Jakarta - In view of the thousands of Indonesians flocking to Singapore every year for brief visits and the thousands more who reside there to work or study, a question arises: How familiar is that neighboring cosmopolitan melting-pot -- one almost without its own grassroots culture -- with Indonesian contemporary arts and culture?
Aside from the occasional exhibitions at galleries, music groups and dance troupes invited to perform at the Esplanade or another cultural center, and courses introducing the archipelago at the tertiary level, there is much to explore beyond the usual traditional Indonesian staple.
Filling the gap since 2003 is the biannual Indonesian Arts Festival (IAF), a one-night event featuring contemporary performing arts that sees expatriates, students, homemakers and virtually every willing Indonesian in that country to perform and help out as a volunteer.
And during the course of a few hours, the audience is treated to a variety of shows both modern and traditional.
The 2003 event at Victoria Theatre, for example, featured the then up-and-coming indie band Mocca from Bandung, which shared the same stage with performers presenting the traditional Saman dance from Aceh. Tickets to this event sold out 10 days before the actual show.
Two years later to a full-house crowd at the Kallang Theatre, the IAF offered Javanese folk tale, Cindelaras, a hip-hop performance, an angklung (bamboo musical instrument from West Java) ensemble, and a brief spoof of Indonesian Idol, along with guest stars Maliq and d‘Essentials, then Jakarta‘s hottest soul act.
The first two editions saw an average of 1,500 spectators in attendance, making the IAF the largest and the most packed event on Indonesian arts held in Singapore.
This year promises to be highlighted by the reverberating stomps of dancers and singers including Tompi, an award-winning doctor-turned-R&B singer who has started gaining fame in the region.
Quite an achievement indeed, considering the festival‘s humble start in 2002.
The IAF was initiated by Indonesian undergraduates at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), who "simply wanted to recreate pensi (pentas seni, or arts festival), like we once had in high school", recalled Donatus Widiyanto, laughing.
Donatus was then an undergraduate at the NUS, and became the director of the first IAF.
"There wasn‘t a single Indonesian student organization here, so we thought that through IAF, we could unite the diversity of Indonesian communities, particularly among students," he continued. "To me, that makes every Indonesian who was involved the founders of IAF."
Perhaps inspired in part by similar activities conducted by other Indonesian students around the world, limited human resources and funding did not deter these undergrads from realizing their plans.
The response from the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore was encouraging and crucial to the festival‘s birth. Apart from a substantial cash donation, the embassy also provided a spacious rehearsal lot where committee members and performers could gather and hang out every weekend.
"IAF is a non-profit activity," stressed Donatus. "We are an independent committee under the guidance of the Indonesian Embassy here. We are also lucky to have some community development organizations supporting us so far, like the Lee Foundation, or companies that see this event as an opportunity for their CSR (corporate social responsibility) program."
But for others, the event gave them much more.
"I came to Singapore to study at the end of 2004, but little did I expect that I would soon join this IAF, by early 2005," recalled Lilla Indriana who, two years ago, was an NTU graduate student and one of the festival‘s performers.
"This is a way to expand (one‘s) network, circle of friends, especially among fellow Indonesians who happen to share the same interests," said Lilla.
"And best of all, since this is all about performing, I get a chance to channel out my talent into practice. And we get to be seen by so many," she enthused.
Lilla returns to the festival this year to perform more or less the same act as before -- as is the case with other past committee members and performers alike.
This is apparently another challenge for the event: a lack of regeneration.
Donatus conceded: "It is getting tougher, with nobody handling the event full-time. We were students then, now most of us have full-time jobs instead. With these limited resources, it is a bit hard to expand."
Still, he offers a gleam of optimism.
"There are many Indonesians in Singapore with a slightly artistic side or talent who needs some platform to showcase their talent. These people will continue to support IAF -- including me," he said.
"It is also remarkable to see audiences clapping for something they‘ve never seen before yet they can appreciate it well, or those who yearn for more entertaining cultural events like this."
This year marks the IAF‘s third installment, and it seems the festival is only beginning -- with a view to longevity.
"Also, IAF should be bigger than this. Make it a few days to create a more festive atmosphere perhaps, or maybe to be an umbrella for other Indonesian-themed festivals," said Donatus.
"Who knows, maybe an Indonesian film festival, a dance festival, a food festival..."
His words left hanging on the IAF‘s potential, it can be hoped that there will continue to be something to look forward to in the neighboring land, with just the right dose of home flavor.
Indonesian Arts Festival 2007,Sept. 7, Singapore Polytechnic Convention Center
Source: www.thejakartapost.com (4 September 2007)