Photo source: Aji Wartono Facebook
The ambitious project of Agung “Leak” Kurniawan to re-singing, record and distribute songs of Dialita finally completed. Dialita is a choir who’s the members are former female political prisoners and families of 1965 tragedy, they without a trial, jailed, banished, or exiled by the regime. Their songs are forbidden songs born from detention spaces and exile.
The desire to documented the lost history or accidentally omitted as well as creat a reminder monument, was the background of Agung, an artist and artistic director of Kedai Kebun Forum (KKF), initiated this project. Involving several other musicians such as Cholil Mahmud, Frau, Kroncongan Agawe Santosa, Lintang Radittya, Nadya Hatta, Prihatmoko Catur, and Sisir Tanah, pro bono donated their time, energy, and talents. The album entitled The World Belongs to Us (Dunia Milik Kita) was finally completed and launched on October 1, 2016 at the campus of Sanata Dharma University Yogyakarta.
Quoted from his Facebook page, Agung Kurniawan, he says a very humble gratitude for everyone who have been involved in this historic album project.
“Last night was the end of the project of making and launching World Belongs to Us (Dunia Milik Kita) CD of the choir Dialita. Starting from seeing their performance at opening night of Biennale Jogja, November 2015, we think it’s an unfortunately if the spirit and the songs they sing are undocumented. We began to look for ways and sense to record and disseminate the banned songs. In many conversations with the personnel of this group often spoken that the song actually not only beautiful sounds but more than that. Songs and acts of singing are the way they are for “survival” while in the camp. These songs are monuments without bricks, cement and iron frame. About how people survive and try to beat it against life.
Every song and singing acts are monuments, which stand up clawing the sky. Thus, when the voice was floated or we sing while driving, ironing or shower in the bathroom, we truly have become one of the many bricks of the monument.
I says many thanks to the supporters of this project; Leilani Hermiasih, singer who lazy to sing, Nadya Hatta, Erie Setiawan keroncongan, shy singer Danto, Cholil, Woto Wibowo for his awesome sensitivity of music, Adi Adriandi with all the backstage dramas, Venti Wijayanti who care and record the amount of money which not so many, Yudistira Satria on bad sense of humor and the empty gaze with no soul. Dear and fear sponsors; IVAA, Kedai Kebun, the ticket buyers, CDs and other merchandise, car borrowers that willing to be bothered, and certainly for the pretty trellises which now cold and shivering in those mansions; forgive me.
One year already and last night was finished beautifully. May God, the goddess kwang im, goddess of the moon, god of the sun and the guardian spirits of Soekarno banyan tree always gives us a sense of peace and not easily daunted.
Being scared was good but never so timid (Cor; 3-7).” |Yumaya Mija|