International Silat Federation of

America & Indonesia

Semi-Annual ReportSummer 2008

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© 2008

Sh. Bapak Waleed

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International Silat Federation of America Semi‐Annual Report, Summer 2008 

SilatUSA@gmail.com

Please find enclosed a snapshot of the various activities of the International Silat Federation of America, led by Director Bapak Waleed, during the spring of 2008, covering up through June 2008, including events and press releases, letters of support and invitation, certificates exchanged, press coverage, and promotional materials. General Information ISFA Dance Programs Brochure ISFA Wellness Programs Brochure ISFA@Yale Poster Recognition & Letters of Support & Invitation Letter of Invitation & Support from Pak Muasri

of the Camir Putih School, West Sumatra Outstanding Volunteer Award from DESK Thank You Letter from Harvard University Letter of Invitation & Support from Yale University

School of Medicine

ISFA in Indonesia Extended Indonesian Tour, February – June 2008 Pekan Budaya Sumatera Barat 2008

ISFA Events in America: Posters & Articles

Yale University Southeast Asia Studies Spring Festival Yale University iDANCE for Global Health New Haven Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen Annual Awards Night Harvard University ARTS First Body-Mind-Spirit Wellness Center – America Cancer Society Benefit ISFA Training in Michigan Upcoming: Yale University SMDEP Wellness Program Related American Events & Coverage Yale University Indonesia Forum Workshop University of Michigan – Indonesian Cultural Night MinangUSA Foundation – visit Sumatra Poster, June 2008

InternationalSilatFederation.com

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International Silat Federation of America

Wellness Programs

SilatUSA@gmail.com InternationalSilatFederation.com

silat@yale.edu yale.edu/silat

Silat Tuo Minang

Silat is the term for the traditional martial arts of Southeast

Asia. The origin of these arts is Indonesia, and Silat Tuo

Minang refers to the traditional movement arts of the

Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, Indonesia. There Silat

is fully incorporated into their culture including art,

architecture, dance, theater, and even forms of healing. The

Minang people are known for their unique culture and

customs, their systems of adab and adat, as well as their

distinctive traditional headdresses and architecture,

reminiscent of the horns of the water buffalo. The Minang

people are one of the oldest and largest fully functional

matrilineal societies still in existence in modern times, with

their roots and heritage stretching back to the 6th century and

earlier.

The practice of Silat Tuo Minang has been used for promoting wellness as well as

therapy. Athletes and performers alike seek training in Silat Tuo Minang to strengthen

joints, tone muscles, increase balance and coordination, and improve breath control.

These aspects aid in the prevention of injuries and facilitation of healing. It has even

been used to help patients recovering from heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. Silat

Tuo Minang also aided those who have experienced trauma and are in need of physical

rehabilitation. The benefits apply to the workplace and classroom, bringing clarity of

mind and focus, with meditative benefits extending to other aspects of daily life.

For more information about Silat and the Minang Culture, please visit the homepage of

the International Silat Federation of America or the affiliated group at Yale University.

“Healthy Body, Sound Mind, Wise Spirit”

Wellness Aspects & Benefits

• Meditations in Motion

• Breathing & Awareness

• Athletes Advantage

• Balance, Coordination

• Clarity of Focus

• Stress Relief

• Joint Health

• Strength & Flexibility

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International Silat Federation of America

Wellness Programs

SilatUSA@gmail.com InternationalSilatFederation.com

silat@yale.edu yale.edu/silat

Director Profile: Leonardo J. Stoute, Bapak Waleed For over 33 years, Leonardo J. Stoute has practiced traditional arts

from cultures around the world, having traveled and spent time

studying with elders in various countries and regions, including

Turkey, Korea, Japan, South Africa, and Central & South America.

