Siti Dayak Dancer - Photo by David Metcalf
Siti is an extraordinarily beautiful and determined young woman. Her story is one of courage and determination, and represent the desire of their culture by the spirit of the dance. And she has a dream.
This talented dancer was born 25 years before in a small village, Mungku Baru, about a two-hour boat ride from Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan, where she lives today. Her father is Javanese and moved to Palangkaraya under the transmigration program. Siti mother Ngaju Dayak. Your village is very traditional and they shared some of their beliefs to me: "My village is full of many spirits, some good, some bad The shaman flies in my village drives out evil spirits and we feel safe and secure in our traditional beliefs.."
Siti began dancing when she was just five years old and has never really stopped. In 2012, after leaving the University, she decided this year a career of teaching traditional Dayak dance and in January to their own dance studio called open Darung Tingang which means large bird.
A typical day begins at 6.30 am and Siti often or practices taught until 7.00 in the evening, sometimes sleeping in her studio, which is a reflection of how determined it is to make the club a success. Most of her students are children aged four to 12 years and it has to teach some older high school children. Siti told me: "I each Dayak child believe that should this opportunity will allow to dance, so that when they come from poor families and can not afford the Rp.0,000 per month, then I'll teach them for free."
This kindhearted woman sometimes has a month to survive on Rp.500,000 to, but determined to Darung Tingang a success. You can supplement their income by performing at weddings and government functions and sometimes for tourist groups, although few foreigners Palangkaraya visit but Siti has a dream.
"I want to live in other places in Indonesia and overseas. When I dance I try to evoke the ghosts of the past and I feel strong with my culture connected. However, I want to learn about other cultures . I have heard that there are other people similar to us, like the American Indians, and I would like to dance with these people one day. My mother is afraid that our culture to lose its way, and we are still not connected to the land, as more Dayaks the forests and rivers, and drag left in the cities, as I have done it. dancing is a very important way to teach the younger generation to appreciate our history and ancient faith, "Siti said.
View Siti dance, it is clear that this beautiful young woman who loves what she does. There are so expressed in their dance, embracing the joy and happiness. It is clear to me that she was born to dance, and it would be a great shame if the audience does not see around the world that beauty and grace. Their Dayak traditional dance culture is well presented and should be shared both locally and abroad
FOOTNOTE:.?
Would you like to help her dream Siti reach
supports Contact David Metcalf, the Siti the dance academy. The dance school needs traditional musical instruments and perform financial support in other countries.
David arranged for Siti and her group to fly to Jakarta perform at his book launch at the Museum National, which took place on 6 March. The book titled Indonesia's Hidden Heritage - Cultural expeditions is a showcase of Indonesian culture. Siti and her group are presented in the book and it looks like your dream begins to come true.
0 Komentar