just a note...

children performing at Saung Angklung Udjo

Yesterday, Ronnie and I attended Saung Angklung Udjo with our language teachers, Grace and Yessy. That is the destination for “all things angklung.” Saung Angklung Udjo, a popular tourist spot, is a center for Javanese culture. It is also a school where Indonesian children ages 2-12 learn to play the angklung, a musical instrument made from bamboo.

traditional wooden puppets

girls play in visitors center

The program consisted of a number of Javanese instrumental performances as well as traditional wooden puppets (Wayang Golek) and Sundanese dances. It was entertaining to watch. The show began with the wooden puppet show. Puppet shows (or stories) can last as many as 7 hours, because each story has many characters (some evil, some good) and they are all controlled by a single puppeteer. Thankfully, we just watched a demonstration that lasted maybe 10 minutes or so. Before it was finished, the table covering was removed so that we could see the puppeteer sitting underneath, working both hands and one foot (hitting a drum) – what a lot of coordination that takes!

color costumes and bare feet

Before the performance, we milled around in the handcraft center where visitors could hear them being played, try their hand at playing one or (of course) purchase one. Angklungs can range in size from miniature to very large. They sell them already assembled, or in boxes with handles for easy transport. Outside in another shed-like structure we watched craftsmen as they cut and whittled the rough bamboo to be used in the making of the angklung.

traditional Javanese circumcision dance

trimming opening in bamboo

trimming pieces of bamboo for making angklung

The angklung is Indonesia’s traditional musical instrument and is made entirely of bamboo. Each section of the angklung is made of two bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame (this would comprise a single note). The base of the frame is held in one hand, while the other hand shakes the instrument rapidly. This causes a repeating note to sound. At the end of the performance, angklungs (each representing a single note) were handed out to every person in the audience. The director showed us corresponding hand signs for each note and then we each played our own note as he used our particular sign. As he directed, complete melodies were produced and actually sounded quite pretty! At the same time, I was thinking to myself that I probably didn’t want to purchase an angklung CD, as I have a feeling a little angklung could go a long way!

audience playing together

bamboo xylophone?

For a greater appreciation of the angklung and  its role in Indonesian culture, click on the link below. You will also see Saung Angklung Udjo several times in the clip.

http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/en/RL/00393

Can We Talk?

giant electronic store, Bandung

Technology is everywhere, even in Indonesia. Almost everyone uses cell phones (Indonesians call them "hand phones"). Much like at home, it is common to see people on sidewalks, in cars and on motorcycles texting or checking their mail.

In the States, we typically choose a service provider, purchase from a selection of phones available and then sign a two year contract. We pay a fixed amount each month for the plan we choose, unless of 

buying phones - later we found out that prices are negotiable!

course we go over our minutes in which case we pay additional fees. But that's not the way it works here. Here you buy a phone - whatever phone you like best. Then you select a service provider and pay for internet access and pulsa. Pulsa? Pulsa is a system of pre-paid credit for hand phones in Indonesia. It can be purchased just about everywhere. It is generally sold electronically where credit is transferred to the number associated with the phone’s number. Often people will buy a scratch card with a new SIM card and give the phone a new number (people can have multiple phone numbers here—they simply change the SIM card in their phone).

everyone sells pulsa!

Selling pulsa is a common way for Indonesians to make a little money – by buying and re-selling it for a few cents more. Even our taxi driver sells pulsa. So you buy pulsa and you can continue to talk or text. Instead of saying “text me,” Indonesians say “SMS me.” People buy pulsa again when it runs low…. and talk more….and so on…..basically whenever you start to run out, you buy more. And you really need to pay attention so you don’t run out of pulsa in the middle of an important phone call!

buying sim cards

In the same way you have to keep on buying pulsa for your hand phone, you also have to keep on keeping on buying electricity, internet access, propane gas and water. These are all things that you use up and have to keep re-purchasing. It’s not like at home when we sign up for a service and pay a monthly fee. You can be in the middle of cooking a meal and run out of gas. What to do? Call for more gas. You can be going about your business and the power goes off. Not a problem, just buy more electricity. Will you have enough water to wash your dishes tonight? Call for more water! What I’m basically saying is, we don’t realize just how good we have it – on so many levels!

propane tanks - used to cook on stove top

Jeans Street

Spiderman looms large over Jean Street

Jl. Cihampelas (a section of which is commonly referred to as Jeans Street) is a long, congested street that is popular with tourists and locals alike. It is distinctive for its larger than life action figures, including Rambo holding a giant missile which measures approximately 20 feet. He is also joined by Spiderman hanging from a lamp post, Superman crashing into a shop window, Catwoman, The Flash and other popular action characters.

cheap jeans

customized to fit,  right on the spot

Catwoman

knock off bags or the real deal?

family outing

cars, motors and vendors flow down Jeans Street

motors flow onto sidewalk around tour bus

alterations while you wait

Like many streets in Bandung, Jeans Street is highly congested (tour buses, cars, taxis, ojeks, trucks, bicycles etc). We had to wait for our cab for over an hour, and when he finally arrived he had to pass us because it was so congested he couldn't pull over. Add the  pedestrians, street peddlers and people begging for change. This one way 2-lane street is always crowded, but weekends are even worse.

whatizit?

cassava roots for sale

stitch 'n go

Of course there is no shortage of food vendors either (is there ever?) The main draw for tourists though is the cheap clothing. One of the unique things about Jeans Street is the number of tailors found outside the clothing shops. Jeans don't fit? Let them tailor your purchase on the spot! The denim clothing stores have earned the city the nickname of 'Kota Wisata Belanja', which translates as 'Tourist Shopping City'.

colorful tees

more action figures

 

 

 According to Lonely Planet, "Advertising is one thing, but a 20 ft. high plaster statue of Rambo?  Traditionally the home of the city's thriving textile industry, this congested drag is now a menagerie of kitsch plaster giants, looming over shops competing with one another for the top spot in the city's booming denim trade."

