Stube HEMAT in an Art Performance

"The Death of Freedom"

A song 'Sepasang Mata Bola' sung sweetly by Endro Gunawan in the opening session of reflection night of 69th Indonesia's independence in Kampong Nyutran, RW 19, Yogyakarta (16/08/2014), brought the audience to a nostalgia of Indonesian heroes struggle for the national independence. Next, some other singers had their turns to sing some old patriotic songs. Further, children didn’t want to miss to show their talent. They danced and sang happily. This event seemed so special, because not only the residents attended the event, but also some students from outside Yogyakarta who stayed in Nyutran. They were interested to attend this celebration because it seemed little bit different with an art performance. In fact, now an independent art performance expressing social criticism has been so rare performed rather than merely entertainment show.

 

The art performance was supported by some Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta activists and residents of RW 19 Nyutran as the actors. Placed at the front yard of Mr. Eko Supriyono’s house, this event was organized well. The art performance directed by Bandel Elyas was entiitled "The Death of Freedom", a symbolic term of criticism to remind all the audience the meaning of independence and nationalism. The storyline told the decadence of nationality sense, which was represented in a family conflict due to a property investors who wanted to buy both the house and the land. The children of the owner were tempted to sell it, even though their parents desperately to defend it.

 

This performance brought the audience to contemplate the Indonesian wealth of which stock is much controlled by foreign investors. Is this 69 years independence has really given the citizen freedom? Or this independence will eventually end because of new form of foreign occupation? In addition, the performance is also intended to convey a message about the importance of public space for the community as a place to meet and interact, not just to pursue physical development such as malls, supermarkets, hotels, and other buildings as a symbol of development.

"It is very nice to participate in this event, commemorating the 69th Anniversary of RI, because I am a student from outside of Yogyakarta, nationalism is very important as the unifier among Indonesian citizen, hopefully not only in drama, but in daily life I try to do the mandates of our founding fathers," Loce commented. She is one of work team members of Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta from Halmahera, North Molucca, acting as Tutik, a child of landowners who opposed the investor in the art performance. "Wow, what a performance, it's amazing", a spontaneous response by a Nyutran dweller spoken in Java language responding the performance that he had seen. He hoped there would be another performance with another story and more interesting.

Congratulation Indonesian Republic for the 69 years, move forwards Indonesia and Garuda is always in my heart. *** SRB