He spent many of those years in Southeast Asia, concentrating his

time in the “Islands of Fire,” Indonesia. His experience with the

Minangkabau culture of West Sumatra, Indonesia was a deeply

meaningful one, and he was inspired to remain there and further his

education. In recognition of his gifts, however, his teachers

encouraged him to travel and share the beauty of Indonesian

traditions and culture, and the natural, human essence they contain,

throughout the rest of the world. Once back in the United States, he founded and established the

International Silat Federation of America to provide educational, cultural outreach, and

wellness activities through both universities and community centers. Through the ISFA, Bapak

shares appreciation for Indonesia culture, including the martial arts, spiritual dance, music, and

the meditative and natural healing methods contained within the Indonesian and Southeast Asian

traditions.

In recognition of his efforts and dedication to sharing the traditions of Silat Tuo Minangkabau,

the elders of the tradition granted him the title “Bapak Waleed”, a mark of distinction, respect,

and learning. Bapak Waleed has received the “Key to the City” of Padang, West Sumatra,

Indonesia, from the Mayor, Drs. H. Fauzi Bahar. He has also received several proclamations in

the States, including from Mayor John Hieftje of Ann Arbor, MI, Mayor John DeStefano of New

Haven, CT; Mayor James K. Hahn of Los Angeles, CA; and the Governor of Nevada. Further

commendations have come from The Original Warrior Association and the Council on Southeast

Asian Studies at Yale University. Bapak has also been recognized by the Consulate Generals of

the Republic of Indonesia in New York and Chicago.

Bapak Waleed and the ISFA are continually invited to teach, present workshops and give

performances around the country. In addition, Bapak has been invited to lead sessions at places

of healing, medical centers, and hospitals, including the largest Cardiac Rehab Hospital in

Indonesia. A world-renowned expert on healing, meditation and the martial arts, Bapak is

consistently sought out for his knowledge, experience and consultation. A few recent events have

included a demonstration and workshop at Harvard University’s Arts First Celebration,

performances at the Yale University Peabody Museum of Natural History, and a production

called “Secrets of the Heart II” at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

For more information about Bapak Waleed, ISFA, and

Ongoing Sessions at Yale, visit the websites below:

InternationalSilatFederation.com Yale.edu/Silat

ISFA Events Southeast Asia Studies Spring Festival Yale University March 1, 2008

Tonight at Yale University, the Council on Southeast Asia Studies hosted their annual Spring Festival on campus, at Luce Hall. The evening featured dinner and a reception, with cultural displays presented by several Yale student groups, including Kasama, the Filipino Society, MASA, the Malaysian and Singaporean Association, and ISFA@Yale, the International Silat Federation of America. Joe Errington, Chair of the Council on Southeast Asia Studies, welcomed everyone and introduced the performers, thanking especially Quang Van, Indriyo Sukmono, and Kristine Mooseker for organizing and presenting the Festival.

Students, faculty, and staff from around the University, and others from as far away as New Jersey, gathered for an evening of Balinese Music and Dance. The evening’s performances were headlined by the Gamelan Dharma Swara from the Indonesian Consulate General in New York. This traditional Balinese Gamelan accompanied a series of Balinese Dancers, also from the Indonesian Consulate in New York. The Gamelan Dharma Swara and Balinese Dance Troupe are led by Teachers and Artistic Directors I Nyoman Saptanyana and Ida Ayu Ari Candrawati, with Chris Romero, Exective Director. The dance numbers included a pendet offering dance, a traditional form of the legong dance portraying the story of two brothers, as well as the baris warrior dance and the barong dance of the dragon.

In between dance numbers, Chris Romero led Question & Answer sessions with the audience, explaining in turns the significance of the traditional dress for the musicians and dancers, the narratives following the dances, and the musical style and instrumentation of the Balinese Gamelan itself.

