strawberry field

It was a perfect day,
perfect weather,
perfect view,
perfect shopping,
perfect crowd from many different nationalities
and colors (including many nice dogs),
perfect song,
but without perfect persons...,

I was in the Central Park, Manhattan, New York, walking by myself, tried to enjoy everything: nice puppies and dogs, cute looking children, runners, cyclists, tourists with their cameras and funny actions, sellers like kaki lima found in most streets in Jakarta, and small bicycle-carts, I don't know the name, but it really like becak, which went by and made Manhattan more crowded.

I walked along the West part of the park, from Colombus circle to the place called Strawberry field. If you are a fan of John Lennon, you must know this place. John Lennon was used to hang out there and was shot dead there too (If people gave me correct stories...). Its a shady circle area, surrounded by trees, where it has three paths from West, North and South. I sat in one of benches surrounded this small area, looking to the middle of the circle, on the ceramic tile where “imagine“ was written and became focus of attention of all people there. I was about to cry, not remembering how Lenon died, but moved by many roses set there. It is how wonderful the way people show their love and affection. About ten meters from that circle to the West, another crowd singing happily. They sang together with the street musicians who were about 12 persons bringing guitars, bass, and small drums, Beatles songs! The place is only ten meters from Lenon's (well, Yoko Ono's) apartment, its just separated by a road.

I joined the crowd and enjoyed few songs. I watched the surrounding. People of different color, gender, age, ideologies, nationalities, sang together with passion. The atmosphere was wonderful. One song that most crowd sang loudly (not included dogs... for sure!) was “all I need is love..., all I need is love..., all I need is love, love. Love is all you need.“ Passion and love united peoples no matter they have differences.

Well, its almost a prefect song, if my beloved ones were with me there.
I miss you, Amir, Elka and Farhan.

Portraits of Victoria

Pendidikan Multikulturalisme = Melawan Rasisme

Tadi baru mengisi acara di Coburg Library. Bersyukur tadi bisa bawa Elka untuk ikut acara itu. Acaranya sih intinya untuk launching buku-buku mengenai Indonesia yang ada di perpustakaan Coburg. Terus dikaitkan dengan Diversity Week di Victoria, maka tema Multikulturalisme begitu jelas.

Tadi presentasiku juga bertema diversity etnis dan agama di Indonesia, terus topik yang kuambil mengenai diversity dalam acara pernikahan. Selain saya ada Elise Gould mahasiswi unimelb yang mengisahkan pengalamannya di Indonesia khususnya mengenai diversity culture.

Ending acara di Coburg tadi bagus sekali. Penampilan tari topeng Cirebon yang diiringi gamelan kelompok Putra Panji Asmara pimpinan Michael Ewing. Saya sebelumnya sudah pernah lihat Micheal menari dan penampilan gamelan Cirebonnya. Tapi kali ini ada humor teatrikalnya/ Mungkin kalau di wayang itu seperti 'goro-goro' yang isinya guyonon si Semar. Ini improvisasi yang cerdas. Mana yang jadi 'Semarnya' Prof Helen lagi. Bener-bener seperti clown. Penampilan kelompok gamelan dan tari topeng ini jadi 'ramah' anak-anak pula. Walau tarian terakhir terlalu panjang, secara umum penampilan mereka luar biasa.

Sambil menyaksikan Michael menari diiringi musik Sunda yang mengalir (tapi belum bisa ngalahin degung...), saya berfikir mengenai apa yang dilakukan Coburg library, pemerintah victoria, dan masyarakatnya. Diversity disini begitu dihargai. Diberi nama Multikulturalism. Bahkan anak-anak pun --melalui pemberian pita oranye untuk disematin dibaju-- didoktrin untuk tidak berbuat rasis. Anti diskriminasi. Duhai, indahnya perbedaan.

Pendidikan Multikulturalisme itu bisa dari mana saja, tidak hanya dari sekolah formal. Perpustakaan disini benar-benar berfungsi menjadi center edukasi buat masyarakat, dan mendukung program sekolah anak-anak usia sekolah. Perpustakaan bukan sekedar tempat menaro buku untuk bisa dibaca, tapi memiliki kaki dan tangan untuk meraih dewasa dan anak-anak. Ada program menggambar berhadiah untuk anak-anak, ada acara talk, acara kesenian, ada komputer bagus untuk browsing, dan dibuat untuk family friendly... (Duh, kapan ya, Indonesia punya perpustakaan seperti itu).

Dengan center-center seperti perpustakaan Coburg ini, wajar saja jika diversity menjadi sesuatu yang indah, bukan petaka. Bukan konflik etnis dan agama, bukan perang antar suku, bukan kebencian tidak berdasar, tapi bagaimana memahami perbedaan, dan menjadikannya sebuah potensi untuk kebersamaan dan perdamaian.

Lets fight against racism!