Vol 2 - April 1999
The First On-line Magazine about Indonesian Culture in Australia. ISSN 1443-3680. Journal of Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance. Also available in the Archives of the National Library of Australia at: http://purl.nla.gov.au/nla/pandora/inspirasi
Contact Us: 07 55278753 / 0405463663 Email: judybyronbay@yahoo.com
ISSN 1443-3850
April 1999
Address: PO Box 484
Byron Bay 2481 NSW Australia
Phone: 61 (02) 6685 7789
Email: indoarts@mullum.com.au
Perahu de Bali
Co-ordinator’s Report
Dear Friends
Apa Kabar? The AIAA web site is now OPEN! Thanks to the hard work of Carole Chapman, AIAA Web site Consultant who has designed and uploaded the web site, we now have a way of promoting and communicating about Indonesian culture throughout Australia. Now it’s up to YOU to make it a success! Please have a look at http://www.goecities.com/Athens/Cyprus/8138 and participate in the many activities being offered through the AIAA web site. Please send us information about your group or activities for listing in the National Directory and Calendar of Events now!
For me the task of co-ordinating AIAA is like planting seeds of ideas that may grow into a beautiful tree with branches stretching across Australia and to Indonesia. This tree needs nurturing to make it grow. If you agree with AIAA ideas, become a member and start growing your own branches!
Why did we start AIAA? One of the main reasons is that I believe Australia and Indonesia to be very important countries globally and that a harmonious, positive partnership between our countries is essential for all our futures. The other reasons are more personal. One day I was talking about AIAA with Ibu Vers Kos from the Gold Coast. Suddenly she said to me-"You really love Indonesia don't you?"..... I said "Yes, I love Indonesia!"
It was the first time I had ever said these words. I realised that if I can live and work with Indonesian people and culture for nearly 20 years,and suddenly realise the reason why - maybe other people have done the same! The reason I started AIAA is because I love Indonesia - I want to start a sticker campaign and get these words stuck on the car bumper of every Australian who feels the same way. Say it loud and say it proud - I LOVE INDONESIA!
I believe there are hundreds of thousands of Australians who love Indonesia and many have never had the chance to really express it. They go to Indonesia, experience this deep and beautiful connection and love for Indonesia then come back to their lives. But somewhere deep inside as David Hardy said "Indonesia has touched their soul."
If you love Indonesia - get involved with sharing and learning more about Indonesia, get involved with creating pathways for Indonesian artists to visit Australia so that YOU can learn the Indonesian dance, music and visual arts that YOU want to learn.
The question "Why now?" has an obvious answer - Indonesia needs our help NOW! In whatever ways YOU can help - DO IT NOW!
Salaam Hangat,
Judy Shelley.
Fundraising
The web site gives AIAA a way of sharing information and also a way to fund raise for projects the web site now includes a music shop with min 20% of all sales being donated to AIAA projects, the classified section is another fund raising activity.
The Travel page was created as a way to attract sponsorship for Indonesian artists’ airfares. All members seeking airfares for Indonesian Artists-in Residence are encouraged to offer travel agents a banner ad and web site link on AIAA Travel page in exchange for a return airfare from Indonesia to Australia for their visiting artists.
Raffle- AIAA fundraising raffle is a national fundraiser which can also be used by schools and community groups. If your school raises $500 or more you can keep 50% of the money for Indonesian education enrichment programs.
Why Fundraise?
Money raised through AIAA fund raising is to be used for the following:
- To keep the organisation going eg ISP, costs of running the website, telephone, postage, incorporation of AIAA, insurance, staff etc
- The Indonesian Artist-in-Residence Fund - to provide funds for airfares, travel costs, insurance, passports etc for Indonesian visual and performing artists invited to visit schools and organisations across Australia participating in the AIR Program
Visiting Artists
Warogus
Warogus are an ensemble of three musicians –Ron Reeves from Australia, Wahyu Roche and Agus
Super from Indonesia. The group perform original music using instruments from Australia,
Indonesia, Thailand, Africa and Europe to create a very beautiful cross-cultural experience.
