ARTS AND CULTURE OF INDONESIA

Literature Indonesia has created many internationally famous celebrated authors.

There has also been a long tradition, particularly among ethnically Malay populations, of impromptu, interactive, verbal composition of poetry referred to as the ‘pantun’.

Music Home to hundreds of forms of music, it plays an important role in Indonesia’s art and culture.

Traces of its origin can be made to the islands of Java, Sumatra and Bali.

Gamelan’ is the traditional music from Central- and East Java and Bali. Another very popular style of music is ‘Dangdut’ which is accompanied with free dance style. This style first came up in the 1970s and is quite useful in political campaigns.

Other forms of music include the Keroncong with its roots in Portugal, the soft Sasando music from West Timor and Degung and Angklung from West Java, which is played with bamboo instruments.

Dance The traditional dances depict episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata from India.

Bali Dance ROYAL CLASSIC DANCE Traditional Javanese and Balinese tinge is also seen in the dance forms of Indonesian art and culture. Bali Dance ROYAL CLASSIC DANCE

BAKIAK DANCE BETAWI DANCE The highly stylized dances of the courts of Yogyakarta and Surakarta are some of the popular variations. Mythological events of Indonesia are also depicted. BETAWI DANCE BAKIAK DANCE

Drama and Theatre The Javanese and Balinese shadow puppet theatre shows ‘wayang kulit’ displaying several mythological events. A traditional folk theatre, Randai of the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, is performed during ceremonies and festivals. Music, singing, dance, drama and the silat martial art are all incorporated together and are based on the stories of the legend.

Architecture Indonesian culture, especially its architecture has been to a great extent dominated and influenced by the Indian.

although European influences have also been particularly strong since the nineteenth century.

Traditional buildings in Indonesia are built on stilts with oversized saddle roofs which have been the home of the Batak and the Toraja.

PORI-PORI HOUSE

The Toraja use the buffalo horns, stacked one above another in front of the house as an indication of status. Scenes from the Ramayana adorn the outer walls in different colors.

The staple food of most Indonesian dishes is rice served with meat and vegetables.

Cuisine Indonesians distinctive cuisine has been derived from centuries with the influence of the Chinese, European, Middle Eastern and the Indians.

Flavors of Vietnamese and Thai food can also be got from the cuisine of Indonesia. Spices, notably chili, and coconut milk are fundamental ingredients in most of the dishes, especially fish and chicken.

INDONESIAN ART  The arts of Indonesia are many, especially Indonesian paintings which are unique works of art. The intricate and expressive Balinese paintings are quite famous and often express natural scenes and themes from the traditional dances.

Indonesia’s art and culture is also famous for their unique batik, ikat and songket cloth which is even popular today. [Source: Embassy of Indonesia] Examples of sculpture illustrating the story of the life of Buddha can be seen in the temples of the 8th and the 10th century.

Batik is also being produced in some other areas as in Bali where local designs are incorporated.

Painting are numerous all over the country, both traditional and contemporary, woodcarvings for ornamentation and furniture, silverwork and engraving from Yogyakarta and Sumatra, filgree from South Sulawesi and Bali with different styles of clay, sandstone and wood sculptures.

Other provinces produce hand-woven cloths of gold and silver threads, silks or cottons with intricate designs.

  Carving in stone and wood are particularly rich.

Stone sculptures of the elaborate Hindu variety in Java or the ornate sarcophagi of Sumatra are archaeological remains of value, but only in Bali is elaborate stone carving still done (apart from that which may decorate some upscale Jakarta homes or public buildings). STONE CARVING

Wood carving is more common.

The cottage carving industry of Bali finds a wide domestic and international market for its statues of people, deities, and animals, many of which are finely artistic, some hackneyed.

Traditional puppet or animal carvings of the mountain Batak of Sumatra or the upriver Dayak of Kalimantan are now mainly for tourists.

, though they once showed rich artistry (now largely seen in museums) , though they once showed rich artistry (now largely seen in museums). The Toraja homes are still elaborately carved, and small examples of these carvings are sold to tourists.

Wayang and Art in Indonesia Wayang is the Indonesia word for puppet. The art form that has been around for at least 1,000 years. Wayang shows are major social occasions. They have traditionally been featured at weddings, circumcision parties and festivals.

While these carefully handcrafted puppets vary in size, shape and style, two principal types prevail: the three- dimensional wooden puppet (wayang klitik or golèk) and the flat leather shadow puppet (wayang kulit) projected in front of a screen lit from behind. Both types are characterized by costumes, facial features and articulated body parts.

Wayang kulit” The “Wayang kulit” (leather puppets) of Java. [Source: Embassy of Indonesia]

performed with leather puppets held by the puppeteer, who narates the story of one of the famous episodes of the Hindu epics, the Mahabharata or the Ramayana. It is performed against a white screen while a lantern in the background casts the shadows of the characters on the screen, visible from the other side where the spectators are seated.

The “Wayang Golek” (wooden puppets) of West Java.

is based on the same concept is based on the same concept. The crafts of Indonesia vary in both medium and art form. As a whole the people are artistic by nature and express themselves on canvas, wood, metals, clay and stone.

Paintings and Calligraphy in Indonesia  Painting is widespread in Indonesia as an accompaniment to other art forms. http://factsanddetails.com/indonesia/Arts_Culture_Media_Sports/sub6_4b/entry-4048.html

GLASS ART PAINTING TRADITIONAL PAINTING (MARKET SCENARIO) For example, woodcarving, masks and pottery are often painted, as are religious items, such as calendars or religious designs painted. Temple painting and other styles of painting exists on Java, but after the conversion to Islam, Bali became the center for painting in Indonesia. http://factsanddetails.com/indonesia/Arts_Culture_Media_Sports/sub6_4b/entry-4048.html TRADITIONAL PAINTING (MARKET SCENARIO)

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