Preserving Balinese Culture Through Education

Hi everyone,

This is my another interview that has been published in Inspirational Woman Magazine. Now lets continue our interview with Wiwiek from Balinese Culture Creation ^__^

Tina: Please tell us about yourself and BC2

Wiwiek:I am an Udayana University graduate majoring in agricultural technology in 2000. In the graduation ceremony I got the additional title as the Best and Fastest graduate of my grade and had been graduated together with the students of the higher grade. I was the first graduate of my grade.

I was born and grow in Bali, in a Brahmana family. The caste (Brahmana) is from the lineage of my father whose name is Ida Bagus Kade Astawa and my mother Jero Nyoman Suastini. Being influenced by the caste, then my name have an additional title “Ida Ayu” and my full name become Ida Ayu Kade Wiwiek Astawa (just call me Wiwiek).

Since my childhood, I was educated in a very high sense of discipline by my parent especially my father. Now, I can feel the function and the usage of that super discipline education. My parents have a big contribution in my education. My families (including my foster grandfather) always give me supports; their supports are my spirits actually. Honestly, I have fall in love with the Balinese art and cultures. I feel very lucky to be born and grown here, in Bali.

Balinese Cultural Creation (BC2) is a central of art and culture training. We called it “center”. BC2 has many programs as below:

–          Adult programs

–          Kids programs

–          Group programs

–          Family programs

–          Wedding/pre wedding (Balinese/ European) packages

All things related to the center are based on my ideas and are the result of my thought, in which I eagerly want to invite many people especially the people outside Bali (foreign/domestic tourists) so that they will know more, learn, love and appreciate the Balinese art and culture.

At first, the training programs/courses are intended only for adult. I then expand the programs/courses also for kids and group and family. By the time pass, it also was being developed as a ceremonial wedding place.

In my opinion, Balinese art and culture is the true nucleus of Bali so that it becomes a very important thing which can show the special characteristic or the identity of Bali  itself.

BC2 will happily help the guests in arranging the programs and the time duration according to their interest, talent and needs, for example if they want to do the activity individually or in a group/with family for a half day activity or a full day activity, etc.

This training center (BC2) is located in 10.000 m² of tropical garden completed with fish and lotus ponds, various kinds of orchid plants and other tropical trees and plants and also antique Balinese/Javanese building (Bamboo bale, joglo). BC2 has friendly instructors/teachers who will patiently guide the guests. My expectation is that many people can join the center.

Tina: What inspired you to build BC2?

Wiwiek: My inspiration in founding the BC2 started when I want to seriously learn more about the Indonesian art and culture especially the Balinese art and culture. I did this kind of process by reading/learning the literature and also asking the professionals/masters in the sector.

I also visit some place such as Gianyar to dig the Balinese art and culture. Based on my experience in learning art and culture, I then think that it would be very difficult for people who have the same passion as I (learn about the Balinese art and culture) but they don’t know where to go or they have to go to many places because the training counter is separated one to another like the dance studio, Balinese Gamelan Music studio, silver studio, etc which each studio is separated not in one place.

Tina: What makes you so creative developing Balinese culture creation?

Wiwiek: What makes me so creative in developing the BC2 is that I want to share the knowledge and the experience to many people especially to them who can appreciate the art and culture.

BC2 do its efforts in using the love-nature material, for example use the natural color in Batik making class (the color made by boiling the tree bark or roots) so that it would not damage the nature. I also use the recycle material from industry/factory waste like what I do in the “Arranging and Coloring” program which use the wood from the industry/factory waste (how to do the program is by arranging one piece of wood waste to another to make the miniature of sofa, bed, cupboard, bench or other shape). The purpose of this program is that they (the program is intended for kids) will know exactly that in the making process of the actual items they should do it patiently and carefully. Hopefully by this class, the kids will be more appreciate the items.

BC2 also has programs based on reforesting programs. We called the program: small forest on a doll. In the programs, BC2 invites the participants to make their own doll (the shape up to the participants’ creativity, BC2 only prepare some examples). In some parts of the doll will be put some seeds that would be grow of course if we pour the water regularly to the seeds. By this way BC2 want to invites everybody to participate in the “Go Green” programs.

I feel that I sharpen my creativity when arranging the “kids activities” programs for kids, I think that the childhood is a worth age where their brain is still fresh so that they can learn something fast. These kind of age must be filled with worth and positive thing. I take the concept of “learning by playing” for kids activities which mean the kids surely will learn something even if they do it by playing.

Tina: From you opinion, what are the challenges and the reward in developing something related with cultural?

Wiwiek:

The challenges:

–          Not everyone can appreciate the art and culture (sometimes art and culture regarded as an antiquated things and is not an interested things to be learnt).

–          Many people have not yet known about the BC2, so I need do more promotion.

The rewards:

–          Respect and commendation from people who ever join the center (BC2) and also from the foreign Pers (Chi magazine, Pegas Magazine, Buongiorno Bali, Bali Advertiser, Offspring Magazine, Now Bali Magazine, Bali with Kids, etc (may visit in the BC2 web www.balineseculturalcreation.com—English—Events and Publish)) which keep my spirit and fell very happy.

Tina: The second issue of Inspirational Woman Magazine is about the culture issue. What do you think about the culture condition esp in Bali?

Wiwiek: The culture condition especially in Bali:

As we know that Bali is famous for its gorgeous nature also for its art and culture, so no wonder that there are many people come to Bali. The people who come to Bali of course bring their culture from their country so that there is any possibility that the culture mixing/displacement could be happened in Bali but until this time the Balinese culture still stand strong even if there is any displacement, the Balinese culture still defend with its tradition.

Tina: Do you have any message for women who also developing cultural creation out there? And for all women who enjoy cultural creation from all over the world?

Wiwiek: My messages for all people not only women

Art and culture is an identity of a territory/country, there is no territory/country has the exact same art and culture so that every place in the world has its own specialty, characteristic and uniqueness.

Preserve the specialty and the characteristic by knowing more, learning, loving and appreciating so that the culture will be eternal ever after.