SPAFA OBJECTIVES• To promote awareness and appreciation of the

cultural heritage of the Southeast Asian countriesthrough the preservation of archaeological andhistorical artifacts as well as the traditional arts,

• To help enrich cultural activities in the region,

• To strengthen professional competence in thefields of archaeology and fine arts throughsharing of resources and experiences on a regionalbasis, and

• To promote better understanding among thecountries of Southeast Asia through jointprogrammes in archaeology and fine arts.

SPAFA

VOL. X No. 1,1989

2

12CONTENTS

ISSN 0125-7099

DIGEST

COVER

"Mother and Child" by Artist Professor Jose T. Joya

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2 THE IFUGAO WOODEN IDOLby Manlou M Dancel

6 LABANOTATION AND ASIAN DANCE : SELECTED EXAMPLES

by Judy Van Zile

12 JOSE JOYA: PORTRAIT OF A FILIPINO ARTISTby Bertoldo J. Manta

16 THE KHMERS IN THAlLAND:WHAT THE INSCRIPTIONS INFORM US

by Claude Jacques

25 LOOKING AT CORPORATE STRATEGIES AND PLANNINGFOR BETTER HANDICRAFTS DEVELOPMENT:THE MALAYSIAN EXPERIENCE

by Sulaiman bin Othman

30 SPAFA AFFAIRS

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Seminar on Southeast Asian Conservation LaboratoryCollaboration (Special Activity1

ERRATUM

Dec 19 - Dec 54(Thailand)

T e n t a t i v e :

Page 46, 2nd column :

The last item on the SPAFA Calendar for 1989 should read :

The Ifugao Wooden Idol

by Marilou M. Dancel

indicated. Some of the figures haveholes on the ear lobes and human hairis planted on the head.

On special occasions, such asharvest time, bulul figures are dressedin Ifugao costumes. While the maleimage is dressed in loincloth, thefemale figure is dressed with a skirt.They are also adorned with realjewelry or colourful beads.

The Ifugao people are a distinctethnic group. Their language,architecture, agriculture and religionshow a developed culture. Roginskyand Barton (1914), using a fourfolddivision of racial stocks say theIt'ugaos are the purest representative';of the Indonesian race.

Traditional Ifugao men wearG-strings while the women wearwrapround skirts and short sleevelessjackets. They adorn themselves withbrass or shell earrings, coiled bracelets,

The author is a museum research assistantin the Anthropology Division of the Philip-pine National Museum.

Man is a worshippingbeing. He worships as easily as hepurges himself. When the gods of hisancestors are taken away from him,he looks for others elsewhere.

Believing in a supreme God anda patheon of at least 1,500 deities(Roll 1974:21), the Ifugao of theCordillera mountain range ofNorthern Luzon, Philippines, havedefined their hero ancestors, agricul-ture, nature, technology, fears andhopes through their deities. But des-pite the large pantheon, only the ricegods were among those carved, show-ing the importance of rice in theirlhes.

A bulul is a carved consecratedfigure. It is either made from narra(Fecus Moracea), ipil (Pterocarpus Indicus Wield), or molave (Curculigo Recervata Dry). An effigy of a deceased Ifugao ancestor, a bulul isusually created in pairs.

It is sometimes impossible totell a male from a female bulul figure.The genital parts of the figures arenot clearly carved. Nipples are usuallypresent on both the male and femalefigures but breasts are rarely

3

boar tusk armlets and beaded head-dresses.

The lf'ugao subsist mainly onrice, planted in their multipurposemountain terraces. This is augmentedby their fishing, hunting, trappingand snaring.

An Ifugao village consists ofseveral terraces upon which housesare built. An Ifugao's house is madeof four posts planted to the ground.It has limited space. An importantaccessory of the house is the granary:a flooring resting on the beamsupporting the roof. It is like an atticwith an opening near the front door

for access.Bulul images are stored in the

granary. Once kepi in the granary,they are adorned with rings andnecklaces made from rice stalks,sugar cane leaves, or dongla(Cordyline Terminalis).

All bulul figures sit or stand ona base. This base is visibly divided,into two horizontal sections made byartistic incisions. In the standingposition, arms are hung loosely onthe sides. Hands either touch thekneecap or are raised sidewards. A sitting figure, on the other hand, havearms folded across drawn up legs.

The hands are placed on the kneecap.The position of a bulul indicates

its origin. A standing bulul wichhands touching or covering the kneebusually comes from Western Ifugao(Hapao-Hunduan). The seated andfinely carved bulul, sometimes withcowry eyes and mouth, comes fromNorthern Ifugao (Kambulu-Batad).

A bulul with a mixed expression,European facial features, and whichmay be sitting or standing comes fromCentral Ifugao (Kababuyan, Banaue, Hingyon, Mumpolya). A standingbulul with stretched hands parallel tothe legs come from Southern Ifugao

Created by the lfugao, the rice terraces of the Cordillera Mountains have become one of the world's greatest wonders.

