The Lost Heritage

I - The Proud Past

Bali.. an island of arts.. where everybody is an artist by birth..

'SANGGAR UNIK' (Unique Workshop) the sign board says on the workshop's front wall, next to the front door. The workshop is quiet at lunch break. The fresh sea breeze feels warm as Nyoman and his father sit on the workshop's porch facing each other, Nyoman on the floor and his father on his carved-root seat. From a distance, the sounds of traditional musical instruments are heard being played, must be from a music workshop.
Nyoman looked up at his father with bright-starry eyes, as his father was talking proudly, "You will be a better artist than myself, Son! As long as you are not lazy. Always try to improve your current skills and try to find new styles and methods. People always like something unique!"

Nyoman politely nods, "Yes, Father. I understand."

Father continues, "As you are my only son, soon you will inherit all these painting designs from me, which I inherited from your grandfather. These designs were created by my great-great-grandfather. These are our family treasures. If you treat them well, they will bring good life to you, as they have brought good life to me."

Nyoman nods again, "I will treat these designs as you have, Father."

Nyoman perfectly understand that generation-by-generation, his family has been living well on the sales of paintings. The designs of the paintings are unique and everyone in the village, or even in Bali would recognise them as his family's. He is as proud of the designs as his father is.

Father took a long-deep breath before concluding their conversation, "I am happy and proud of what you have achieved so far. You finished your high school well, and you have successfully learnt all the designs too. You may continue to University now, and when you finish, you will replace me to continue this workshop."

Nyoman exhales in relieve, "Thank you, Father. I am leaving for Denpasar next week to register at the University."

As his father nods in approval, Nyoman raised himself slightly from the floor where he is sitting facing his father. He took a step back politely, before excusing himself from the porch of the workshop where he always spends his time in whenever he is not busy with school work. He will leave this workshop and his house for a few years now, to his Fine Arts degree in University.

When he comes back, he will make this workshop even more successful than it is now. He will create more designs in the same style that his family always have, and he will invite more importers from overseas to introduce and purchase his work. He will make his father, the Balinese, and even Indonesians proud of him!

That is his dream and promise before he leaves his home..


II - The World Is Upside Down

Five years has passed since Nyoman sat with his father on the workshop's porch..

Nyoman reads his mother's letter for the third time with wrinkles on his forehead, "Son, please do not tell your father that I sent you this letter. He specifically told me not to burden you with this problem, but I believe that your final exams are over and soon you will come home and find out about everything. We haven't been able to sell anything overseas recently. They say it is because someone else has the right to sell it and we don't! I don't understand it, Nyoman! I saw when your grandfather created some of the designs and I saw your father when he created some too. How come they cannot sell their own designs? Their own paintings? Who would have the right to sell these paintings if not the artist themselves? What is happening, Nyoman? Please come home, Son, as soon as you can!"

Nyoman looks at the sky outside his dormroom window. He tries to focus his mind. Then he hears the knock on the door. Quickly he replies, "Come in!"

He saw Wayan, a Law student, one year younger than him, who still has one more year of study to go. Wayan stands at the door with uneasy look on his face, "I have to go home. I won't be coming back next year."

Nyoman shakes his head. This is the second surprise for the day, "What happened? Is your family alright?"

Wayan nods, "Their health is fine, but my father will not be able to support my study any longer. We never saw this coming and we are not prepared for this at all!"

Nyoman looks puzzled, "What's wrong?"

Wayan lets out a long sigh, "Somebody patented our designs, and now we cannot approach any buyers ourselves, while we don't even know who's holding the patent!"

Nyoman looks at Wayan in disbelief, "Is that what has been happening on this island? To all of us?"

Wayan nods, "Yes, and we cannot do anything about it! They have the money to patent our family designs and own the right to buy and sell our products, while we don't even have money to keep our kitchen smoking!"

Nyoman shakes his head, try to resist reality, "You are a Law student. You should have some idea how to overcome this problem.."

Wayan nods again, "Yes, go to court to fight for the patent with the help of a good lawyer to show proofs that the designs are rightfully ours, which will be costly! Or, just keep creating new ideas to sell and hope that somewhere in the process, we generate enough income and profit to save up to patent our designs, otherwise, be prepared to have our designs patented by other people over the time."

Nyoman lets out a heavy sigh, "That's too harsh! Especially for our elders.."

Wayan exhales and puts a sad smile, "If I could continue studying until I can open a practice, I would do something about this.. But, I need to go home and start working right away. I hope creativity can surface out of desperation.."

Nyoman nods as he smiles back sincerely, "I have to go home too. My family is in the same situation. I hope there are people who have good money and good heart at the same time, to help us bring the change to this situation, while we are struggling to keep our kitchen smoking!"


III - Life Goes On

"Thank you, Sir! Please come again.."

Nyoman smiles as he pockets the US$20.00 from tourist he just did a silhouette art for, as he is walking back to his little seat in front of his tent on Kuta beach. This kind of money is not much, but at least he does not have problem with any patent holder in this kind of art.

He smiles again as he sees someone approaching, "Hey, Wayan! How are doing today?"

Wayan raises a thumb, "Great! There was a couple who were looking for an original sketch for their notepad wedding souvenir. They liked one of mine and bought the sketch for printing. The girl is a journalist, working for a magazine in Jakarta and she agreed to write about my sketches."

Nyoman claps his hands, "Congratulations!"

Wayan nods in respect, "Thanks. How about yourself?"

Nyoman smiles, "Quiet day for me, but, in the morning, I managed to start a sketch for a painting of the sunrise. I hope I can finish it in a few days, then I can sell it in Putu's gallery."

Wayan raises a thumb again, "Good for you! It's always a good break for you, everytime you sell a painting in Putu's gallery."

Nyoman nods, "Yes.. It still feels different from if we are running our workshops like our parents, but if this is what life requires from us for now, then we have to do it! Even if we are working our whole life, we might never achieve the amount we need to patent any of our designs, but at least we are still here.."

Wayan looks at the beautiful Kuta beach and then takes his eyes to the wide ocean in front of him. Nyoman follows Wayan's eyesight. They know that non-Balineses and non-Indonesians have been building hotels and restaurants on the island. They also know that non-Balineses and non-Indonesians have been bringing a part of their culture to stay in Bali, and sometimes they clash with or even eliminate local cultures. Now they also know that their arts have slowly changed 'ownerships' to people external to their island too. In the future, the beach, the sea and even the island itself, may change 'ownership' to other people..

This beautiful beach, this beautiful island are the very things that make each man born here have artistic mind and heart. Some business people out of the island have done things to change the lives of people who were innocent and pure in creating arts.

Balinese people are artists, they can and will always be artists as long as they live, and their arts will always be loved by other people. However, how we choose to respect them and their arts is what we need to reconsider, if we want them to exist longer..

-23 October 2008-