The group are currently touring Australia, including a performance and in Byron Bay on Monday 5 April
and at Paddington Uniting Church in Sydney on 10 April (Bookings-02 9560 4385),
and in Perth. Warogus will return to Australia in August and are looking for opportunities to
perform and workshop! If you are interested in inviting Warogus to perform, or would like more
information Phone: Jane Birmingham (02) 4751 4910 or ronrif@hotmail.com
Javanese Dancer
Carlos de Haas and Sinta Ravitasari are new AIAA members from Jogjakarta. Their daughter Anita has performed Javanese and Balinese dance at public performances in Australia and Indonesia such as Canberra Festival 1997 and on television appearances.
Anita will be visiting Australia in April and October/November. If you would like to invite Anita to perform please contact Carlos, Sinta and Anita Phone: 62 274 381 349
Antonius Kho
Antonius Kho is an Indonesian artist, originally from Bandung who is presently exhibiting in the AIAA Virtual Gallery.
Anton is interested in coming to Australia as an Artist-in-Residence to teach, exhibit and share his work here.
Anton is interested in teaching Modern painting, oil painting, water colour, batik and drawing.
Contact Antonius Kho PO Box 155 Ubud Bali 80571 Indonesia Phone: (62) 361 974 388
Email: mailto:akho@rocketmail.com
Bambang Jasnanto
Bambang Jasnanto is a PhD Student in Music Education presently studying in Heidelberg Germany.
Bambang is interested in coming to Australia to teach Javanese Gamelan, Singing, Kroncong and Dangdut music.
Contact:Kiai Grinsing Email:us88@rz.uni-karlsruhe.de
Datuak Rangkayo Mulia Nan Kuniang
MusiK KabaU, Brisbane based Minangkabau-influenced performance ensemble will be hosting a visit by MINANGKABAU MUSICIAN/VOCALIST: "Admiral (S.Skar), Dt. Rk Mulia Nan Kuniang" ADMIRAL is a Lecturer in all aspects of Minangkabau traditional music,contemporary Minangkabau fusian, and Composition at STSI Padang Panjang, West Sumatra. He specialises in wind instruments and vocal music, including islamic ecstatic singing Selawat Dulang, Dikie as well as ancient indigenous traditions such as Dampeang. He is also a regional icon of popular contemporary recordings such as Sutan Palembang.
Admiral will be in Australia from the 1 July to the 10 October 1999. Anyone interested in workshops, seminars or performances please contact Indija asap for dates available. Admiral would particularly appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with local artists and musicians. A workshop/masterclass in Minang vocal music is proposed for Brisbane in October.
APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE - Admiral's visit is entirely self funded by MusiK KabaU. Any assistance with
airfare sponsorship would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Indija indija@indo.net.id tel 0738 446 883, 0414 446 883.
AIAA Structure
AIAA Constitution
All members received a copy of AIAA operating constitution in December 1998. If you would like
a copy of the constitution please let us know. Australia Indonesia Arts
Alliance Aims now read:
· To support and preserve the culture of Indonesia
· To promote understanding and co-operation between the people of Indonesia and Australia through cultural exchange
· To provide assistance with accommodation and living expenses to Indonesian artists, dancers, musicians, writers and craftspeople visiting Australia.
. To promote multiculturalism, ensure the participation of people of all cultural backgrounds in AIAA activities and to address misinformation about Indonesia.
· To raise funds for Indonesian crisis relief - food, accommodation etc
Steering Committee
As you remember, in December all current AIAA members were invited to nominate for the AIAA National Steering Committee.
The Indonesian Arts Chat line was created as a way to hold national meetings, AIAA steering committee meetings are now to be held on the chat line the first Tuesday of every month at 7pm with information sharing chat held every Tuesday at 7pm
The present steering committee is as follows:
Convenor - Judith Shelley
Secretary/Treasurer - Barbara Trim
Public Officer - Hendri Budiman
Committee Member - Kirsty Martin
Committee Member - Christine Anderson
Any member wishing to join the Steering Committee is welcome to nominate at any time.