Rambo stands guard over army surplus

Saya Bisa Tidak Berbahasa Indonesia

Grace and Yessy working with Ronnie

We started language lessons this week. Frankly, I don't think my attitude is right for me to learn a language. For one thing, I don't feel the pressure to use Bahasa that Ronnie does. He is, after all, the one who is in the working world coming into personal contact with many Indonesians daily. That's part of it. Another part is that I'm either too undisciplined (lazy) to make myself or I'm afraid I just flat won't be able to learn a language at 62.5 years of age. Those are my excuses. Whether they are valid or not, I don't know. I'm just being honest about the way I feel.

easy breezy?

Two tutors, 448 flash cards, books and computer program aside, I still don't find myself properly motivated. What is wrong with me?? I will say that if I was going to be here permanently, I'd know my procrastination is futile and I'd get with it. But hey, I'm 1/5 of the way through already!



To  make me feel worse, everyone says what an easy language Bahasa is to learn. Well, maybe for SOME people who have a good ear for sound and are naturally good with languages, that may be true. And maybe compared to certain other languages, it again may be true. But for this old gal from Texas, it doesn't feel like it's going to be easy. So while I don't aspire to learn the language, I do aspire to learn enough to be able to have simple exchanges with local people. So I suppose that should be my goal.

BYKI computer program

But in case anyone reading this thinks they might want to learn, let me just say that a simple greeting (in Texas that would be "hi") can take many forms in Bahasa, depending on what time of the day you say it.

Selamat pagi – morning until 11am

Selamat siang – 11am to 3pm

Selamat sole – 3pm to nightfall

Selamat malam – good evening

Selamat tidur – good night

See why I like English? "Howdy" works at any time of the day or night!

But there are a few phrases that I will definitely want to learn. Say them with me.

Berapa harganya? (How much does it cost?)
Terlalu mahal! (Too expensive!)
Saya mau beli ini. (I want to buy this.)

Are YOU sufficiently motivated? If so, I'll be happy to let you borrow my language materials when I return!

in a flash?!

The Faces of Hinduism

note rice on forehead

I'll admit to being pretty overwhelmed as I saw the vast crowd of people streaming into the cremation cemetery and it was all I could do to keep photographing while not losing sight of Ronnie. This was one place I definitely did not want to get separated from him!

young boys play with colorful balloons

family portrait in front of crematory animal

a happy moment

When one is looking at anything through the tiny viewfinder of a camera, it is easy to miss things that are going on in all directions around you. Ronnie was kind enough to not wander too far from my perch atop some wooden logs at the entrance to the main area where the cremation was soon about to take place. It was tempting to try to capture the overall panorama of what was playing out before my lens, but at some point I realized I really needed to personalize it because these people are, after all, not hordes but only the sum total of all the individuals who were there to be a part of this important ceremony.

a family affair - young children everywhere

         

family sitting together near open grave

contemplative Hindu man

rice on forehead, like many Hindu women

ladies and children wait patiently while the men place offerings

Hindu woman bringing offering

We had no one who could explain to us what was happening, but it pretty quickly became obvious that these were the families of the dead who were about to be cremated. As Ronnie mentioned earlier, there were a variety of emotions displayed on the faces of those who filed in procession. Many carried framed photographs of their loved ones and most if not all carried some type of gift or offering that was to be placed inside or around the animal containing the dead bones.

not his first rodeo

waiting for fires to be lit

For the most part, I would say the family members appeared somewhat solemn and just concentrating on the job at hand. At times, it seemed almost like a carnival atmosphere with vendors selling peanuts or trinkets. And whenever there is a large crowd of people, there is of course going to be food and drink for sale.

older woman brings cremation offering

One thing we noticed but were not surprised by after living in Indonesia for 7 weeks now, is the way people of all ages eat and throw their garbage down. Some families were spread out picnic style, and I assume they were positioned in relation to where their dead relatives bones were about to be cremated. Some even took advantage of having the whole family together for the occasion by arranging family group shots in front of the bull or other animal containing the bones of their loved one. Everything appeared very elaborate and most of the items looked to be constructed of paper or natural products.

carrying bones of deceased relative

you don't want to know...

peanut vendor

women carry offerings on head

waiting for procession to begin

Like Ronnie, it's hard to look at the faces of these people and your heart not break for them. All of these rituals and so many more in an attempt to be right with God and make it into heaven. There is always good ole Google if anyone is interested in knowing more about the Hindu belief system and what is behind all of this.