Simply put, it means “Thank you, Indonesia!”
During the past three months, while I was here in this nation of 17,508 islands, news of earthquakes and tsunamis as well as terrorist bombings surely reached the Philippine archipelago. Sadly, it is very rare that people hear light and happy stories about other countries via television or the net. More often than not, it’s always the bad light that they hear. Recently, too, when people here learn that I hail from the Philippines, the first thing that they ask me about is the recent ravages typhoon Ondoy caused Manila and nearby towns.
Being in the world’s fourth most populous country as one of the two Philippine awardees of the 2009 Indonesian Arts and Culture Scholarship (IACS) sponsored by the Indonesian government through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs is an eye-opener and an experience of a lifetime. While I have heard long ago that the Philippines and Indonesia are indeed brother nations—sharing a lot of similarities in terms of its people, traditions, and culture, staying here has given me a totally new perspective on what “unity in diversity” means. “Many yet one” is how one can describe Indonesia across its many islands which consist of distinct ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups.
Now on its 7th year, IACS which brings together 50 awardees from 31 nations is geared towards international relations and diplomacy through cultural education and the potent power of the arts. Being assigned in Solo City or Surakarta in Central Java is truly a memorable one for me as I get to learn not only the language but also Javanese dancing, gamelan, and wayang kulit puppetry, among others. A gamelan is an Indonesian musical ensemble featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bowed and plucked strings. Wayang kulit, on the other hand, is said to be one of the oldest and among the most highly developed continuous traditions of storytelling in the world. Dubbed as “the spirit of Javanese culture,” the eastern part of Solo is bordered by Solo River, the longest in Java, which became inspiration for the song Bengawan Solo, a 1940’s composition by Gesang Martohartono and is famous throughout much of Asia.
Learning the Javanese dances and the techniques in performing the wayang kulit, and becoming part of a gamelan orchestra, gave me the chance to learn not only performing art forms, but also the patience to achieve perfection. This is more exemplified in our classes for “batik,” a quintessential Indonesian textile. While the process is long and tedious, the outcome is of intricate design and style.
The language is an exciting learning experience. I find it easy to learn, speak and understand Bahasa Indonesia as there are many words similar to the Filipino language.
Though at times, contextual meaning may be very different, as in the case of the word “Salamat” which means ‘thank you’ in our native tongue. Its meaning varies in Bahasa Indonesia, such as in the cases of “Selamat Datang” (Welcome), “Selamat Pagi” (Good Morning), “Selamat Siang” (Good Afternoon), and “Selamat Malam” (Good Evening).
While a lot of similarities are noted between the Philiippines and Indonesia, the main difference lies on the fact that Indonesia, having the largest Muslim population in the world, has predominantly Islam people, while the Philippines is a prevalently Catholic country.
On the lighter side of things, some Filipinos are popular here like Christian Bautista (for his song The Way you Look at me), Jose Mari Chan (for the song Beautiful Girl), and a Filipina singer by the name of Marybeth for her rendition of an Indonesian song titled “Denpasar Moon.” One time, I even chanced on the radio Freddie Aguilar’s “Anak” being played and on the television, ABS-CBN’s “Super Inggo” dubbed in Bahasa Indonesia.
Palaces still abound Solo City, although the royalty no longer hold any political power. Our group is luckily being trained at the Mangkunegaran Palace, which gives us a chance to rub elbows with the prince on a daily basis.
In terms of places, Indonesia has a lot to boast about. While Solo is similar to Davao or Dumaguete in having a sweet combination of the urban and rural life, Jakarta—the country’s capital and largest commercial center, boasts of huge and tall buildings.
Having visited Bali during the Idil Fitri holiday is also another experience. Bali’s famous beaches and temples complement its highly developed arts including dance, sculpture, painting, metalwork, and music. Places to visit includes Tanah Lot (rock formation off the island which is home to a pilgrimage temple), Kuta and Seminyak Beaches (overlooking the Straits of Bali which are popular beaches for water sport enthusiasts and sun worshippers), Goa Gaojah (Elephant Cave), and Mount Agung (Bali’s most sacred mountain).
Not to be outdone is the breathtaking Borobodur, a UNESCO-declared world heritage site and said to be Indonesia’s most visited tourist attraction and the world’s biggest Buddhist temple. As an enthralling experience, Borobodur’s breathtaking beauty and splendor speaks of Buddhist beliefs, making each step a cultural and spiritual journey for every visitor.
As we come close to our final performance, my fellow awardees from the three other groups learning Balinese culture in Bali, Sundanese culture in Bandung, and Javanese culture in Jogjakarta will converge here in Solo. Bringing new learning and experiences with us, we will be returning to our respective countries after more than 90 days of immersion to the Indonesian culture with our individual plans of action—not necessarily to be “ambassadors” for Indonesia, but at least, to share whatever we have gained from the scholarship.
Having met with the Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia, Hon. Vidal E. Querol during our earlier days here, he asked me if NCCA can coordinate with the Philippine Consulate in Jakarta in line with the celebration of the 60th anniversary Philippine-Indonesia diplomatic relations. Meanwhile, when I get back home very soon, I am laying my plans on how I can share all that I have learned to the culture and arts sector. I believe that I can be an active agent of the Indonesian Embassy in Manila for programs and activities aimed at strengthening friendship ties between Indonesians and Filipinos through arts and culture. That, I would love to be a part of, indeed.
Most importantly, it is here and through this scholarship that I have learned the true meaning of “respect for each other’s culture.” Having lived for more than 90 days with the group assigned to Solo—my fellow awardees from Fiji, South Africa, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Austria, Japan, USA, South Korea, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand, and Solomon Islands, all of them whom I consider my family here—gives one a taste of how culture shock, individual differences, homesickness, and varied beliefs can affect people, but at the end of the day, try to reconcile in the name of cooperation, unity and oneness.
Indeed, I have a lot to be thankful for to Indonesia. For the experiences learned and insights gained, being an IACS awardee for 2009 will surely open more doors for me. And with all the dances and songs I learned, the batik designs I made, the new language I am now able to speak and write, and all the places I have been to—has not only made me realize how beautiful Indonesia is alongside its people and its rich and multi-faceted culture and traditions, but also, it has given me all the best reasons to be prouder of my roots as a Filipino. For this life-changing experience, to say “Terima Kasih, Indonesia” is indeed not enough.
But then again, let me say “Terima Kasih, Indonesia!”
Rene Sanchez Napeñas is the head of the NCCA-Public Affairs and Information Office. He is currently in Indonesia as an awardee of the 2009 Indonesian Arts and Culture Scholarship by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia.
