PERFORMANCE WITH ROPE AND CORAL
Arriving Koh Lanta with very little knowledge about the sea nomads, the culture and their rituals, the following days were an intense lesson in the many challenges the urak lawoy people have had to go through. Performance with coral and rope, were inspired by the connection between the sea and their boats, enhanced by the rope, which created a straight and clear line from the boats to the shore. This connection was for me a clear symbol of the significance the boats have on the Urak Lawoy tribe.The performance with rope and coral stone had a duration of 50 minutes. Although not representative of the struggles of the Urak Lawoy tribe, I wanted to enhance the effect of someone staying strong and focused. The rope created a chaos of knots, unwilling to stay perfect and organized, as life and history very often do. By holding on to the coral, that came from the sea, heavy, and painful to carry, I lifted it’s weight with me all the time.
*The 1st International Live Performance Art Festival at Koh Lanta has thus been developed to use art as a means to relive the stories of the Urak Lavoy in Koh Lanta based on a belief that art can permeate all peoples and it can aesthetically and beautifully recount stories of the indigenous people.
During the ceremony performed by the Urak Lavoy, the sound of Rebana is essential. It reflects their deep connections with sacred beings and their ancestral spirits that continue to provide them protection. The sound of Rebana could be compared to their heartbeats that reinforce the identities and original spirit of the Urak Lavoy.
Hence, the title of the festival “The Rebana Dance of Urak Lavoy”
All photos courtesy of Community Arts
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