New Members
All AIAA members have now been sent a current list of members- so feel free to contact other members to talk about your ideas and plans. AIAA warmly welcomes the following new members:
Tom Plummer
Tom Plummer is a founding member of Sam Bung Foundation. The Sam Bung Foundation is a WA based 'grass roots' organisation working with cultural exchange projects between Indonesia and Australia. To date they have invited a number of Indonesian NGO and cultural workers to Perth to take part in seminars, performances and exhibtions. Sam Bung has also translated and published booklets and other information on Indonesia. Tom is also a member of the Fremantle Council Asian Sister Cities Committee and has recently been involved with forming the Indonesian Akapella group in Fremantle. The Akapella group has been meeting for about 4 weeks at Tony Suriajaya's house on Thursday nights and is growing steadily. Tom has also been regurlarly attending the Indonesian Arts Chat line on Thursday nights! Thank you for your support and enthusiasm, Tom! Contact: PO Box 120 North Fremantle WA 6159 Phone: 61 08 9336 1039
Ron Reeves
Ron Reeves is a composer and multi-instrumentalist specializing in percussion. In a long and varied career Ron has played with The Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Iva Davies, Colin Offord, The Supremes, Java Jazz, Toni Childs, Nigeria's Lebe Olarinjo and many others. These days he plays mostly traditional instuments from West Java, South India and Nigeria.
In 1993 Ron formed Warogus with Wahyu Roche and Agus Super to explore the musical possibilities of kendang Sunda.
Warogus recently performed at Byron Bay to a stunned and deeply appreciative audience of world music lovers. Their workshop was attended by some of the top drummers and drum teachers of the area.
Warogus are currently touring Australia and will return in August - Sept. Contact: Ron Reeves email:ronrif@hotmail.com
Mike Burns
Mike Burns is the leader of Gamelan Carimakan from Fremantle in WA. Mike recently did a fantasic job assisting Kari with the organisation of the Gathering of the Gamelan at
Woodford Folk Festival, Queenland.
Mike is a very talented musician and dalang. He presented his famous Wayang Kulit production Wayang Kelly at Woodford Festival accompanied by Gamelan Carimakan. On the way back to Perth, Mike stopped by in Byron Bay to conduct two public workshops in Banyuwangi Gamelan attended by members of Byron Shire Gamelan Society and Gamelan Swara Naga.
He has most recently performed Wayang Kelly at the International Gamelan Festival in New Zealand
Contact: PO Box 1331 Fremantle WA
Carlos De Haas and Sinta Ravitasari
AIAA welcomes new members Carlos and Sinta from Casa Casinta Gallery, Jogjakarta.
Carlos is originally from Australia and is now living permanently in Jogja – he is passionate about Australia-Indonesia cultural exchange. Carlos is interested in establishing a student exchange program between Canberra School of Art and Institut Seni Indonesia in Jogja.
Carlos and Sinta would like to invite all AIAA members and friends to attend the exhibition of Australian artist Geoff Todd which will be held at Benteng Vredeberg (Duth Fort) Yogyakarta
from 27 March 1999. The exhibition is an interpretation of the life of Javanese prince Diponegoro who led a rebellion against the Dutch in the early 19th Century. If you are going to Yogja, visit Carlos and Sinta at Casa Casinta Gallery, JL Tirtodipuran No 25, Yogya. Ph: 62 274 381 349
Inside Indonesia
AIAA is very happy to welcome Helena Spyrou and Melinda Venticich from Inside Indonesia as new members of AIAA. We are sincerely grateful to Inside Indonesia for helping to promote AIAA through the magazine, sharing information, offering to swap web site links and generally being very encouraging and supportive!
Reading Inside Indonesia to keep up on what's happening, has become even more essential in this time of economic crisis and 'reformasi' in Indonesia. Thank you Inside Indonesia and keep up the fantasic job you are doing!
To subscribe contact: PO Box 190 Northcote VIC 3070, Ph: 61 3 9419 4504
Kirsty Martin
Thank you Kirsty for joining AIAA and becoming a member of the National Steering Committee.
Kirsty completed her BA Hons thesis on 'Women, Islam and the State in Modern Indonesia.'
