Every semester, the thirteen Ibus of Bahasa Indonesia module LAB 1201, namely Ibu Johanna, Ibu Fanny, Ibu Lucia, Ibu Yuke, Ibu Lucy, Ibu Yenty, Ibu Eli, Ibu Susan, Ibu Agnes, Ibu Elmida, Ibu Liana, Ibu Indrianti dan Ibu Siantik put up a show consisting of 10 items ranging from the energetic Maluku dancing, to the tasteful creation of Batiks. All of these are thoroughly enjoyed by student participants and spectators alike. Kudos goes out to the Ibus who led the various activities, graciously opening their kitchens and homes and passing on their love and expertise for the Indonesian culture. The biannual was held on the 17th of October 2008, officially kicking off at 6.30pm in the cool evening. Down at the event ground, the usual face of LT 8 was transformed into a vibrant display of colours and sights, aromatic smells and excitable chitter-chatter which would normally be non existent. Upon arrival, the multitude of sights, tastes and colours takes one on a journey through the cultures of Indonesia. Bahasa Indonesia Proyek 2008, officially downed its curtains at 8pm on the 17th of October 2008. A showcase of creativity, of the new found knowledge and love of not only the Bahasa Indonesian language, but the culture that is immensely linked to any aspect of the language. A showcase of the abilities of the mahasiswas; of the abilities and passion of the Ibus. This is but the beginning of a lifelong journey into a newly opened world. Maluku Dance
The first item to kick start the event was the Maluku dance, a vibrant showcase of agility and group work. The Maluku dance is a traditional dance originating from Maluku Indonesia. It is a war dance that is often held as a dance to greet the guest who visits the region or is held in traditional events. The Maluku dance crew began with a hint of shyness, slowly opening up as the dance progressed. What was immensely impressive, was the sparing with the bamboo poles. The dancers leapt over the poles with the agility that comes with a sheer amount of practice. This dance drew a notable amount of applause and ‘woos’. The students turned dancers were an enjoyment to watch as the difference in heights gave way to a range of differing hurdles for the taller dancers.Menyanyi
The next item up was the ever amusing Menyanyi (singing), with fresh props and ideas that lighted sparks and drew laughter from the crowd. Songs that were sung included “Topi Saya. However my personal favourite was the finale, “Selamat Ulang Tahun”, which means Happy Birthday in Bahasa Indonesia. The songs were intertwined with story plots which added yet another dimension to the performance
Kostum Tradisional
There were in total eleven couples, donning costumes ranging from Sumatra, Java, Bali, Kalimantan and Sulawesi. The costumes are usually brightly coloured, with intricate embroideries and the weaving of threads in between the silk or cotton threads of the main cloth. The most interesting of the lot was “The Minangkabau”, originating from West Sumatra. The additional characteristic was the presence of a unique headdress, which resembles the horns of a buffalo. This unique design traces its roots to the legend of a territorial dispute which was settled by a buffalo fight.
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Batik
The ‘batik clan’ was next to parade their ‘wares’ to the general audience. Batik, equates to “wax written. The pieces of art work paraded by their creators were by no means, a simple feat. The cloths are covered with a coat of wax and then dyed. The wax provides ‘protection’ from the dye, retaining the original shade of the cloth. What was most surprising however, was the speaker for the ‘batik clan’. A true MCee in the making, he was the source of a multitude of jokes and insightful treats, converting potential bloopers, into highly amusing comments.
Angklung
Angklung was next to take the stage. Ang here would mean tone, whilst klung would indicate broken. This tanslates to each instrument producing a single note, hence many single instruments are required to produce any piece of music. The angklung is made from bamboo tubes which when shaken, produces a resounding note. The larger the bamboo, the lower the pitch; the smaller the bamboo, the higher the pitch. The performance put up by the AngKlung team definitely illustrates the importance of teamwork, as well as the importance of each individual member to the entire performance piece.
Memasak
Memasak is one truly ‘deliciously sumptuous’ item put up. Each team was led by an Ibu who graciously welcomed her ‘mahasiswas’ into her home and allowed them to enter into their kitchens, which are seen by some as a haven meant only for the lady of the house. Many traditional foods were prepared, some of these included tahu isi, klepon, talam ebi and dadar gulung. Ibu Yuke was duely amused by the students as well. Ibu Yuke taught one group the art of making a seemingly straight forward onde-onde. The ball of sweetness is made from glutinous rice, filled with heavenly, golden juicy gula melaka syrup. One blooper Ibu Yuke enjoyed occurred during the making of the ball of sweetness. The very first attempt produced a so called ‘onde-onde’, but it had an immensely thick skin with a solid gula Melaka centre. Jumputan
Jumputan is the technique of tying and dying a fabric to produce unique designs and patterns. The key to making a perfect pattern, would be the tightness of tying the clothes. Tightness prevents the dyes from spreading and disrupting the intended pattern. An interesting fact imparted during the presentation, was the use of salt, as a dye preservative, to prevent dyes from running. One group stood out during the presentation with their creative use of a fashion show, to showcase the pieces of arts created. The smaller pieces were fashioned as accessories, as scarves, belts whilst the larger pieces were dawned as dresses and skirts. These showcased the intricate patterns and designs in a whole new light, bringing forth their infinite uses.
Saman Dance
The Saman Dance brought the audience off their seats, laughter and gasps of awe at the intricate weaving of hand and upper body movements. This was one dance that required a certain amount of precision, skill and of course practice. The students were required to master the countless upper body movements that increased in speed with the pace of the song. Not only was the dance challenging in terms of speed, it was also a sight to watch in terms of grace. Despite the bloopers which may have occurred, the entire presentation was a joy to watch.
Janur
The decorations that were displayed all around the Lecture Theatre, creating a differing atmosphere for the event, was done by the Janur team. Their pride and joy, was the Ketupat, strategically placed along the walkways leading into the LT. The ketupat is made from young coconut leaves that are intricately woven to create a basket-like shape. The process may seem simple enough, however, it would not be surprising to get tangled up within the weaves or lose the tight structure which is essential to any ketupat. Dwelving into the history of the ketupat, local stories indicate the ketupat was created to reduce spoilage of rice during long sea voyages.Drama
The finale to the hour and a half long presentation, was put up by the drama team. This year, the team embarked on the journey of presenting an Indonesian folktale, the story of 2 girls, Onion and Garlic, an English prince and a golden flower. The golden flower was the reincarnation of a fish named Ikan Bilis. A hilarious short skit which included a love story between the fish Bilis and Garlic, a scheming step sister Onion, and of course, not forgetting a happy-every-after which plagues every fairytale. A befitting end to the entire event.
Logistics Team
As with every event, there are unsung heroes whom should be given their credit due. The unseen and hardworking crew whom work behind the scenes, providing the videos and photos which capture these priceless memories, are the Logistics team. Kudos goes out to them for capturing the sights and sounds of the day.
Created by:
Wee Hui Yi (U078463U)
Esther Toh Lui Jue (U074029J)
Huang Jiamin (U074385J)
