Jakarta, Dec 21 (Antara) - Walking on stilts in a traditional play called "Egrang" requires a high level of concentration to maintain balance and move forward dynamically, an essential philosophy that could help usher in change.
This philosophy has become the inspiration of the children in Tanoker Vilage, Ledokombo Sub-district, Jember District, East Java. They have reenacted the Egrang play that has eventually helped to bring about changes in their village.
In the last several years, the local community has organized a festival to preserve the traditional play, which is on the brink of extinction.
On Saturday (Dec. 19), the Tanoker Community in Tanoker, Ledokombo, celebrated the sixth Egrang Festival, which was attended by Education and Culture Minister Anies Baswedan.
"Minister Anies lauded the character education carried out through the medium of traditional plays, such as 'Egrang' in Tanoker Village," Tanoker Community Chief Suporahardjo stated on Sunday.
According to an article written by Adji Soedibjo, as quoted by Indonesia's Global Portal on January 23, 2013, Egrang has been around since the Dutch Colonial times and was recorded in Baoesastra (dictionary) Jawa by W.J.S. Poerwadarminta, published in 1939.
The dictionary states that "egrang-engranan" is a form of dolanan (play) using Egrang. Egrang is made of bamboo or wood pole with a foothold to facilitate ease in walking and moving about.
Egrang is a simple pole made with two bamboo sticks measuring two meters or more in length, and wood is also used as an alternative.
A hole is created about 50 centimeters from the base of the bamboo through which another smaller bamboo piece, measuring 20 to 30 centimeters, is inserted as a foothold. Bamboo is common since it grows in private yards and along riverbanks and is easy to find in Java where the play originated.
Medium-sized bamboo is more commonly used since the larger sticks tend to break easily. Individuals or teams can use the stilts, and it is more of a fun game rather than a competitive one.
A person must place his or her feet on the footholds of each of the bamboo sticks and be able to maintain his or her balance to avoid tripping.
Since the Dutch era, this bamboo or wooden stilt play had been popular among children in Indonesia. It has a philosophical significance that has become the inspiration of the residents of Tanoker to develop and advance their village.
Therefore, the Tanoker village formed the Tanoker Community to preserve the Egrang play by organizing an Egrang festival. The festival on Egrang held on Saturday was the sixth of its kind to be organized in Jember.
Tanoker Community Chief Suporahardjo remarked that the sixth Egrang Festival was organized in Tanoker as part of the activities held to observe the International Migrant Workers' Day and Mother's Day as most of the residents of Ledokombo were migrant workers.
"The kids of Tanoker's migrant workers have managed to transform themselves by acting as the agents of change. They formed the Tanoker Community on December 10, 2009. Over the past six years, the kids have brought about changes in several aspects of life. They created an international village through their traditional play," Suporahardjo affirmed.
Moreover, the number of visitors to the village has continued to increase every year.
According to an article titled "Tanoker Ledokombo Egrang Play: Making Friends, Having Fun, Learning, Creating Together," published on the Changemaker Blog, poverty in Ledokombo, a poor, remote village in East Java, has forced most parents to work overseas as unskilled migrant workers.
As a result, the kids grow up as "social orphans," lacking care and attention, spending their time on PlayStation and watching television or roaming around. The community, comprising largely ethnic Madurese people who are heavily stigmatized and viewed as lazy, stubborn, and selfish, is drowning in apathy, lacking the spirit to change their condition.
The Tanoker Community, in a bid to transform itself, has revived the almost extinct traditional Egrang play.
The community believes that when given an opportunity, the kids, as the agents of change, are capable of initiating positive social transformation.
The children can use Egrang and other traditional games as a means to introduce various values and skills that will equip them for a better future for themselves and their community.
Playing Egrang together gives the children a medium to express themselves and an opportunity to discuss issues and learn together. They are also motivated to explore skills in fields as diverse as art, language, and other academic and non-academic areas.
Minister Baswedan, who is the initiator of the "Indonesia Teaches" program, stated that the Egrang philosophy teaches a lesson on maintaining balance in life.
"Egrang teaches us to continue forging ahead dynamically. With the philosophy, the children of Ledokombo continue to move on dynamically in advancing Indonesia," the minister noted while attending the sixth Egrang Festival in Jember on Saturday (Dec. 19).
According to the Tanoker Community chairman, the traditional Egrang play serves as a vehicle to bring about changes in the village as the children using the Egrang tilts are not merely playing a game but are also using it as a means to usher in a dynamic change.
They have managed to change the condition of their village from the status of a problematic, poor, and least developed hamlet into an open, warm, buoyant, and joyous region with different innovations.
"Through the sixth Tonaker-Ledokombo Egrang Festival, we hope to imbue the spirit and creativity of the people. We hope to create a unique Egrang world as an icon of change and a landmark of tourism in Ledokombo and Jember. Through the festival, we also forge togetherness among all societal elements by building local and global human solidarity. We call for protecting and respecting the rights of migrant workers and their family members," Suporahardjo emphasized.
Therefore, Minister Anies has positively welcomed the revival of the traditional play.
"Children have the right to play as what was suggested by the founding father of national education Ki Hajar Dewantara that education is a learning park and playground for kids, just like the children in Tanoker," Minister Anies said while addressing hundreds of children and families of migrant workers in Tanoker Ledokombo, Jember.
Before attending the festival, the minister launched the "Jember Reads Movement" program at the Multi-purpose Hall of Kaliwates, Jember District.***4***
(T.A014/INE/o001) EDITED BY INE(T.A014/A/BESSR/O. Tamindael) 21-12-2015 12:13:0 |
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