By Ken Ruda
Daily Bruin Contributor
[email protected]
A taste of Indonesian music, dance, and dress is coming this way
on May 12 at the Ackerman Grand Ballroom.
The Indonesian Bruin Student Association (IBSA) is putting on
“A Glimpse of Indonesia: Java and Bali,” with visual
delights, such as the dance Cendrawasih (meaning Bird of Paradise)
and instrumental pieces, such as “Sekar Anyar,”
performed by UCLA Balinese Gamelan.
Along with live performances there will also be a video
presentation on Indonesia to give attendees a context for the
performances they will be shown.
The whole program will be a mixture of old and new, infusing
religious ceremonies with modern choreography and compositions.
It’s a night for those who wish to experience more of
Indonesian culture and art than that provided in a travel
brochure.
The message of the event will be one of sharing, entertainment,
and education for a culture that is often overlooked as just an
exotic tourist destination.
“When we talk about a place in Indonesia like Java, people
will ask, “˜you mean the coffee?'” said Francisca
Kartono, a third-year biochemistry student and funding distributor
for IBSA.
Francisca, along with an estimated 40 others, is part of one of
the smaller ethnic communities on campus.
“People haven’t had much exposure to Indonesian life
and culture. All they usually have heard of Bali maybe. We want to
portray a more complete and positive view to people who don’t
know about us,” said Lavi Bismark, a fourth year psychology
student who is also the general VP and performance coordinator for
the show.
This cultural night aims to show the complexity and similarities
of the Indonesian peoples and cultures coming from a country with
an estimated 17,000 islands and four major religions (Hinduism,
Buddhism, Christianity and Islam).
“What brings us together is the art and performances that
melt away the differences between the peoples of Indonesia,”
said Valerie Sindal a third year design media arts student and
president of IBSA.
Sindal has worked on this culture night for almost two years,
gathering help and funds from all over campus and the local
Indonesian community. Dancers from the world arts and cultures and
ethnomusicology majors will perform traditional and modern
Indonesian dances in full costume.
Professors from these majors and those from East Asian studies
have also been at hand to offer their services wherever needed. But
even with all the support they have received, there is still the
limitation of time that restricts program organizers from sharing
all they would like to about their culture.
“You might have noticed the event is called “˜A
Glimpse of Indonesia: Java and Bali.’ That’s because we
can’t fit everything that is wonderful about Indonesia into
just three hours,” Sindal said. “Java and Bali are the
two biggest islands that people are most familiar with and so we
decided to focus our efforts there.”
CULTURE: For more information about the show,
contact Valerie Sindal at [email protected].