Bali’s icons seek fulfillment, not fame and glory
Dicky Christanto , The Jakarta Post , Denpasar
Traditional dancer I Gusti Ayu Raka Rasmi still remembers when she struggled to learn Balinese traditional dancing.
Born in Peliatan, Ubud, Gianyar Regency, in 1939, Rasmi was introduced to traditional dancing from the early age of nine.
“I was among the youngest dancers back then,” she recalled.
From I Ketut Marya, who was later known as Mario, the choreographer of the famous Oleg Tamulilingan traditional dance, Rasmi learned the basics of traditional Balinese and Oleg dance movements.
Despite the international acknowledgement the Oleg Tamulilingan dance later brought her, Rasmi remains a down-to-earth person.
She has never failed in her obligations as a member of the Balinese traditional banjar (neighborhood organization) and desa pekraman (customary village) by regularly participating in events, such as performing sacred dances during religious ceremonies.
The events are not a chore, she said, shaking her head. It is part of her Ngayah (voluntary work) and money is never the goal, she said.
“In 1953 I was trembling in cold weather while waiting for my turn to perform a sacred dance in a temple located on the slope of Agung Mountain.
“But once the performance started, the cold disappeared, replaced with a warm sensation from seeing dozens of eyes looking at me with pride. It was worth the effort.”
What stayed in her mind was that the performance was a response to villagers’ eager request to see Rasmi perform in their village.
Rasmi back then had just arrived home from a government-led cultural mission tour in Europe and the United States along with traditional dancing groups from other regions of Indonesia.
“The villagers sent a letter to me asking me to perform the sacred dance there. I was very touched by their request,” she said.
In her heyday, Rasmi danced more than five times on Saturday and Sunday and three times a day on regular days.
To this day Rasmi still dances — but only on special occasions. She spends most of her time training children to dance in the Arma museum in Ubud.
Rasmi has lived her life under the spotlight, unlike artist I Dewa Gede Negara, now 79, a Bangli-born traditional percussionist.
Negara was once acknowledged as one of the best percussionists in the region, but playing his music instrument, known as gender in the local language, was his Ngayah to his community. His talent never generated enough money to pay the bills.
“More than 10 years ago, they paid me Rp 150,000 per week for a two-part show and that was the most money I could get from playing percussion in a group,” Negara, who quit playing percussion years ago, said.
Negara lives with his 11 children from his two marriages, and to meet their daily needs, he relies on his monthly Rp 700,000 pension as a veteran of Indonesia’s war of independence.
The lack of fame was not a problem for Negara, who said he had never regretted his choice of profession.
“To play well and just knowing that people might enjoy it is enough for me, the rest is just a bonus,” he said.
Both Rasmi and Negara are among nine Bali veteran artists recognized as the island’s artistic icons by the Bali Cultural Agency last Monday.
Head of Bali Cultural Agency I Nyoman Nikanaya said the event was a a gesture by the government to show respect to all artists.
Percussionists I Gusti Putu Gde Wedasmara and I Gde Deresta, traditional dancer Ni Wayan Kerthi, traditional poet Gede Karsa, puppeteers I Nyoman Swiji and I Ketut Wesen and traditional performance actor Wayan Tembau Kariasa were also noted as Bali icons.
Each artist received a lifetime achievement trophy, health insurance, a set of traditional attire and Rp 2,500,000 in cash during a presentation organized as part of the Bali Art Festival, which runs until July 12.
Phone company Esia also gave the recipients Rp 5 million and a wireless fixed telephone set. The company has also published an autobiographic collection about all the artists.
Source: The Jakarta Post
Add comment July 4th, 2008