Performing Indonesia: Ismunandar

Performing Indonesia: Islamic Intersections, our third festival of Indonesian music, dance, and theater, celebrates some of the many manifestations of Islamic culture in the island nation, which is home to more Muslims than any other country. We’re interviewing some of the people involved with the festival. Ismunandar, head of the education and culture section at the Embassy of Indonesia in Washington, DC, helped plan the 2016 celebration of all things Indonesia. Here, he explains this year’s theme.Some people associate Islam only with the Middle East. Although Islam was born in that region, Muslims are spread out all over the earth. Globally, there are 1.7 billion Muslims, from the Middle East to Africa, from Latin America to Southeast Asia. Indonesia’s Muslim population is larger than that of the Middle East region.

We are proud that the long history of Islamization in Indonesia has been a peaceful one. Cultural expressions of various ethnic groups were not lost but influenced by Islam. The result is a diversity of expression in the performing arts. This is what inspired the Islamic Intersections subtitle: it summarizes our efforts to show the kaleidoscope encounter of Islam with Indonesian cultures. The theme also complements the Freer|Sackler’s landmark exhibition The Art of the Qur’an, now on view.

In this year’s Performing Indonesia, we proudly present a diversity of Indonesian arts, from the traditional and classic to the contemporary and secular. On Thursday, November 10, for example, we will host a shadow puppet show. This ancient art form was utilized by the Wali Songo, the nine revered saints who first spread Islam in Indonesia during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

Another way to demonstrate Islam in Indonesia culture is through Qur’anic recitation. In Indonesia, these recitations are performed not only as rituals, but also for festive occasions ranging from national anniversaries to wedding receptions. Plus, every year, a Qur’an recitation competition is held in Indonesia, starting in the districts and reaching the national level. Experience a taste for yourself on Saturday, November 5.

For those of you who are more academically minded, the festival also features a series of lectures. And there are workshops on martial arts and shadow-puppet painting for children and families to enjoy. We hope you’ll join us!