Last night we went to see the Discover Indonesia event called Saga Dharma, a telling of the trials of modernisation on Indonesia interspersed with dances from the length of the archipelago. The sheer energy of the troupe, all students, led by students, was complemented by dramatic effects of music and buckets of goodwill was inspiring to see. The Indonesian students are a real credit to themselves. and their country.
The dances told stories from Aceh to Papua, highlighting mystical and pragmatic challenges. The women’s dance in Aceh was particularly ‘striking’ as the 10 women slapped their hands and chests to build the rhythm, all done in perfectly coordinated unision.
While it could be argued that these dance traditions are a symbolic obstacle to the very modernity the students strive for, and much of the past has been simplified and romanticised (see the book Rainbow Troops), the enthusiasm the students show for their show is genuine, and deeply-held. As a relative new nation, held together by cultural nationalism is no easy feat and the pride shown is genuine.