Before the façade art is the spot where the Opening Ceremony of the Biennale Jogja XVI Equator #6 at the Jogja National Museum (JNM) complex was held on Wednesday (6/10/2021) afternoon. The audience celebrated the spirit of Oceania by wearing clothes with Nusantara patterns: batik from various regions, ulos, kamen, and so on.
The opening of the main exhibition continued by entering the first floor of the gallery. Inside, their attention was diverted by the loud and rhythmic sounds of the Udeido Collective’s installation room. And the attention-grabbing thuds of feet against the floor. Almost every visitor curiously peeked inside.
In a dark room, the Serar dance is performed passionately by all of the dancers who collaborate with the Udeido Collective. Around ten people danced in a circle while singing. It was as if they were spilling every emotion and voice all the feelings that were silenced. The bark covered in brown paint became the basis for them to dance.
The magical atmosphere is supported by alternating blue, red, and alternating colors of light. A translucent cloth dangled over the performers as if to reveal their struggles in Papua.
The name is Serar Dance. It talks about the journey to Koreri, which is the space where the souls of Papuans can live in peace after passing through the material dimension and all its ironies. At the same time, they want a better land for Papua.
“We dance (Serar) as a celebration and a song that will bring the spirits of the Papuan to peace. Koreri is not a fictional place and is not simply a ‘paradise’. We (Papuans) interpret Koreri as a state of peace, as well as a movement that wants a better Papuan land,” explained Dicky Takndare, a member of the Udeido Collective.
Maxsi Sedik, one of the dancers, told us a little about the dance from a cultural perspective. He said the Serar dance is a folk dance that is usually performed during traditional ceremonies: to escort a woman who was asked to marry, giving thanks for opening a new land, and so on.
“Serar dance is presented because it is a part of life. It livens up the soul. Even though we have wandered away from our homeland, exploring new knowledge and habits, how is it (soul) brought to life. The song that we recited, the first one, embraces togetherness. The second is to summon the spirits of the dead,” said Maxsi.
For almost an hour they danced and danced tirelessly. Visitors also came in turn, allowing each other to watch the Serar dance from the Udeido Collective.
“I hope that visitors will not only enjoy the exoticism of the dance but also try to enter into the various narratives that we are building inside (the installation room),” said Dicky when asked about the expectations regarding the visitors who witnessed the dance.
Dicky emphasized that they tried to show various social, humanities, and political issues through their work (dance). He hoped for more than just enjoyment.