ISFA Events iDance for Global Health Yale University March 29, 2008 ISFA@Yale extends special thanks to all of the organizers of iDANCE for their hard work and dedication, especially to Jessica Stephens and Patrick McCarthy. We look forward to more dance marathons at Yale in the future.

iDANCE for Global Health at Yale University brought together students from around the University community to support global health groups run by Yale students and alumni. The event was part of Global Health Week at Yale, which also held a week of events in February, including lectures, discussions, and a symposium with student research posters and presentations. The iDANCE marathon featured performances and lessons from several of Yale’s dance groups, and also featured prizes and dance competitions, and a variety of cultural cuisine from around the world.

During the afternoon and early evening, dance performances and lessons were given by a local Salsa instructor, the Yale Bellydance Society, and Yale’s Konjo African Dance Team. ISFA@Yale gave a presentation accompanied by a video presentation of traditional Indonesian Dance from West Sumatra, Indonesia. The dance lesson to the participants introduced them to the “flower dance” as well as the hand movements which accompany the dances, theater, and martial arts traditions of West Sumatra. The lesson culminated with servings of traditional Indonesian Ginger Tea. Later on in the evening, the dancing continued with a Bhangra DJ, a techno hour, and a Social Cup competition between the Yale Colleges.

iDANCE for Global Health was held in collaboration with Party for a Cause, co-sponsored by the YCC, and was the winner of the UOFC 5K student activities competition. All proceeds from the evening were directed to two NGOs run by Yale alumni. Nyaya Health was co-founded by students and alumni of the Yale School of Medicine, and aims to “improve the health of poor communities in Nepal through the provision of medical and public health services.” More information can be found on the Nyaya Health website. Amman Imman serves to “build permanent water sources for the rural population of the Azawak,” the plains of Central Niger. A program of the Friendship Caravan, Amman Imman was co-founded by alumni of Yale College and the Yale School of Public Health. More information can be found online at Water for Niger.

ISFA Events The Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen in New Haven, CT, experienced a landmark year during 2007. With operations expanding, DESK underwent major renovations to its kitchen and facilities in the basement of the Center Church on the Green. Providing nightly dinners, weekly food pantry openings, and food bags and bagged lunches for the poor and working poor, DESK easily serves up to 1000 people each week. This past year, attendance at nightly dinners remained high during fall and winter, even though past years have shown summer to be the busiest time. With the increasing need and demand for DESK’s services, the many individuals and groups that volunteer to help DESK have similarly increased in their efforts to ensure that DESK maintain its high level of capacity.

Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK) Annual Awards Night New Haven, CT April 16, 2008 ISFA@Yale would like to extend special thanks to Executive Director Diana Richter and Director of Operations Jeanne Marie May of DESK, for their continual and ongoing support of the New Haven community and especially those in need.

On Sunday, April 6, the Unitarian Society in Hamden hosted the Annual DESK Soup Night, bringing people from the community as well as nearby schools and universities, including Quinnipiac, Yale, and Southern CT State Universities. Local restaurants and individuals donated food for all in attendance, and the local chapters of the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity helped to set up and serve the meal. Executive Director Diana Richter and Director of Operations Jeanne Marie May presented the dedicated volunteers and groups with awards in recognition of their service to DESK, and by extension, to the needy throughout the New Haven community.

Awards were presented to several groups and individuals, including a collaboration of local synagogues that serves DESK dinners on Sunday nights throughout the academic year. Together, this collection of synagogues, including Congregation Or Shalom, Temple Emmanuel, Temple Beth Shalom, Yale Hillel and Temple Beth David, make DESK one of only a handful of kosher soup kitchens nationwide. The Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale hosts these Sunday night DESK dinners, and Amy Aaland of the Center received a special award for her dedication to maintaining smooth operations behind the scenes. Rabbi James Ponet, of the Slifka Center, also blessed the evening meal.

