with other countries generally.

So that all that we hope for as a nation which loves world peace will come to pass through art and culture.

Email: zoellfiqar@yahoo.com.au


Efiq teaching students at St John's, Nambour.

New Legong

Wednesday 22nd December in Teges

We have a new set of legong ready to perform their "try out" in the temple here next Wednesday. These are the smallest girls I have ever had dancing and the condong is an exceptional dancer. Interesting moment always when the performance they have rehearsed for so many years becomes a reality.

Yesterday we had a rehearsal with these little girls and I was thrilled by the power of the gamelan's sound. While we did not have a full set of players we had a full sound which must be such a boost to those little girls who have up till now only danced with recorded music. A total metamorphosis in passing from the old to the new. It is a magic moment which can only be experienced once. It has to be seen to be believed. The final moment comes when these little girls dance in the temple in front of their peers and the community, the ancestors and the gods. Then we make a special offering so they will not forget the dance.

All the combined work that has gone into making these girls the performers they now are comes to fruition. This is really a once in a lifetime experience.
When it is over it will all be credited to the "gods" and the children will plod off to school next day as usual.

Perhaps one of the most levelling of factors in Bali is the fact that almost anything you achieve is only because of the beneficence of the gods.

See you soon
Doug.

http://www.archipelago-emag.com
yayasan polosseni
Box 56 P.O.
Ubud 80571
Bali, Indonesia
Phone/Fax +62 361 975869

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