Kupang - Jermias Ougust Pah celebrated his 69th birthday two months ago but he shows no signs of slowing down.
The father of 10 is both an artist and a teacher who has helped put sasando -- a palm-leaf harp-like musical instrument from Rote Island in East Nusa Tenggara -- onto the world stage.
His work has kept him busy looking after guests and even tourists who come to his simple house in Oebelo village in Central Kupang, Kupang regency.
"They come to see the sasando for themselves," Jermias told The Jakarta Post proudly.
"There are also those who want to hear the original sound of the unique traditional music."
He is committed to preserving sasando not only because he is one of the remaining maestros of this unique musical instrument; he is doing it simply because he wants to.
And his efforts have not gone unnoticed.
In late 2006, he received a cultural award and gold pin from Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik.
A year later, the minister named him an Indonesian artist maestro. He was given a certificate and Rp 6 million prize, presented by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
"I`m proud," he said of his achievement. "My hard work is appreciated and recognized by the government and the Nusa Tenggara Timur community."
Late last year the Nusa Tenggara Timur Academia Forum named him one of the leaders who had recorded significant achievements in 2008.
The Nusa Tenggara Timur Academia Forum is an academic network of journalists, activists, NGOs, university students, community leaders and church leaders from the province, with members spread across Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia and major cities in Indonesia.
He has received international recognition also.
In mid-2007, he was invited to take part in a three-month exchange program for traditional musicians in Yokohama, Japan.
"I was asked to play sasando at an exhibition, in front of a thousand people. They were very impressed with the sasando."
He has also performed in Timor Leste four times and has been invited to play in Rome, Italy, this year.
There are many stories from various sources describing how the sasando developed, but Jermias claims it all began on Rote Island in the 17th century.
The legend of the instrument, as he retells it, starts with two young brothers who were herding sheep. As they were both tired, they fell asleep under a thick palm tree. As they slept, they heard strains of marvelous music coming from a spider who was plucking the strands of its web.
When they awoke, the sounds lingered in their memories. One of them was inspired by the music to make from palm leaves a harp-like musical instrument with strings in the center.
At first, there were only between five and 11 strings with five tones, but over time, the number of strings increased; a modern sasando has between 26 and 32 strings.
"Now I am developing the instrument to feature 45 to 57 strings," Jermias said. "All types of tones can be played on the sasando. So the sound will be complete, similar to a musical ensemble."
Jermias` success in becoming a maestro of traditional music might seem unlikely, given that he is a farmer`s son. But his father, Ougust Pah, who passed away in 1972, was also something of a maestro.
Jermias wanted to be a musician from when he was just a small boy, with his artistic talent beginning to emerge when he was still in elementary school.
"In school we were taught to hit the gong. At home, my father trained me to play the sasando. At that time, I was around nine years old. My father was a tremendous sasando player."
Still, despite his own success, he has one burning wish in his heart -- to ignite interest in the instrument among the young.
"Five of my 10 children know how to play sasando," he said proudly.
The children play sasando every week at religious services. A church in Manado has even hired Jermias and his son, Jitro, to teach the instrument to young male church members.
Nevertheless, he said, there are no more than 100 sasando musicians across the whole country.
And therein lies his mission.
"It`s my obligation to educate young people to play sasando."
But he does not have to do it alone -- the World Bank itself has pledged to help him train at least 10 children from broken homes each year.
Under this program, he will be paid Rp 4 million each month -- big money for a man whose reputation does little to improve his financial situation.
His house is only half finished. Walls built 10 years ago are on the verge of collapse. Some walls have cracks in them, and the roof leaks in parts.
But this simple house is Jermias` showroom: He has turned his living room into an "exhibition room" for sasando, ti`ilangga (a special Roti hat made from palm leaves), a gong, a small drum made from a section of coconut shell and Ndao, traditional woven cloth exclusively from Rote.
A hut on the west side of his house serves as a workshop, where he makes sasando and sasando souvenirs.
Despite his modest situation, Jermias remains optimistic that he and his sasando can find their place in the music world.