Several local schools and student groups received special recognition, including students and student groups from Yale University. The International Silat Federation of America at Yale was given an award in recognition of its consistency in supporting DESK on a regular basis. Eliza Schafler, a co-coordinator of Yale’s Dwight Hall, the umbrella organization for community service organizations on campus, received a special recognition for her personal contributions to DESK, along with Jane Levy, co-coordinator of the Yale Hunger and Homelessness Action Project (YHHAP). Eliza also accepted an award on behalf of the Yale Hunger and Homelessness Action Project, one of the many member groups of the Dwight Hall. In addition, the Foote School, Hamden Hall School, and local university chapters of the Alpha Phi Omega and Delta Epsilon Omega fraternities all received special recognition and awards for their service during 2007.

Henry Ford, a dedicated and dependable volunteer at DESK on a daily basis, received the Volunteer of the Year award, a new award for this year. Another new award was given in honor of Lynne Valentine, a teacher at the Foote School, who is retiring this year after having spent the last several years instilling in her students the desire to serve others. The new award has been named the Valentine Award for Young Humanitarians, and

the Inaugural Award was given to several Foote School students. Diana Richter and Jeanne Marie May also recognized the members of the DESK Board of Directors, the New Haven County Bar Association, and Jeff Glagowsky, who single-handedly suggested and then executed one of the most successful food drives of 2007: Zombie Fest.

DESK continues to operate on a daily basis, and to accept help from volunteers in many forms, whether through the donation of goods or services, or time spent preparing and serving meals at the Soup Kitchen. DESK will continue delivering awards in recognition for those who served in 2007, with the upcoming Bingham Awards for Yale undergraduates, at Dwight Hall on Wednesday April 9 at 4:30pm. Another fundraiser takes place this coming weekend, with the Yale Bellydancing Society donating all proceeds from their Annual Gala Dance Show to DESK. The show, “Hips Against Hunger” runs Thursday and Friday at 9pm, and Saturday at 7pm, at the Yale Off-Broadway Theater.

ISFA Events ARTS First Weekend Festival Harvard University/ Boston, MA May 2-4, 2008 ISFA would like to extend special thanks to our gracious hosts at Leverett House, including Lauren Brandt, Leverett House Tutor and Coordinator of Sophomore Advising, who we also congratulate on her recent appointment to the Resident Dean position for the House.

Each year, during the first weekend in May, the Harvard University campus celebrates the Arts in all of their forms: visual arts, performing arts, music, dance, theater, and many more. During this year's Celebration, Harvard's Leverett House invited the ISFA to present several events on the Traditional Arts & Dance of West Sumatra, Indonesia.

The Cultural arts of West Sumatra have a unique place in the art world, spanning a broad range of disciplines from traditional dance, theater, and self-defense - to forms of natural healing and “meditations in motion.” The sessions began with a brief introductory lecture and video presentation of a traditional Minangkabau cultural wedding, showcasing the types of performances that typically accompany such an occasion. The renowned Syofyani’s Dance & Music Ensemble performed several dances, including the famous Candle & Plate Dance, which was performed with lit candles in hand and bare feet on a bed of broken glass. Afterward, the audience had the opportunity to reflect on what they had just seen, and to also try the movements themselves.

Although the audience members did not have any prior first-hand experience with Indonesian or Southeast Asian dance, each person connected in some way to the movements they tried and the demonstrations and performances they witnessed.

Everyone tried the movements: children, parents, Harvard students and staff, and community members alike. There was a deep appreciation expressed for the uniqueness of the movements; one participant remarked in admiration, “they feel so connected.” For some, the movements reminded them of systems of movement from their own traditional cultures, such as with tai chi or yoga. While for others, the music was reminiscent of something they might hear in a traditional cultural setting from elsewhere in Asia. Overall, the participants were happy to learn something new about another culture, and were glad to be able to relate the experience in some way to their own life and background.

The sessions offered a small window into a unique culture and way of life for many of the participants. Several asked for training recommendations in the various places they would be traveling to for the summer, while others expressed further interest in the music. Though mainly, many simply wanted to know when they would have another opportunity to watch upcoming performances by the ISFA.

