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Javanese instrument's story translated into Indonesian

5 October 2005

An Indonesian translation of The Gamelan Digul by Monash ethnomusicologist Professor Margaret Kartomi (pictured) was launched last week.

The book tells the fascinating story of Central Javanese musician Pontjopangrawit, who constructed the Gamelan Digul.

First published in 2000 and translated from English into Indonesian by poet and writer Mr Hersri Setiawan, the book was launched by the Indonesian Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr Jero Wacik, as part of the Indonesian Festival at Federation Square in Melbourne.

Pontjopangrawit, a court musician, was jailed in the Tanah Merah ('red earth') prison camp at Boven Digul, Central New Guinea, in 1927 for his anti-colonial protests. While imprisoned, he constructed the Gamelan Digul from objects including eating utensils, old doors, animal skins and timber from the surrounding jungle.

Although entirely made from 'found' materials, the Gamelan Digul serves as an example of how iron gamelan instruments were made in the 1920s in the Kemlayan district of Surakarta, where Pontjopangrawit learned his craft.

A Javanese gamelan is usually a bronze orchestra of about 60 instruments, played for its music or to accompany ritual, ceremony, dance or theatre. It includes four large gongs, kettle gong drums, xylophones, slab metallophones, bowed lutes, flutes and vocal parts.

The Gamelan Digul, which is now held in the Monash Music Archive, became a symbol of Australian-Indonesian friendship and Australia's link with the Indonesian Revolution after it was exported to Australia with prisoners from Digul during World War II.

Following the prisoners' arrival in Australia, Australian waterside workers and others showed their support for Indonesian independence by refusing to load ships of weapons bound for Indonesia.

Professor Kartomi said the translation came about because of interest among Indonesians in the story of the Gamelan Digul and the Indonesian government's interest in the gamelan as a symbol of the country's independence struggle.

She said she was moved that representatives of the Indonesian government identified with the gamelan and wanted to use it to improve relations between Australia and Indonesia.

"I hope the launch of the book in Indonesian translation will result in increased interest in improving relations between the peoples of our two neighbouring cultures," she said.