Kirsty is a now Phd candidate at the University of Newcatle and is very passionate about women's issues. Kirsty would like to hear from
people interested in creating a Women's Forum to discuss the Future for Women in Indonesia and preserving women's roles. Phone: 61 02 9452 5704
Positions Vacant
Activities Co-ordinator/Fundraising Officer
Persons required to co-ordinate Indonesian culture-related activities and/or fundraising within their local communities. Activities to be promoted include classes, courses, workshops and performances by local and overseas visual and performing artists.
Experience and/or training is preferable. Enthusiasm and a love of Indonesian culture is essential
Payment for services is on a commission basis. Please send cv and details to PO Box 484 Byron Bay NSW. Phone: (02) 6685 7789
E a t- International Gamelan Festival
In conjunction with Festival Asia 2000, a festival happening across New Zealand from March 19-28, Gamelan Padhang Monchar based at Victoria University in Wellington hosted "b E a t -International Gamelan Festival." The festival was a feast of traditional and new music for gamelan performed by groups from all over the world. People came from New Zealand, USA, Singapore, Netherlands, Australia and of course Indonesia with performers of music from Bali, Java, Sunda and Minangkabau.
Many of the groups crossed cultural boundaries with musicians joining musicians of different countries to form a new performing group eg. Warogus and Trios Madois (Australia/Indonesia) and Sumatran Cafe (Sumatra/New Zealand.) There were a few collaborative performances especially for the festival with Auckland Gamelan joining with Son of Lion from the USA. Son of Lion also joined Swara Naga(Australia) in the musical accompaniment to Wayang Kelly, an Australian shadow puppet play about Ned Kelly, by Perth musician Mike Burns.
The highlight was being totally immersed in the sounds of gamelan for a whole week. What a Pleasure!! Every day there was an opportunity to hear traditional music from the full Central Javanese ensemble, Gamelan and Anklung Bali, Wayang Kulit Bali/Java, traditional Sundanese drumming and Gamelan degung and Talempong, rapai, saluang flute and story-telling accompanied by rebab pasisia from the Minangkabau repertoire of West Sumatra.
Most of the groups, as well as performing traditional repertoire have been experimenting and creating new music for gamelan. Each country/group has developed its own individual flavour or style of performance that has stemmed from the gamelan tradition. Some examples of the new music that I heard were- "Obrol" a virtuosic drum piece for 5 Javanese Kendang by Rahayu Supanggah from Indonesia; an arrangement of Chinese folk songs for gamelan and Chinese zither by Joyce Teo from Singapore; "Sarupo Tapi Indak Samo" (similar but not the same) a new work for solo cello, rebab pasisia, sampelong flute and percussion with added sound engineering technology by Rafiloza bin Rafii from Sumatra; music by Australian composer Margaret Bradley, performed by Trios Madois, inspired by the vocal, kacapi, suling tradition of Sunda.
The welcome in our festival programme by Allan Thomas and Jack Body describes gamelan as "music which is both worldwide and indigenous." This statement truly describes the essence of the festival throughout the week, not only through performance integrity and style, but also working closely as a whole, with our individual groups.
Unity In Diversity
Kym Hall, April 1999.
Wot Cross Cultural Synergy
In 1995, Suzan Piper and Sawung Jabo established Wot Cross-cultural Synergy to provide services and strategies for art, business and culture links between Australia and Indonesia.
WCCS managed arts projects have included:
· co-curation of the 1995 Australian Film Festival in Jakarta, Medan and Surabaya;
· production management of the Australia Council funded performance drama, Landing, Sydney, June ’96;
· management of two tours to Australia (Sydney & Melbourne, ’95, ’96) by the band, Sirkus Barock;
· production management (and performance as singer/percussionist) in Shadows, a joint Australian Indonesian cross-cultural concert tour of Indonesia (Jakarta, Yogyakarta, September ’96), jointly funded by the Australia Indonesia Institute and the Gedung Kesenian Jakarta.