ISFA Events Body-Mind-Spirit Wellness Center benefit for the American Cancer Society Ann Arbor, MI June 5, 2008

Every year the American Cancer Society holds a nation wide fundraiser event known as the “Relay for Life”. For this event, individuals are encouraged to join teams and raise funds as they pledge to run or walk at their local relay. The folks at the Body-Mind-Spirit Wellness Center, or Ann Arbor, MI, formed a team and decided to hold an event of their own ahead of time to raise money for their participation. Practitioners, therapists, and instructors at the center were invited to the evening event to share their knowledge with the public. Included in this were two performances, one by Capoeira Mandinga

of Michigan, and by members of the International Silat Federation of America and other students of Bapak Waleed. Audience members were delighted by the displays and had questions and words of appreciation for each other afterwards. One common theme that kept surfacing was the respect for traditions, reverence for our teachers, and the importance of humility in the students. Much thanks to Bapak Waleed for his support of the community through such events as these.

ISFA Events The students do not follow the teacher as he or she ought to be followed, and this is no different for us. However, in an attempt to adhere to the curriculum of Bapak Waleed, students of the International Silat Federation of America have incorporated outdoor training in their practice sessions.

International Silat Federation of America Outdoor Training Sessions The pictures are from Island Park in Ann Arbor,

Michigan, a favorite training ground of Bapak Waleed’s.

Ann Arbor, MI Summer, 2008

ISFA Events ISFA Wellness Program for the Yale University Summer Medical & Dental Education Program Yale University School of Medicine June 28, 2008 ISFA@Yale extends special thanks to Linda Jackson, Program Coordinator at the Office for Multicultural Affairs at the Yale School of Medicine, and Olatokunbo “Toks” Famakinwa, Yale Medical Student coordinator for the SMDEP.

Thursday evening at Yale University was very special: Leonardo Stoute, Director of the International Silat Federation of America, led a Wellness Program for the Yale SMDEP. Leonardo Stoute, also known by his title Bapak Waleed, gave an hour-long lecture, followed by a second workshop hour, leading the attendees in breathing exercises, stepping, and hand movements. During his lecture, Bapak delighted the audience with stories from his own life, from coming to America not speaking a word of English, to receiving his MBA and being poised at the top of the business world, training as an Olympic level athlete with black belt in tae kwon do and red sash in kung fu. Ultimately entering an enlightened path, heading deeper into Indonesia for the last 28 years, he has spent time with the Elders to learn the ways of Silat Tuo Minang, Seni Silat Haqq, and Silat Randai of West Sumatra, the root of the Indonesian people and the Silat “Seni” arts of that region.

During the lecture and presentation, Bapak shared pictures and slideshows from his travels to Indonesia, as well as views of the Indonesian culture, and traditional performances of the Minangkabau people. He gave the participants a taste of the culture of Indonesia, focusing on the Minang, and then delved more deeply into their Natural Healing methods, through herbs, meditation, and movement.

Bapak spent much of the lecture encouraging the participants to find their centers, to dedicate time and space to themselves, to be peaceful and meditate, in such a way to allow themselves to stop thinking and let go the troubles and heaviness of daily life and studies. Even the simple act of relaxing from the head and shoulders downward can help you relax and sink into the ground, letting Mother Earth absorb the heaviness and burdens of this life.

