Bel Harper. Photos by Mick Bell
Inside Indonesia celebrated twenty years of publication with a public forum and dinner held at the Sidney Myer Asia Centre in Melbourne on 1 November 2003. The event was a showcase of local talent from the arts and academia, with impressive contributions and support from the community.
Celebrations began with a public forum convened by Kate McGregor with papers presented on a wide range of topics to explore the theme Indonesia today: Out of crisis? Speakers included Arief Budiman on Indonesian politics toward the 2004 elections; Ed Aspinall on the crisis in Aceh: toward resolution; Anton Lucas on rural and land issues; and Michele Ford on labour and unions in the new Indonesia.
The forum also featured an exhibition of photographs from Tantyo Bangun (Reborn: Ambon after the conflict) and Cindy Godden (Bali stories: One year later), a poetry reading by Lindsay Belbin, and a performance by local Indonesian musicians Blok M Band. A screening of director Garin Nugroho’s Puisi tak terkuburkan (Poetry cannot be buried) followed.
MC Bela Kusumah (SBS Radio) convened an evening of reflection and celebration of twenty years of Inside Indonesia with an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary Indonesian arts. Performances included Cirebon gamelan by Putra Panji Asmara, Rantak dance (West Sumatran welcoming dance) by Anggiet Ariefianto, Taruna Jaya (Balinese dance) by Brynna Rafferty-Brown, and, rampak kendang (traditional drumming) by Tito Ambyo, Rowan Gould and Peter Tasker to bring in buka puasa (break of fast). Performances following dinner included Serasa, (contemporary Indonesian dance influenced by traditional Javanese dance), and local Indonesian band Summerset.
The event was a huge success and would not have been possible without the tireless assistance of the many people who volunteered their time and energy. Inside Indonesia would like to thank those volunteers as well as the readers who have subscribed to the magazine over the past twenty years and who continue to support us now.
Bel Harper (admin@insideindonesia.org) is the manager of Inside Indonesia, and was the director of the 20th anniversary event.