Market Watch: Glodok

The Butterfly Lovers & The Cry of the Violin

I remember, some time ago, I used to play it on the desktop. Vanessa-Mae’s version from her China Girl. I love it because it’s lyrical and at some point grandeur. It’s a beautiful marriage of Chinese-style music and Western orchestration. The violin, of course, is the king.

One morning Fiona asked, “Whose music is it?”

Vanessa-Mae’s, said I.

“It’s so Chinese style.”

It’s the Butterfly Lovers Violin Orchestra. 

“Butterfly what? Oh, I know, it’s Sampek Engtay!”

I had no idea what or who Sampek Engtay was. So I consulted a book.

Long long time ago in the Middle Kingdom, Engtay, just like Fa Mulan, cleverly disguised herself as a boy in order to get education. She met Sampek. Long story short, they fell in love. Sadly, they got separated because Engtay’s parents forced her to marry their colleague’s son. Sampek, heartbroken, fell ill and soon, died. On her way to some place on her wedding day, Engtay passed by Sampek’s grave. She took some time to pray. Hearing this, the sky thundered, the grave broke open, and Engtay jumped into it. Then a pair of butterfly flew from inside the grave to the sky….

Years later from the converation, I managed to watch the show. Exactly last weekend. Watching the show (Teater Koma’s version is not accompanied with the Violin Orchestra but by their own musical pieces), I realized why some parts of the Violin Orchestra is so melancholic. The way the violin cries sounds like a woman in agony. And near the end of the third move, it roars grandly, I bet it's when the grave breaks open. What music.

As for the show, this year’s Sampek Engtay is the 25^th year celebration of the show. Back in 1988, the show caused a stir for portraying many Chinese inspiration. Chinese culture was banned in public from late 1960s to late 1990’s by the regime. Cleverly the director, Nano Riantiarno rewrote the centuries old love story and set it in Indonesia. It was a clever move. So the show is a friendly reminder of what a regime could do and also a celebration of what freedom can inspire.

Please sit down with me (pt. 3)

Market Watch: Alor

Please Sit Down with Me (pt 2)

Chilling out with the Chillun

 Courtesy of Diah R Sulistiowati

 

 Photo by Dwi Ariyogagautama

The supposed-to-be last mikrolet blew out its engine in the middle of the kampong. Everyone stepped off. Here we were stranded in the middle of some kampong and when we turned our head, its young residents flew around us. 

Mister, mister, they called us, despite the fact that we look like every Indonesian. Perhaps they called us so because most people who come there are foreign tourists. 

In an instant we made acquaintance. These chillun were just out of classroom after reciting Koran class. They entertained us while we were waiting for the next mikrolet to take us to Kalabahi. 

To my regret, I din bring along a big plastic bag of candy I left in hotel room!  

All the trees in the field Clap their Hands for You

Can you imagine that, Sem. Isaiah wrote, you shall go forth in peace and the trees and the hills before you, they clap their hands for you. How cool is that! What made him think so? It’s a great narrative, though.

I bet Isaiah traveled a lot. And he enjoyed traveling. If not so, how could he wrote that inspiring verse. When I traveled back on train, It was one of the most enjoyable train trip I’ve ever had. On my left, the rice fields, the hills and cities. And on my right side, the Java Sea. beautiful!

When I saw the trees, I thought, their trunks resembled feet of a great flock of flamingos. And I could see they cheered me. I guess Isaiah was right. They clapped their hands for me.