Review: OZASIA FESTIVAL 2015: CRY JAILOLO Is A Powerful Indictment Of The Effects Of Ignoring Climate Change

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Thursday 24th September 2015

The opening night of the 9th OzAsia Festival began with the keynote address, which included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, strengthening the ties between Adelaide and western Java.

Following the formal start to the evening, the keynote address, with music from gamelan orchestra, Sambasunda, and via a couple of the many food stalls in the sensational Night Noodle Market, it was time to attend the first of the performances for this year, the EkosDance Company's, Cry Jailolo, a remarkable work, choreographed by Eko Supriyanto. The work is his response to the ecological damage happening to Jailolo due to climate change. It is performed by seven disadvantaged young men from Jailolo North Maluku who are being affected.

Jailolo Bay is in eastern Indonesia's North Maluku islands and is a popular tourist spot, particularly for divers because of the clear waters. Climate change, however, is having adverse effects on the region affecting, not only the tourists, but also the local inhabitants, especially those who fish the once productive waters, an important food supply for the entire community. The fish that inhabited the coral reef have vanished.

In darkness, we hear a low rumbling, at first suggesting the sound of a large, heavily muffled drum. As a small patch of light slowly grows brighter we see the bare lower legs of a dancer and discover that the sound is made by him rapidly shifting his weight from one foot to the other, coming down heavily on the heel of his left foot and all of his right foot, the toes giving a slight click to the rhythm. This movement appears repeatedly throughout the performance, and is the final thing that we see and hear as the solo dancer fades back into the dark. Gradually the light pool expands to reveal the young man, dressed only in traditional knee length red shorts. Two at a time, he is joined by the other six members of the troupe.

The work is organic gradually changing from one idea, one section, into another. Having been joined by the other six and, for most of the performance, they dance in unison, only briefly dividing into groups, each group in unison, but in canon between the groups. Occasionally one dancer will separate from the ensemble, leading eventually to a recombination and a new thought.

The work draws on traditional dance forms, as well as local martial arts, and represents both what is happening within the ocean and with the people on land. At one point the dancers are waving, like the coral agitated by the waves, the coral that is dying, which in turn is the cause of the loss of the fish that live on the reefs. The unison movement reminds the viewer of the way that a school of fish seem to swim and change directions almost as one.

The martial arts movements, with overtones of military precision, represent the people fighting for their survival. Without the reefs, there are no fish. Without the fish, there is no food. With both gone, there will be no tourists and, hence, no income. The community will be unable to continue as they have done in the past. That plea for change, to stop the destruction, to allow the reefs to re-grow, and to bring back the fish and the pristine waters, is strongly presented throughout this piece. It is moving, poignant, and brings the plight of this community clearly into focus before the audience.

It continues until Saturday, so do make an effort to see this excellent performance.

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