Our Indonesia (Poem)
From the majesty of Mount Semeru
To the Calm of Lake Toba
From the sacred temple of Borobudur
To the green padi fields of Nusantara
Beautiful and rich land, adorned by smiling faces
Sustained by the generous Mother Earth
Oh she is so giving, so bountiful,
All treasures in her wombs are gifts for her children
From Sabang to Merauke
The nation of thousands of islands
Surrounded by the ocean of the same love
Like a tapestry of different colours and patterns
Tunes woven by the divine hands,
People of varying cultures and traditions
Bound by the threads of brotherhood
Beating in the same rhythm of the heart
In the songs of divine love
Salutations to the people of Garuda
The great symbol of Indonesia
Living in harmony with the sky, earth and sea
Living with each other in peace
With your strength, kindness and valour
Blessed by this all pervading power
Oh you… sons and daughters of Mother Earth
Listen to the whisper of your soul
Your real wealth is in the richness of the heart
Therein lies the peace, joy and witnessing silence
Let us put our right hand on our heart
Let us pray to the divine image within us
To feel our true spiritual connection
And ask for the wind of of divine blessings
To blow across the shores of Indonesia
Now let us put our right hand on the top of our head
Let’s Oh divine, please let us feel the wind of divine blessings
These were the heartfelt words written by Sameer Shinde from Perth and the Singaporean Leader Gerald Lim on the long bus journey from Surubaya. Ayu and Bagus Santoso then tweaked it and worked in the realisation element of it for the meditation part of this evenings program held at the Angkringane a pendopo ndalem. With Chris Szydlowski delivering the reading, Ayu translating into Indonesian and Bagus providing a serene musical backdrop on keyboards, it was delivered in a very poetic and moving way, inviting the audience to essentially connect with their inner spirit and feel the cool divine wind.
It seems Mother thought a restful day was needed today. Just as people were about to go on a temple visit, the front left tyre of the bus conveniently broke through the footpath, causing it to become firmly lodged and prevented from falling into the gaping hole further only by the reinforcing rods in the concrete. With the best laid plans cast aside we enjoyed a restful morning doing our own thing… resting, meditating, music practice, laundry, visit to the local Carrefour shopping centre.
We’ve been getting some good press coverage. Journalists and PR people interview us and report on our concerts (I’ve sent through a few images). Yesterday we were in 4 papers in Yogyakarta, most notably the Metro Section of the Bernas Jogja, the main national newspaper. After our concerts in Ubud and Denpasar, Balinese TV want to film our next concert there. We’re also getting some radio coverage. The word is starting to spread and the networks are being established. Everything helps to build momentum and enable the subtle energy shifts to take place. Every joyful participant whose eyes are sparkling and hearts are dancing is a miracle in a place that has very strong conditionings against what we are doing.
It rains heavily as we arrive for our performance, a marvellous clearing downpour. We know the sound is going to be good as we rock up, because the sound engineers are already on the job. It’s been a challenge to bring all our musical equipment with us on tour but it proves to be a decision well made. Under Matthew’s musical direction and planning, the preparation has been first-class. With every mic stand, cord and mic individually labelled, we’re able to bump in and out with clockwork precision.
The venue for the evenings concert is once again tremendous, a traditional styled hall with a high angled ceiling and open walls for ventilation. The tiled floor has a nicely patterned motif, there’s mats in the middle for people to sit. Inside long timber furniture tables form a perimeter, inside of which are approximately 20 round cafe tables and chairs. Good sound and lighting equipment helps create a theatrical atmosphere.
It’s a program that’s destined to be different from the outset as it is being put on by the local Arts Council and Bhakti are one of a number of ‘acts’. The program in parts becomes almost vaudevillean and we wonder in which direction it is going to go. Acts include a comedic dancer who formally starts the show after a couple of warm up bhajans, a pair of MC comedians who are playing off each other, and are media personalities in the local scene, and a chap playing a unique instrument called a Bamboo Wukir, in reference to his name, Wukir Suryadi. The instrument is a cut down piece of bamboo, fretless with strings (like a guitar but with no large head). He uses a bow to play the strings (like a violin) and also plucks the strings with his fingers. It provides an intense range of sounds from the occasional melodic strum to staccato like percussive bursts that are heavy and loud.
We get our opportunity to help guide the vibrations and songs that feature this evening are He Nirmala Ma, Jogawa (where the crowd is interactive) and Ali Maula, which is very powerful and for which the men don their qawwali styled hats.
At the end of the program yogis/yoginis work in groups giving realisation to numbers of people who want to know and experience more. It is a fitting way to end another successful if somewhat unusual evening.