One day kadek ferry ( f ) got a call from his friend, a journalist. It was a plan of making a semi documentary film about Ubud. On the program show, a local who would introduce the cultural activities in their own village was required. The program was called “INDONESIA BAGUS”, produced by NET Mediatama.
At first we were a bit confused, indeed the information about Bali cultural was very wide. But after discussing with the crews and watched their previous video productions then we understood and could help involved in this episode.
The storyline in this episode was begun with kadek ferry ( f ) and mayumi inouye ( m )’s activities in teaching Bali art to the children of their community. This children dance group called Sri Padma (Tunas Maragawi). Every Sunday morning m teaches Balinese dances to them in the community hall or Bale Banjar. Most of Balinese children have been introduced to Balinese dance and Gamelan since young age. After took some videos of this activities, the TV crew continued their video shooting to the evening performance.
Balinese arts associated with religion was also described here, such as the making of Banten Gong, an offering for performance of gamelan and dance presented before the evening performance. The canang, Balinese Hindus daily offerings dedicated to the Sang Hyang Widhi was also a bit described here, as well as traditional paintings, the making of Gamalen instruments and its carving ornaments.
Banten Gong offerings before the performance
Balinese Hindus believe that in almost every religious ceremony there must be accompanied with an art performance, and in any art performances or art activities we would always do that with some offerings too.
With a Balinese traditional painter, Mr. I Ketut Madra.
When we visited him he was finishing one of his beautiful painting.
Some of his paintings can be found in temples in the village of Peliatan.
Process of making metal bronze part of gamelan (left) and
making of wood carving as gamelan ornaments (right)
There was another interesting thing here when the crew took some videos of nature in Ubud. In the beginning we suggested them to the area of the monkey forest in Ubud, a well known and beautiful place, it even appeared in a Hollywood movie, but they wanted something else. Finally we arrived at the village of Petulu, Ubud, a village that the villagers for decades had been living in harmony with thousands of bird of white herons or also called the Kokokan bird.
Petulu village, Ubud
After seeing the results, it turned the Ubud episode was not just about art and religion, but implicitly also about the nature around us that inspired artists to create art works. This was related to the birds, as in our evening performance where m dancing acted as Garuda bird with its dashing flapping wings. Also with the dance of her students from Sri Padma – the Legong Kuntul (in the video they appeared dancing in a group of four on white-yellow costumes), a classical Legong dance depicting white heron birds (Kokokan). Wow!
Dancers of Sri Padma rehearse Legong Kuntul dance.
Ahead to their evening performance
We were grateful! All activities took place smoothly, and the program had successfully broadcasted.
Once after the dance and gamelan rehearsal, together with all children we watched the show at f studio. Wow!! They were looked so happy and called out their friend’s names who appeared on television, some also closed their eyes because they were shy. Hahaha.
Sri Padma while watching the show together
Thanks to Mr. Wawan, Mr. Robby, Ms. Jasmine, Mr. Wayan, and all production team of INDONESIA BAGUS, NET Mediatama, Ubud’s community, and artists who involved in this video production.
Matur Suksma!
