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Festival Wayang Di Jakarta

Among the many fine performances I saw at the Pekan Wayang 7 here in Jakarta two weeks ago, I thought the best was the Wayang Ukur. The director was Ki Sukasman from Jogjakarta. They performed "Sumantri Ngenger" and "Yang Dimuliakan" on two nights.

Now, this is not your father's wayang. They had three dalangs, one in front and two in back of a scrim. Scrim is a theatrical material that looks like a white screen when light is shined on it from the front, but is translucent when there is light at the back of it. So, they had leather puppets front and back, and with the multi-colored lighting, you could see them directly, shadow from front and back, and ghostly when illuminated on their front in back of the scrim. Not only that, they had live, wayang-orang type people coming out front to dance and sometimes a human character would be lit-up behind the scrim! It was fabulous when the characters that were represented by the puppets would to come "life" and dance simultaneously.

Gamelan in Byron Bay

Byron Shire Gamelan Society has been very fortunate in successfully establishing the first Gamelan course that has ever been available in Byron Shire. The course in Sundanese Gamelan Music has been available to the Byron Shire community since 17 July 1999. Prof. David Goldswothy, Professor of Ethnomusicology from the University of New England, Armidale agreed to teach Sundanese Gamelan workshops in Byron with the help of gamelan musician/composer Kym Hall. Prof Goldsworthy has been the leader of the Armidale group - Gamelan Swara Naga for 20 years as well as teaching Gamelan Music as part of the Ethnomusicology course at the University.

As Swara Naga is in recess during 1999, Prof Goldworthy agreed to bring the Armidale Gamelan Orchestra to remain in Byron for a period of months in order that the Byron Shire community would have the opportunity to learn this beautiful, serene art form on a long term basis.

News from Southern Queensland

BEMAC 's Cultural Landscape Festival at Inala
Brisbane July 25th l999

Judith and Cynthia attended this very nice day in the park in Inala, to present an information stall about AIAA. We talked to many visitors, giving out the website address and various pamphlets to share information with people about the aims and activities of AIAA. We also met many new friends who expressed interest in AIAA, and signed up a new member, Miko Saeri, who will be able to bring a wealth of talent , knowledge and commitment to AIAA's basic ideals. He has a very special skill in the Indonesian martial art , panca silat. Welcome to Miko.

The day was a credit to BEMAC's Moto Niwa, the Festival co-ordinator, and was the result of eighteen months of planning and rehearsals. There was a full programme of cultural dance and music during the afternoon and there was plenty of good food to enjoy. Singing, and dance performances were from the following cultures: Laos, Indonesia, Samoa, Vietnam. The aims of BEMAC and AIAA are very complementary and we would like to thank them for the opportunity to let more people know about AIAA.

Independence Day
August l7th, Indonesian Independence Day has just passed and has been celebrated wholeheartedly around Australia, as well as in Indonesia! At the Gold Coast, the Indonesian Community organised "Malam Nusantara" at the Community Centre, Runaway Bay. The Gamelan "Giri Jaya" from Toowoomba attended and with their guest gamelan master, Wayan Suwitra from Bali, played beautiful music for us. There was a full programme of dance and drama performance and nasi rames and sweet things to eat. Dance performers included Putu Postramo, and the Indonesia Dance Group Gold Coast who ae intructed by Mrs Vera Kos.

The following day I attended the celebration at Buderim, with the Sunshine Coast Indonesian Community. Another warm and wonderful afternoon of beautiful music, dance and food and friendship. There was a becak taking people for rides on the oval, and the smell of sate wafting in the air, mingling with the smell of kretek.

Included in the dancing was a very good Jaipongan. Kari sang Sundanese songs like an angel, and accompanied herself on kecapi. There were other great performers and a group of Batak singers ended the day with their cheerful energy, singing traditional songs of their culture.

Many thanks to the hardworking organisers of all these enjoyable celebrations.

Report by Cynthia
Email: cintia35@hotmail.com

"Bali Memories" by Cynthia

The Becak Driver

A Story from Jogjakarta
by Arthur and Corinne Cantrill

A film/theatre piece for film, slides and performer about a Javanese village family caught between the pressures of traditional life and the modern world.

Beasiswa Scholarships

Applications for Australia Development Scholarships are now open. The opening of the scholarship program is being advertised in national newspapers in August and September 1999. Candidates can obtain an application form from one of several sources including departmental training bureaux, university rectors or from the ADS Office in Jakarta. Candidates must complete the application form, answering all relevant questions and submit it to the ADS Office by 29 October 1999. Applications should be submitted as early as possible.

Bagi yang berminat mendapatkan Beasiswa ADS (Australia Development Scholarship) dari AusAID, silakan buka di alamat-alamat berikut;
www.adsjakarta.or.id
www.austembjak.or.id

Artist Web opportunity at the Museum of Modern Art, NY

Any artist of any kind can have two Web screens to exhibit their work. The Web displays are part of a project at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Each submission is limited to one photo of one artwork which should be pre-cropped to 127mm x 127mm at 72 lines per inch. There is room for the artist's name, the work's title, size, media, dimensions, a brief statement (500 words maximum) and ten hyperlinks. You will need to be able to host the photo on your own server somewhere.
To submit an artwork go to http://www.stadiumweb.com/artworks/submit.html
To see a sample page go to http://www.stadiumweb.com/artworks/sample.html
For more information contact Allan McCollum at allanmcnyc@aol.com>

Artists' studio space available
Barracks Artists of Thirroul (near Wollongong, NSW) have studio space available and invite artists to apply for the resident studio for a 3-month stint.
Apply to Barracks Artists, Church St, Thirroul, NSW, 2515.
Contact Judy for more info at judib@hotkey.net.au

The Rape of Sukreni
The Lontar Foundation in Jakarta has published "The Rape of Sukreni", written by Anak Agung Pandji Tisna and translated by George Quinn. The back of the book says:

"Violence, money and melodrama. These are the volatile ingredients of "The Rape of Sukreni". Written in the 1930's by a prince of the Balinese state of Buleleng, "The Rape of Sukreni" calls on the melodramatic conventions of Balinese theater to present a powerful indictment of the commercialization of Balinese society. Contrasting with the conventional image of Bali as a honeyed paradise flled with artists and happy tourists, "The Rape of Sukreni" offers a unique and dark view of the island's future."

"Copper, Tin, and Fire: Gongsmithing in Java"
This video shows the amazing transformation of a small block of bronze into a beautifully polished small gong. The video was made by Sam Quigley in the Surakarta workshop of gamelan maker Tentrem Sarwanto, who is also interviewed on the tape.

"Copper, Tin, and Fire ..." is a treat for those who know Pak Tentrem and his wonderful instruments, and a revelation for those interested in instrument building and gong-making in particular.

Wayang Kulit in Japan

Dear Gamelan & Wayang lovers in Japan,

Performance "Wayang Kulit Bali"