During the Ranu Welum team’s visit to Talekoi on October 27-31, we had more activities with the local youth. This village has been our partner for the Heartland Project, in which the five Kalimantan Green Warriors spent a few days for a live-in experience. This is also a village where we had a local expert, Presto, take care of Ulin seedlings.
Talekoi is a remote area in South Barito. A long time ago, perhaps more than four decades, there was still a dance academy in this village, named Sanggar Anri Arai Atei (With A Grateful Heart). Unfortunately, starting from fifteen years ago when more people left the village, there was no more dance. Children knew nothing about traditional dance that their parents and grandparents used to do.
As this is the third visit in this year, we had a mission to revive a practice of traditional dance in this village.
We called the kids and teenagers to gather in the volleyball field and started to give a basic lesson of traditional dance. We introduced Dadas, Bawo, Giring-giring and Bahalai dances, which are basically traditional dances belonging to the Maanyan community, to them. Two hours of practice, full of fun and excitement. Not only the kids who were smiling, even the villagers gathered in the field to watch us practice. They were so happy, smiling and chatting, as this never happened before. It felt like there was a ray of hope. Kids practicing traditional dance brought new color in this small, isolated village.
Teaching the kids basic steps and moves in Dadas dance, a bracelet dance belongs to Maanyan community.
Angga, a toddler who was so passionate in learning Bawo traditional dance.
with Green Warriors and the kids.
We left a few music files for the kids to practice by themselves. They can play it on a speaker or other device. But of course, it’s not enough. We just started. We need to do more.
Olive, Layu and Gea, young girls from Talekoi village.
Oliv, Layu and Gea dream to perform. They dream to wear a traditional costume and dance in front of many people. They are so so happy that we teach them how to dance.
“I feel so grateful. This is our identity. How could we never know how to dance before? “ said Oliv.
“I saw other girls in neighbor village. They were so good in dancing Dadas. I thought, will I get the same opportunity to learn? Now it’s happening.” said Layu.
The next mission is to provide them with dancing properties such as Dadas and Bawo bracelets, bahalai (long shawl), costum and musical instruments. Would you support them?