Cultural Homecoming

In the summer of 2024, I had the opportunity to travel to Indonesia with my parents and my cultural family. Our journey began with a flight to Yogyakarta on the island of Java, the place where my ancestors came from. From the moment I landed, I felt at home. People didn’t see me as a tourist but as one of them. Despite the chaotic traffic, I felt safe riding on the back of a scooter as we traveled from place to place.

After a night at the hotel, our trip truly began. On the first day, we met the people we would work with for the next ten days. We went to BBM, the location where we would participate in dance and gamelan workshops. After having a meal, we met the students from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) for the first time. They helped us with translations during the activities. It was always enjoyable to talk with them about their studies, hobbies, and daily lives. They were not only incredibly kind but also very curious about how we live in the Netherlands. To this day, we stay in touch through social media and regularly talk with eachother.

The highlight of the trip was definitely the workshops - intensive but incredibly educational. The activities not only taught me new skills but also gave me insight into the rich culture. Every dance movement carried a meaning, and the instructors, affectionately referred to as "tantes," were patient and always willing to help. Later, we worked on a short choreography inspired by a segment of the Ramayana, a famous Indonesian epic.

In addition to the dance workshops, we had a session on applying stage make-up, as used by performers on stage. Although we practiced our own make-up routines, on the day of the performance, the instructors did our make-up due to the short time between acts. Even though we couldn’t directly use our new skills that day, it was still avaluable learning experience.

Although I couldn’t join the gamelan workshops because I was occupied with the dance sessions, I could still pick up the music. The gamelan lessons were held on a floor above the dance space, and the sound of the instruments filled our area. On one of the final days, we performed alongside the gamelan group as part of a rehearsal for the show we presented to the local community on the last day.

At the end of the trip,we attended the Ramayana show. I didn’t know what to expect but found it mesmerizing. The performance brought together everything I had learned during my journey: dance, music, and culture.

Looking back, I realizehow special this experience was. Indonesia not only taught me about its traditions and art forms but also showed me the warmth and hospitality of its people. The memories of the food, conversations, and activities stay with me. Although our trip ended after ten days, I hope to return someday to relivethese moments.

Until next time,

Melissa Sokromo

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