As Bapak explained and described to participants, through meditation, and especially through awareness and control of the breath, students can begin to gain control of themselves, and their thoughts, and at higher levels gain control of their circulation and hearts. In order to find their center, they must gain

an appreciation and understanding for the things that cause them to lose balance. Whenever there is a feeling of being upset or frustrated, it can mean there is a lack of acceptance, communication, and balance. These techniques, through breathing and meditation, and sometimes simply leaving the room if a situation becomes frustrating, are all ways to regain one’s center in life. Silat takes these lessons and applies them to movement – Bapak explained how those who practice Silat move “with balance” as opposed to “into balance.” To appeal to the medical aspect of the curriculum, Bapak discussed the implications of stress for high blood pressure, arterial blockages, and other various health problems. On the flip side, he also discussed the implications of meditation for improving circulation and facilitating healing. Bapak also has extensive experience and training in other alternative healing methods and remedies, including in herbal medicine and Unani medicine, both of which fall under the category of Complementary and Alternative Medicine currently gaining recognition in medical research and curricula at top medical schools throughout the country, including here at Yale University. Bapak himself has had many remarkable experiences due to the effects of meditation and alternative healing, including an extremely quick recovery from microscopic surgery on his knee: the very next weekend he was leading a Silat workshop at Yale.

To demonstrate that the practice of “meditation in movement” can have both immediate and long-lasting effects, Bapak invited the participants to the floor of the lecture hall to see for themselves. He began with breathing exercises, to loosen the body and allow for the flow of breath and energy throughout. The movements were done in a slow and controlled fashion, rather than at speed, in order to focus on the meditative aspect. He then demonstrated and taught the basic movements of the main stepping patterns, and then isolated some of the hand movements in a sitting posture. As the movements became faster, Bapak encouraged the participants to not think about what they were doing, and instead to simply move, and thereby clear their thoughts.

Bapak closed the session by thanking everyone for coming in the traditional manner, and by asking everyone to share where they were coming from. The Yale SMDEP draws talented college students interested in the pre-med curriculum from all over the country. The participants in the workshop came from across the United States, from the East Coast: Maryland, New Jersey, Tennessee, Florida; the Midwest: Chicago, Cleveland, Houston; and the West Coast: Los Angeles. Several participants were from outside the Continental US: from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Ethiopia. Everyone thanked Bapak very much, asking follow-up questions about training, and about the Gamelan music that had been playing in the background for the duration of the lecture and workshop.

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International Silat Federation of America

SilatUSA@gmail.com InternationalSilatFederation.com

silat@yale.edu Yale.edu/Silat

June, 2008

Dear SMDEP Participants,

Welcome to the Yale University School of Medicine and SMDEP 2008! As part

of this year’s Career Development module and curriculum, the Yale SMDEP has invited

Leonardo J. Stoute, Director of the International Silat Federation of America, to lead a

Wellness Program on Thursday June 26, at 7pm, in the TAC auditorium and foyer.

Both time and stress management will play important roles in your collegiate and

professional school studies, as well as in your future career paths, whatever they may be.

Successful management of stress promotes health, prevents illness, and aids productivity

in the classroom and in the workplace.

The curriculum of the ISFA Wellness program is based in the arts of Silat Tuo

Minang, a collection of traditional wellness practices of the Minangkabau people of West

Sumatra, Indonesia. The ISFA Wellness curriculum covers topics such as:

• Clarity of focus

• Stress relief

• Meditations in motion

• Breathing and awareness

You can learn more about these arts from the enclosed information sheet as well as from

our websites at Yale.edu/Silat and InternationalSilatFederation.com. We appreciate your

interest and participation in the upcoming ISFA Wellness Program, and look forward to

offering you a rewarding experience.

Best wishes for health and happiness,

ISFA Staff

Leonardo J. Stoute, Director

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Web: Yale.edu/Silat Email: Silat@Yale.edu

Silat Tuo Minang Wellness Program

Leonardo J. StouteDirector, International Silat

Federation of America

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Web: Yale.edu/Silat Email: Silat@Yale.edu

Outline• Background & Introduction• Cultural Background• Wellness Aspects of Silat• Photo Gallery & Slideshow• Workshop…

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Web: Yale.edu/Silat Email: Silat@Yale.edu

Background: Silat• Multifaceted system of movement from SE Asia• Silat Tuo Minang: originates with Minangkabau

people of West Sumatra, Indonesia

Indonesia: 17,508 islands!

