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Thank You
[audience applause]
Good afternoon audience.. [afternoon]
Are you happy today? [yes..]
Me too. [audience laugh]
The Japanese has a term called Konagata
Konagata is, a male playing the role of a female, in the performing art of Kabuki.
There's also Takarasuka, in which all the actors are female.
While Konagata has all male actors.
In Indonesia, there are actually many forms of cross gender art.
In many different regions. In Central Java, East Java,
"Ludruk" as I'm sure you know.
And then in Bali there is "Arjen Wani". Wani male, Arjen is a form of art.
All the actors are male.
If we pass Java and went to Sumatra, they have "landai" over there. \
Landai also use to have male actors playing the role of females.
And then in Sulawesi, maybe some of you have read about the Bissu priest
With two S's "Bissu" B I S S U
I once visited one of the Bissu priest in Sulawesi.
She was the only magically powerful female Bissu priest. Her name was Ma' Temi
And I was very welcomed by the Bissu communities in Sulawesi.
I was raised by a simple family. I was born in Temanggung.
And since I was little, I've always experienced what it felt to be a minority.
Because for one, my father was Chinese, my mother was javanese.
So maybe for you who havent read my biography,
You might not know that I am a chinese descendant.
But I am a chinese with an Indonesian culture. , especially Java, Bali, Sunda, Jawa, etc.
And then, I've also experienced discrimination because I am a man, playing the role of a woman.
In this era, or When i started this in 1974,
This tradition was not well knowned by the common public.
So when people see me dance, some times they see me as...
"Hey.. Bencong (transexual)" they would say.
But I am still in one piece!
[audience laugh and applause]
I mean, I haven't done any operations.
I was born as a man, complete with all the equipments.
[audience laugh]
"I have a long sword" [indonesian song]
But because i learn the world of womanhood, as a cross-gender dancer,
So I might look feminine.
And I like comedy, because
I realize that life is funny sometimes.
I dont have to go into it, but if we see the political situation in Indonesia,
It's funny, right! Lots of acting, lots of actors. Including myself.
But I act to get money for a "scoop of rice" (earn a living).
But for the rest.. I don't know!
[audience laugh]
So, I basically have experienced discrimination since I was little.
Chinese descendant, Christian, like a transexual.
So when i went to college in ASTI in 1974, people didn't think that
I will be someone significant.
But infact, because of those things,
[audience appaluse]
I can still make suceed and be here in front of all of you.
All of that, is because I believed. I always believed in the language of love.
That in love, especially God's love, we are not different.
because in God's eyes, all is equal.
When we talk about love, then gender is not an issue.
What religion you are, what nation you are, what race you are, it's not important.
because in God's eyes, all is equal. One. Isn't that right?
[Right..]
It's like im preaching right now.
[penonton tertawa]
I apologise, i can get very emotional when talking about my life experiences.
Maybe 3 days and 3 nights would not be enough.
[audience laugh]
But this is what I can share.
That human beings still finds some things impossible. but in front of God, nothing is impossible.
When I started my career, there was a lot of pressure,
a lot of teasing, a lot of insults from society.
But I kept going at it, until i finally mastered the art of cross-gender performance.
I can meet and collaborate with so many similiar artists
from all over the world.
From Japan, India, China. This emboldens me, that I'm not alone.
And so many others are pursuing the world of cross-gender art.
And that's not exactly an easy art form. If a man plays a role of a man,
This is his natural inclination.
But if a man has to play a role of a woman, there are some techniques that we need to master.
I remember what Putu Wijaya said once,
There is an actor from Europe. He said that,
"A man on stage, can play a role of a woman, better than a woman herself"
because a woman just naturally does what she is use to doing,
Without having to think,
Each of her single moves as a woman.
but when a man has to do it, we must learn from scratch.
And by learning, we can be more accurate.
How a woman must sit, how she must walk. A soft woman,
that's gentle, a blue-blooded woman from a higher social status,
A common woman. There is also a woman that walks like this, for example.
[audience laugh]
Those are characters that we need to learn.
Well, there are "tomboys",
or how a flirtatious woman act, There is a science to it,
That is not easy to learn by a man.
So that, more or less is what I can share.
If allowed, i would like to sing a song.
I sing too, you know.
[audience laugh]
to get a "scoop of rice".
[audience laugh]
[Teach us, Your language of love]
[So we can be close, to you. Dear Lord]
[Teach us, Your language of love]
[So we can be close, to you.]
[audience applause]