The Abandoned Mask

Changes over time can renew or eliminate human culture.

Changes over time can renew or eliminate human culture. Lack of control in this area results in the deteriorating of attention and interests of young generations to keep on exploring the nation?s culture. “Mask is now something starting to be forgotten,” said Seven Marudut. Saturday (17/04), Universitas Pelita Harapan Department of Arts held Dance Performances: Topeng Nusantara (The Archipelago Mask) in Teater Kecil, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta. “This is an educational tool to remind the young generation especially, that mask is one archipelago?s culture that is beginning to be forgotten,” continued Seven Marudut, the Dance Choreographer. To support the event, there were approximately 90 dancers who are members of Seudati Dance Company, supported by Manna Proxia Theare, Lighthouse Singer, and Gusti Tresno Gamelan.

The  show began in the period of 2050, where the nation?s culture and tradition had been long forgotten. A young man found a mysterious box, in which he found an old book containing stories about Indonesian culture and a variety of old masks. When the boy was wearing one of the masks, he was dragged into the corridor of time and lost in the cultural nuances of Indonesian mask dance. The young man began to recognize the Mask Dance from Betawi, East Javanese Mask Dance, Koncaran Mask Dance, Kalimantan Mask Dance, and Papua Mask Dance. All presented different atmospheres.

“What is not understood by our community is the fact that masks are attractive visual aids because they have distinctive character line elements, especially in the archipelago?s culture. And besides, almost all of the traditional cultures have their own masks.” Seven admitted that the characterization and exploration process of the mask dance itself took about a month. This was probably because the dancers had to emphasize the impression of the mask?s character, masks that “speaks” on stage.

For Karina (Universitas Indonesia student), “The program is excellent, we (UI students) ourselves seldom do this kind of thing. I learn alot from this show! Like Karina, UI and IKJ (Institut Kesenian Jakarta) students also used this moment for their research material. (dar)

UPH Media Relations