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Web: Yale.edu/Silat Email: Silat@Yale.edu

Cultural Background: Minang

• Oldest & largest surviving matrilineal society• Known for unique dress, arts, architecture• “Minangkabau” comes from word for water

buffalo• Silat movements: included in arts, dance,

theater, cultural festivals & ceremonies

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Web: Yale.edu/Silat Email: Silat@Yale.edu

Background: Silat Wellness• Natural Healing of the Minang of West Sumatra:

– Meditation in Movement• Stress Relief & Stress Management• Breathwork: Awareness & Control • Focus & Concentration Effective stress management is essential for

overall health, wellness & career growth

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Web: Yale.edu/Silat Email: Silat@Yale.edu

Background: Silat Wellness• Natural Healing of the Minang of West Sumatra

– Herbalism• Jamu: System of native herbs, used on daily basis• Some familiar ingredients include: ginger, nutmeg

Complementary & Alternative Medicine

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Web: Yale.edu/Silat Email: Silat@Yale.edu

Background: Silat Wellness• Natural Healing of the Minang of West Sumatra

– Rehabilitation & Therapy• Joint Strength & Alignment• Injury Prevention & Rehab• Balance & Coordination

Complementary & Alternative Medicine

Silat Sessions for Cardiac Rehabilitation

Patients at Pusat Jantung Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia

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Web: Yale.edu/Silat Email: Silat@Yale.edu

Silat Sessions at Pusat Hospital

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Web: Yale.edu/Silat Email: Silat@Yale.edu

Silat Sessions at Harvard, Yale, University of Michigan

For more information, Visit InternationalSilatFederation.com,

Yale.edu/Silat, or email Silat@yale.edu

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Web: Yale.edu/Silat Email: Silat@Yale.edu

And now…

Time to experience: “See and do”…

Join us for classes at the Harkness Ballroom…

Upcoming Session: Tuesday, July 1, 3:30pm

Related Events Indonesian Forum Yale University April 2008

The Yale Indonesia Forum and the Council on Southeast Asia Studies hosted a unique symposium over the weekend. On Saturday, April 12, 2008, students, faculty, staff, and visitors gathered in Luce Hall to discuss “Narrative, Memory and History in Indonesian Arts, Media and Culture.” The day featured three panel discussions, each with two discussants, generally a junior and senior faculty member. Professor Joe Errington, Chair of the Council on Southeast Asia Studies, welcomed the participants and thanked Indriyo Sukmono, Senior Lector in Indonesian, as well as the members of the Yale Indonesia Forum who organized the event, including Kevin Fogg and Annette Lienau, both graduate students at Yale. Panelists in the discussions came from a broad range of institutions and backgrounds, including students, researchers, and faculty from universities including Wesleyan, NYU, University of Michigan, University of British Columbia, University of Puget Sound, and Harvard.

The panels themselves elicited some lively conversations and debates, and the participants took advantage of the gathering to discuss their ideas, both during the panel and discussion sessions, as well as during the meal and coffee breaks. Changes in the Indonesian artistic landscape were discussed, as well as the impact of the transition from the Suharto era and the “New Order” administration. At the end of the day, there was a screening of the powerful video documentary, “Lukas’ Moment,” by Aryo Danusiri, a graduate student at Harvard University. The film portrayed the attempts of a young man in Borneo to start his own business, and the very real struggle and hurdles that he and his family and friends faced while trying to build better lives for themselves.

For more information about the Yale Indonesia Forum, please contact Indriyo Sukmono, Senior Lector in the Council on Southeast Asia Studies at Yale University.

2008 Indonesian Cultural Night February 02, 2008 06:30PM - 09:30PM, Chesebrough Auditorium, North Campus Host Department: Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS)The Indonesian Student Association, PERMIAS Sponsored by: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, Stearn Collection of Musical Instruments

http://www.permiasannarbor.com/icn08.htm