Innovation And Tradition Recognized At Creative Products Exhibition

Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono presented awards to individuals in the cultural and technological fields on Friday at “The Season of Indonesian Creative Products 2009,” at the Jakarta Convention Center.

“Creativity based on heritage and culture are our strengths, and if well developed, can improve our lives economically and in other ways,” Yudhoyono said.

The fair, which opened to the public on Thursday and will run until Sunday, is part of “Indonesia Creative Year 2009” celebrations, and aims “to build upon culture and technology as a core for the development of Indonesia‘s creative industry.”

This weekend‘s activities are about highlighting the potential for combining culture and technology. Referring to the mix, the president said: “Technology is art. Let us give them room to grow, so we can be an innovative and creative nation.”

Visitors to the fair can peruse innovative products from all over the country. There are 860 stands featuring 14 economic sectors, including architecture, advertising, handicraft, fashion, batik design and culinary creations.

There are also a number of workshops on animation, film and e-commerce that will be held alongside art exhibitions, cultural shows and screenings of local films like “Sepuluh,” “Jamila & Sang Presiden” and “Laskar Pelangi.” Animation and software, multimedia, graphic design and publishing stands represent the four core sectors identified by event organizers this year. Also available is a “Campus Corner” manned by members of universities and schools from Bandung, Malang, Yogyakarta, Surakarta and Jakarta.

On hand to receive recognition for their achievements in the technological field was a team from Bandung‘s Indonesian Computer University. The group represented Indonesia at the Robo Games 2009 in San Francisco, held on June 14, and won a gold medal.

Yusrila Y. Kerlooza, the team‘s lecturer, said, “I hope our exposure will lead to other campuses joining international competitions. We‘re a country of 220 million people. But the ratio of people joining competitions and winning awards is too small, so people outside don‘t think Indonesians are smart.”

An awards ceremony to honor people who are helping to preserve and develop culture was also held on Friday. Those honored included people involved with traditional theater in Banten, traditional dance in Central Java, public theater in West Java, traditional bamboo music in South Sulawesi and literature in South Kalimantan.

Asmorodewi Damais, one of the five jury members for the cultural award, Anugerah Budaya, advocated the national recognition of artists and singled out Christian Mara, the winner of an award for helping to preserve traditional musical instruments from West Kalimantan.

“Individuals like Christian Mara are often invited to Sarawak and Thailand but are not recognized here,” Asmorodewi said.

“These are people who deserve our attention. We complain that other countries take what‘s ours. This is our way of showing our appreciation and publicizing it so the general public knows about these people.”

Along with four other recipients, H. Suwandi was presented an Anugerah Budaya award by the president for his efforts to preserve the ancient script of rencong from South Sumatra.

Suwandi is a translator of ancient rencong literature, and is also able to read and write ancient script from Sumatra, Malaysia and Sanskrit.

“I‘m glad people from afar can see what I do even though the people in my own region haven‘t appreciated it. They haven‘t seen it as knowledge to be valued,” Suwandi said.

But not all the award recipients were as contented. Sculptor Dolorosa Sinaga, a recipient of an Anugerah Seni award, was more critical about the selection process.

“There needed to be a larger selection. There were around 900 nominations and they only chose 26 who they think have potential,” Dolorosa said. “The government should pay attention so that creative growth is facilitated.”

Alice Mageza, the ambassador of the Republic of Zimbabwe, who attended the awards ceremony and toured the extensive fairground, said that she feels Indonesia does a lot to encourage its people to be creative.

“The award ceremony was something very special and impressive because these were ordinary people who were given awards. There was the old, the young, men and women, who have done a lot for the country,” she said. “The idea of awarding them is good because it encourages people to be creative.” Titania Veda

The Season of Indonesian Creative Products 2009
Until Sunday
Jakarta Convention Center
www.indonesiacreativeproduct.com

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.com (26 June 2009)
Photo: http://www.mlive.com

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