Letter to Indonesia, from year 1949.

Series of controversy concerning Indonesian intellectual properties being acclaimed and commercially used by the Malaysian government have incited numerous discussions, debates, and of course, rage. For each time a controversy come about, both countries are constantly willing to work on a solution, nevertheless Malaysia’s series of incautious and yet seemingly deliberate act have prompted certain awareness on Indonesia’s arts and cultural inheritance in relation to its neighbouring country.

First, here’s the shopping list:

• Rendang, culinary dish, originated from Padang, West Sumatra
• Angklung, musical instrument, originated from West Java
• Batik, type of pattern on fabric, originated from Java
• Rasa Sayange, song, originated from Maluku
• Reog Ponorogo, a type of dance choreography, originated from East Java or Madura

(There could be more.) And just in case you forgot.

• Tempe, culinary dish, originated from Java. Process of making tempe is already patented by Japan.

Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, symbols, names, images and designs used in commerce. In Indonesia, patents for these intellectual properties are issued by the Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights, Ministry of Law and Human Rights. However, each artifact listed above are cultural relics: tribal dance, folklore song, even dishes commonly served in Indonesians households, relics which are invented decades even centuries ago. The inventors’ identity are now unknown to most.

The Malaysian goverment justified the acclamation and commercial usage on these intellectual properties on account of Malay (Melayu) socio-cultural aspects; during the 18th century period, Malaysia and Riau, a province in northern part of Sumatra, was united under Riau empire and Malay descendants have inhibited both regions, spreading the Malay heritage inherited by their forefathers.

On the other hand, Indonesia’s evaluation is both based on socio-cultural and geo-political aspects; feuds are less likely to occur if the artifacts mentioned are originated from the Malay concentrated regions in Indonesia — although it still requires both goverments’ consensus. However, Batik, Angklung, or Reog Ponorogo are originated from the land of Java while Rasa Sayange from the Maluku archipelago. Surely an Indonesian is not only a Malay. An Indonesian could be a Javanese, Bataknese, Ambonese, a Sundanese or Maduranese — an Indonesian in whole. Or nevermind the aspects, is the Malaysian government having trouble differentiating between Malaysia as a politically established country with the Melayu descendants and culture in general?

Be that as it may, the approach for greater cause and tolerance is still required; presently the Melayu language, or perhaps any language derived from Melayu lingua, is under ongoing process to gain United Nations’ acclamation as one of the official international languages used in the world. The solicitation was delivered by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam delegations, representing around 300 million of Malay descendants living planetwide.

Controversies in the past or present days that have affected the Southeast Asian societies specifically concerning the Austronesian race, consequently would encourage them to look upon their history, tribal ethnicities, arts and culture, identity and their unity as part of citizens of the world.

Lastly, to fellow Indonesians, you have received a letter written on year 1949.

Hearing the Spectrum

The universal language of music has many dialects, and most Western peoples understand only their own. Yet, as Western musicians have been proving since the early 19th Century; other musical dialects which at first horrify the ear can educate and even delight it.

One small new recording company in Manhattan is dedicated to that proposition. Last week, the Ethnic Folkways Library issued its fifth album, Music of Indonesia ($7.33)*. Ten more albums will be released in the fall.

The Indonesia album is an aural education in itself. There is a Javanese war dance-written on the seven-tone pelok octave and played on bronze percussion instruments-which has the simple gravity of a Bach sarabande. A Sundanese love lament called Drizzling Rain, accompanied on a zither, carries its grief through a long series of delicate ornamentations. An ancient song of the Batak hill people, accompanied by a wooden xylophone and split cymbal, is strikingly like the melancholy music of Provencal shepherds.

With Folkways Library albums come booklets describing the music and its native performance (e.g., the music-dramas of Java and Bali last all night). The booklets are written by anthropologists and musicologists, edited by Folklorist Harold Courlander, who also decides what selections go into the albums. Says he: “The more you hear of this stuff, the more you get to feel that all music is one. I like to think of it as a spectrum. As you go round the world, one music blends into the next . . . and before you know it you’re back where you started, without a break.”

Above article was published in TIME Magazine on the 25th July 1949 [Link].

Related posts.

The Rasa Sayang(e) Threads at Unspun
Calling Ourselves (Indonesians) as Kakak (Big Brother) is Politically Incorrect at Jennie S. Bev’s
Differing concepts on “Malay”-ness at SEAArch
Indonesia moves to protect heritage at SEAArch
Austronesia di Wikipedia (Bahasa Indonesia)
Austronesia on Wikipedia (English)
Melayu on Wikipedia

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