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Preserving culture and traditions through stories

Posted on 15 June 2015

KUCHING: Renowned Indonesian traditional storyteller Made Taro
mesmerised some 50 children at the state library with his stories
depicting Asian fables, myths and tales.

Made, who uses
traditional music and songs mimicking the fables’ characters said that
he would perform his act once a month in many venues around Indonesia
and also countries in the region by invitation.

“I have been
involved in traditional storytelling since 1973, and for 42 years I have
continued to share my interest with young people,” he said when met
after his Traditional Storytelling and Music session at the state
library’s reading room here yesterday.

“At first I had a few young
followers, but now I probably have more than 5,000 young children who
really enjoy my storytelling and own most of my books,” he said.

He
said that currently in his collection he had 200 traditional games, 150
old fables or stories and 225 old children songs that are seldom heard
anymore.

“I want youths to learn the old culture and traditions of
Indonesian storytelling and have further insight into ancestral fables
and myths that are seldom told or portrayed these days,” he explained.

Made
said that he will continue to do what he is doing for as long as he is
still able to, as most the these old fables, stories, games and songs
are on the verge of disappearing.

He added that he is working with his government to rejuvenate these old tales and select those that teach social values.

“These
days our youth are very much influenced by the digital world and high
tech gadgets that they do not want to learn about their ancestral
culture through songs, music and stories,” he lamented.

His style
of storytelling involves the use of traditional music played with bamboo
instruments, bringing the characters in the stories to life through
movement and audience participation, he said.

The 76-year-old Made
hopes that his son Gede Tarmada, who is a musician, writer and painter,
will continue his legacy and continue to be a storyteller like him,
much like how he inherited his stories from his parents.

Made revealed that he had published 36 children’s books depicting fables and stories from Indonesia, Malaysia, India and China.

He said that his most popular book was titled “Bawang Merah Dan Bawang Putih”, which he believes is also popular in Malaysia.

Made
is a recipient of many awards, and was bestowed the prestigious
Cultural Medallion from the President of the Republic of Indonesia in
2009.

Made’s storytelling event was part of the ‘Pustaka –
Bookaroo in the City’ programme organised by the Sarawak State Library
said its Service Sector head Japri Bujang Masli.

“The purpose is to encourage the collecting of children’s books and also inculcate the habit of reading,” he said.

For more information, contact Razak Rambili or Drang Jite at 082- 442000 ext 343.