· facilitation and liaison for recording and mastering of Indonesian music albums;
· management of the Sydney-based five-piece band Genggong, blending traditional and contemporary Indonesian and other world music styles
. sponsorship and management (together with Mara Music!) of the Sydney leg of the tour by the Indonesian trio, Warogus. Warogus are performing with Arafura and Genggong at the Paddington Uniting Church, Paddington on 10 April, 8pm. Prior to the performance at the same place, from 5-6.30pm Warogus will lead a workshop in Indonesian music, with an emphasis on
percussion.
In addition to Wot, Suzan is also closely connected with the Sydney A cappella Assoc, having been president for the past two years, and editor of the bi-monthly newsletter, the Oral Majority.
Suzan Piper Wot Cross Cultural Synergy 4 Reserve Street, Annandale NSW 2038
Phone/fax 61-2-9560-4385 E-mail (h) acappell@dot.net.au (w) suzan.piper@asia.usyd.edu.au
The OZIndo Project
The OzIndo project was founded as a way to raise money for food relief in response to the current economic crisis in Indonesia. The OzIndo Team departed Sydney on 28th of February 1999 to ride their bikes around Australia.
The Team has requested assistance with accommodation on their journey. Anyone wishing to help, contact Jan Lingard. Email: jan.lingard@asia.usyd.edu.au or visit their website: http://www.indosat.net.id/OzIndo-Project.
AIAA members have been enthusiastic in their response to this project and would like to offer their support. AIAA members in Queensland, Western Australia and Byron Bay have started to discuss holding fundraising activities to co-incide with the arrival of the OzIndo Team in their regions. If you are interested in being involved, contact Judy on (02) 6685 7789.
Sister City Relationships
According to AIAA research, there are only five sister city relationships in Australia with Indonesian cities, compared with 86 with Japan and 32 with China, 40 with New Zealand and many others with cities in UK, US, Cambodia, Israel, Malaysia, Russia and Vietnam. There are 480 cities throughout Australia who participate in sister city programs.
Fremantle with Padang, Sumatera
Fremantle with Surabaya, East Java
Brisbane QLD with Semarang, Central Java
Darwin NT with Ambon, Maluku
Lismore NSW with Ujung Pangang, Sulawesi
Western Australia has a Sister State agreement with East Java which has been active in both arts and commercial spheres. Their most recent arts initiative has been the sponsorship of the five Indonesian actors who performed in The Year of Living Dangerously production.
Darwin's relationship with Ambon has been successful and active. The City of Darwin is currently considering ways it can assist Ambon during its present crisis.
Brisbane's relationship with Semarang has been on-going and successful, including a visit by Semarang musicians who participated in BEMAC's Indonesian Festival last year.
The Lismore-Ujung Pandang Sister City relationship has been dormant during the last few years. AIAA has recently been discussing the re-formation of the Lismore-Ujung Pandang sister city relationship and related activities with Lismore City Council Corporate Development Officer, Mr Paul Perry. If you are interested in Lismore-Ujung Pandang Sister City relationship contact Paul Perry on (02) 6625 0500
Sister City relationships create enormous benefits for participating cities through culture, business and educational programs. The sister city relationship is an excellent way to develop co-operation between Australia and Indonesia.
If you are interested in promoting sister city relationships in your region, contact your local council or the National Sister City Association for advice on (03) 9772 2677 or write to PO Box 400 Chelsea Vic 3196.
Surat - Surat
Pengalaman di Woodford Festival
Bagi saya, Woodford Festival adalah suata Festival yang sangat baik bagi semua orang di dunia karena banyak aneka ragam bangsa bersatu dalam mengimpresikan diri dalam seni, musik dan dll.
Woodford Festival sangat menarik dan professional performance. Saya harap dapat bermain lagi di Festival selanjutnya untuk mempertahankan kebudayaan Indonesia dan kebudayaan yang lainnya.
Kari dari Palmwoods sangat membantu dan bekerja keras untuk Perkumpulan Indonesian Gamelan, semuanya berjalan lancar walaupun saat itu cuaca tidak begitu baik. Tapi acara terus berlanjut meriah. Kalau anda ada disana pasti anda akan merasakan bagaimana orang-orang di Festival begitu ramah dan bersahabat.