"Like a single, fragrant flower, my dream for the sasando is that it makes music that brings peace to souls all over the world." Yemris Fointuna
Source: http://old.thejakartapost.com (January 7, 2008)
The father of 10 is both an artist and a teacher who has helped put sasando -- a palm-leaf harp-like musical instrument from Rote Island in East Nusa Tenggara -- onto the world stage.
His work has kept him busy looking after guests and even tourists who come to his simple house in Oebelo village in Central Kupang, Kupang regency.
"They come to see the sasando for themselves," Jermias told The Jakarta Post proudly.
"There are also those who want to hear the original sound of the unique traditional music."
He is committed to preserving sasando not only because he is one of the remaining maestros of this unique musical instrument; he is doing it simply because he wants to.
And his efforts have not gone unnoticed.
In late 2006, he received a cultural award and gold pin from Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik.
A year later, the minister named him an Indonesian artist maestro. He was given a certificate and Rp 6 million prize, presented by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
"I`m proud," he said of his achievement. "My hard work is appreciated and recognized by the government and the Nusa Tenggara Timur community."
Late last year the Nusa Tenggara Timur Academia Forum named him one of the leaders who had recorded significant achievements in 2008.
The Nusa Tenggara Timur Academia Forum is an academic network of journalists, activists, NGOs, university students, community leaders and church leaders from the province, with members spread across Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia and major cities in Indonesia.
He has received international recognition also.
In mid-2007, he was invited to take part in a three-month exchange program for traditional musicians in Yokohama, Japan.
"I was asked to play sasando at an exhibition, in front of a thousand people. They were very impressed with the sasando."
He has also performed in Timor Leste four times and has been invited to play in Rome, Italy, this year.
There are many stories from various sources describing how the sasando developed, but Jermias claims it all began on Rote Island in the 17th century.
The legend of the instrument, as he retells it, starts with two young brothers who were herding sheep. As they were both tired, they fell asleep under a thick palm tree. As they slept, they heard strains of marvelous music coming from a spider who was plucking the strands of its web.
When they awoke, the sounds lingered in their memories. One of them was inspired by the music to make from palm leaves a harp-like musical instrument with strings in the center.
At first, there were only between five and 11 strings with five tones, but over time, the number of strings increased; a modern sasando has between 26 and 32 strings.
"Now I am developing the instrument to feature 45 to 57 strings," Jermias said. "All types of tones can be played on the sasando. So the sound will be complete, similar to a musical ensemble."
Jermias` success in becoming a maestro of traditional music might seem unlikely, given that he is a farmer`s son. But his father, Ougust Pah, who passed away in 1972, was also something of a maestro.
Jermias wanted to be a musician from when he was just a small boy, with his artistic talent beginning to emerge when he was still in elementary school.
"In school we were taught to hit the gong. At home, my father trained me to play the sasando. At that time, I was around nine years old. My father was a tremendous sasando player."
Still, despite his own success, he has one burning wish in his heart -- to ignite interest in the instrument among the young.
"Five of my 10 children know how to play sasando," he said proudly.
The children play sasando every week at religious services. A church in Manado has even hired Jermias and his son, Jitro, to teach the instrument to young male church members.
Nevertheless, he said, there are no more than 100 sasando musicians across the whole country.
And therein lies his mission.
"It`s my obligation to educate young people to play sasando."
But he does not have to do it alone -- the World Bank itself has pledged to help him train at least 10 children from broken homes each year.
Under this program, he will be paid Rp 4 million each month -- big money for a man whose reputation does little to improve his financial situation.
His house is only half finished. Walls built 10 years ago are on the verge of collapse. Some walls have cracks in them, and the roof leaks in parts.
But this simple house is Jermias` showroom: He has turned his living room into an "exhibition room" for sasando, ti`ilangga (a special Roti hat made from palm leaves), a gong, a small drum made from a section of coconut shell and Ndao, traditional woven cloth exclusively from Rote.
A hut on the west side of his house serves as a workshop, where he makes sasando and sasando souvenirs.
Despite his modest situation, Jermias remains optimistic that he and his sasando can find their place in the music world.
"Like a single, fragrant flower, my dream for the sasando is that it makes music that brings peace to souls all over the world." Yemris Fointuna
Source: http://old.thejakartapost.com (January 7, 2008)
