Overview of The Conference Program

Conference
This 4-day, bilingual (Indonesian-English) international conference, hosted by Undiksha (Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, Singaraja) features key note speakers and presenters on various cultural themes and topics. The sessions focus on the (re-)discovery of the cultural heritage of the Buleleng regency, ‘the other side of Bali’, and aim to describe, discuss and expose its artistic identity and to stimulate the revitalization of its performing arts in particular.

Two key note speakers will shed light on North Balinese culture from an insider’s and an outsider’s point of view. I Gede Dharna, artistic director, author and playwright from Sukasada, will speak about The local culture of Buleleng and its specific features. I Wayan Dibia Ph.D. (ISI, GEOKS Singapadu) will speak about the importance of North Balinese culture for Balinese culture as a whole, addressing the question.

Sessions:

The Music and dance session focuses on a series of topics relating to the music and dance styles of Buleleng, including the origins of vocal chant, as in the cultural and historical background of genyek. This session also involves the participation of a number of seniman tua (old masters).

For an introduction to these artists, please go to the Buleleng page.

Presenters: Prof. Dr I Made Bandem (Kaja Kelod), Prof. Dr. Pande Made Sukerta SKar (gong kebyar), Éric Vandal (gong kebyar), AA Bulantrisna Djelantik (Legong and Legong-Kebyar of North Bali), Henrice Vonck (gender wayang Tejakula), Vaughan Hatch (old style music and dance), Paddy Sandino (gong kebyar).

North Balinese architecture and its specific characteristics will be discussed among others by Popo Danes (architect).

Collections of North Balinese art and artefacts, as preserved in Dutch universities and museums, form the focus of this theme. The University library in Leiden contains The Van der Tuuk collection consisting of not only lontars and transliterations of texts on paper, but also of traditional paintings and drawings, acquired between 1880 and 1994, featuring works from a.o. the artist I Ketut Gede. From the same artist we find works in the C.M. Pleyte and W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp collections. Van der Tuuk also collected wayang figures which are now in the Ethnographic Museum in Leiden. In his Kawi-Balinese-Dutch dictionary (1894-1906) he makes references to specific figures in wayang in Buleleng, which were popular in his time. C.M. Pleyte was involved in the World Exhibition held in Paris in 1900. He ordered the wooden statues, now kept in the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam, representing gods and protagonists from the Mahabharata and Ramayana for this event from a Brahmin sculptor in Sawan. Presenter: Hedi Hinzler

A discussion and presentation of North Balinese literature and lontars as preserved in the library Gedong Kirtya, erected by I Gusti Putu Djelantik and Resident Caron in 1928. Presenters I Dewa Gede Catra, Hedi Hinzler and Nyoman Rema (Pidpid) will emphasize the importance of I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa for the survival of the Balinese language. Sugi Lanus and others will discuss the literary oeuvre of the late I Ketut Suwidja, formerly Head of the Gedong Kirtya. Hinzler will also discuss the North Balinese lontars with musical notation copied or written down in the 1926s and kept in the Gedong Kirtya.

The focus of another session is Culture and tourism, which cannot be viewed separately from the Balinese village and society. As a result, the tourism industry needs updated and reliable cultural information in order to attract a constant stream of visitors. The aim to compile, document, spread and implement cultural information in the tourism industry is closely linked to the overall scope of this conference. Presenter: prof. dr Sri Hastanto (professor ISI Surakarta,Director General Of Kebudayaan Dept. Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata).

From another perspective, we can not ignore the role of electronic and printed media in communicating the special features of North Balinese culture to the audience, so that they become aware and therefore enjoy this difference, and so that it can contribute to the richness of the diversity of the arts and cultures of the Archipelago. In his presentation, Parni Hadi, President Director of the Radio Republik Indonesia, formerly in charge of a news agency, will present his views on this topic.