Saya menari Randai - tarian dari Sumatera bersama Byron Shire Gamelan Society di ajak sama Indiya dari Brisbane. Randai adalah tarian yang menawan walaupun memerlukan konsentrasi yang tinggi, suatu pengalaman yang susah di lupakan.
Hendri Budiman
We Love Indonesia - We Love East Timor!
I'm Tjintana Matahari from North Sulawesi, a place called Maumbi. I have been living in Australia for 18 years and have raised my three children in Australia. I have been the presenter on my own radio show called Suara Indonesia with BayFM Radio Station in Byron Bay. I am Indonesian, I am proud to be Indonesian and I feel deeply concerned about what's been happening in East Timor. I would like to do some fund raising for the people in East Timor. Sometimes I feel that I care more for the people of East Timor than my own family in Indonesia.
I wish I could be there with them and help them. I felt really upset to read an article in our local paper last week about 300 people living in one house in Dili with shortage of food and medicine and an Australian man living there has been giving everything he has to help them. I would like to invite all Indonesian and Australian people in the NSW North Coast and Southern Queensland area to help me organise a fund raising event in Byron Bay, especially performers, dancers and musicians. Please Phone Tjintana 0411 233 914. Much love to you all!
I am Inspired
Yes.... Judith... I am quite inspired by the AIAA web site and its contents, aims and achievements....Thank you so much for your response, and for all the great work you are doing there. This is what makes life so rich.... friendship across cultures, sharing the diversity. Indonesia is particularly wealthy in culture and art and tradition, and we are lucky to live "next door" to such a marvellous place. I am so sad that the people are suffering so much difficulty at the moment.
I will be in touch again soon. Thanks again and best wishes from Cynthia.
PS. My Gallery is called HANDMADE AT MERMAID 2457 Gold Coast Highway
Mermaid Beach, Gold Coast. Email: cintia35@hotmail.com
Greetings from Solo
Hi Judith,
It was great to get such a quick response. I am also very excited to have learned about AIAA. I hope I will be able to keep in contact with AIAA, to develop and exchange ideas.
I am currently working with an organization called Yayasan Bimbingan Kesejahteraan Sosial. I have been here for just over seven months - mainly translating, editing and teaching. My ngo focuses on providing rural education, skills development and micro-credit programs (amongst many other things). It has been running for twenty-five years and seems to have it's hand in almost all areas of community development. However, I have to say that it's focus on Indonesian/Javanese arts is limited. It occassionally provides funding for local exhibitions and uses the arts (mainly theatre) as a form of alternative education. Prior to working with this organization I worked with an ngo in East Java called Pusat Pendidikan Lingkungan Hidup (PPLH) and also studied at UGM in Yogya and UMM in Malang. Through my studies and work I always seem to come in contact with artists and fine art students, particularly in Solo because it is such an arts orientated city. There are so many art exhibition and performances - I can't keep up with them myself. But it is a wonderful place to live.
Most of the students and artists I know here study painting, sculture, modern art and theatre at Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), Sekolah Tinggi Seni Indonesia (STSI) and Institute Seni Indonesia (ISI). I think many of the students and local artists here are interested in knowing about possible exchange programs with Australian universities or art centres/schools. Are there such programs? How can Indonesian students find scholarships of funding to study in Australia? Many are also interested in having exhibitions/theatre performances in Australia. Again, how can they find funding and who should they be contacting? All the students here are so active and enthusiastic about their work. Some of the students have started a small ngo which focuses alternative education and arts for marginalized children in Solo. Many embrace current social and political issues in their work. So, I would very happy if there was any further information you could be provide for me to give to them. I have already visited your site (very briefly) and I will ask students and artists to fill the forms and I will send them back to you.
There is also a high chance I am going to start working with another ngo in West Timor after the elections (if the elections run smoothly!!). The ngo I will be working with focuses on promoting handicrafts - mainly textiles- produced by local women. They are wanting me to try and help market these products out-side of Timor and set up study groups and possible exchange programs. For this reason again, I am just so happy to have learned about AIAA. I would love to keep in contact. Thanks for your help. Fiona Robinson. Email: fee@solonet.co.id