4

(Kiangan). They are carved in a crudemanner (Bayer).

Various myths relate to theorigin of the carved wooden idols.One myth, according to Beyer, goesas follows:

A long, long time ago therelived a giant or overgrown narra treeknown as Bongbong. It is a boundarymarker located in the village of a famous lfugao named Humidhid.This village is in the upstream regionknown as Daiya.

Bongbong was either hauntedor given supernatural powers by the"•kyworld. At any rate, it started givingoff a loud winging sound. This scaredthe villagers. But it made Humidhid,the village headman, feel disturbedand angry. He was unable to sleepbecause of the sound.

One day, Humidhid prepared a small, black rice wine jar. He tookthis along with his adze to the gianttree. While underneath Bongbong,Humidhid shouted, "Shall 1 cut thetree and make it into a house?"

The giant tree continued hisM range sound. Again, after a while,Humidhid shouted, "Shall 1 make theeinto a bench?" Still the tree kept on.After some time, Humidhid looked up:o the tree and shouted, "Shall 1 makethee into a ceremonial box?"

Bongbong was not intimidated.He went on with his strange sound.Irritated but still keeping his patience,Humidhid shouted his threats atintervals. He mentioned differentobjects to construct but none of histhreats ended the noise.

Afternoon came, and for thelast time, Humidhid shouted, "Shall1 cut you down and make you into anancestral image to guard our cropsand make our rice harvest plentiful?"The large narra tree suddenly hushed.

Humidhid took a cup of wineand drank slowly. Then he picked uphis adze and started cutting the tree.When dusk came, Humidhidremembered it was taboo to fell treesat night. He promptly returned home.

The following morningHumidhid took breakfast early,fetched his adze and wine jar, andproceeded to the giant narra tree. Hecontinued cutting the tree. Then atmid-morning, Humidhid, was aboutto fell the tree. Finally he made a bigswing and striked the tree with hisadze.

An lfugao wearing his traditionalcostume.

The giant narra tree fell andemited a tremendous sound before itreached the ground. The sound washeard by all the people in the regionand as the tree hit the ground, theearth trembled. This was felt by theunderworld gods.

Humidhid thereafter carved

eight pairs of bulul out of the gianttree's main trunk. After they wereshaped, he gave them names andbrought them home for finishing. Hegave a feast, sacrificing five pigs, inhonour of the bulul figures.

That night there was dancingand rejoicing. A fat hen was sacri-ficed and its blood was daubed byhand on the bodies of the images. Atthe same time, they were consecrated.A priest recited the myth prayer-thatthe god Nabulul and his wife Buganpossess or live in the images. May theyforever guard the rice and makeharvest plentiful, he prayed.

Almost all well-to-do lfugaofamilies owning rice granaries keepthe carved idols. They believe thatkeeping bulul images in their granaryprotects their rice from pests andthieves. Rice is also protected frombeing consumed too quickly.

Nevertheless, not all lfugao ownbulul images. Only decendants offamilies owning properly installedbulul figures can usually have a newlycarved bulul.

Installation of bulul imagesinvolves an elaborate and expensiveritual. First, the right type of woodmust be collected from the forest,where the preliminary carving begins.As soon as this is done, the ownerbrings the wood carvings to his housewhere he is welcomed with festivities.

The beginning of the finalcarving is also marked by anotherfestivity. Carving is done during theday while the nights are spent ondancing and more feasting.

Another ritual marks thecompletion of the sculptures. Duringthis ritual, the myth on the origin ofthe bulul is recited by a priest(mumbaki). This is done so that thepowers and benefits bestowed on the

5

bulul in the myth are transferred to thenewly carved bulul images.

Then the bulul images are bathedwith blood from a sacrificed pig.Thereafter, the images are positionedin the granary until the rice harvestseason. After a month or so, anotherrite is held, marking the end of thepresiding priest's fasting. Thepresiding priest, during theceremonies, is not allowed to eatcertain foodstuffs and is prohibitedfrom sexual activity.

Although the Ifugao raise twocrops a year, rituals are performedonly on the first crop. To mark thestart of the rice year and the ritualcycle, rice fields are weeded; the riceterraces are cleaned.

Rice is important in the lives ofthe Ifugao. It therefore requires veryelaborate rites. Lukat, the first riteperformed, is usually carried out inthe month of October.

In this rite, a chicken is offeredto the ancestors and deities. Priestsimplore the gods to strengthen thedikes and fill the fields with water sothat the crops may come in abun-dance.

Subsequently, every stage of riceplanting until harvest time commenceswith a ritual. Just when the rice isready for stacking in the granary,another ritual is held.

In this ritual everyone rests.Idleness is strictly observed for threedays and everyone is prohibited fromleaving the village. Then on the lastday of the idleness period, the rice isfinally stacked in the granary.

The tagdog ritual marks the endof harvest. It is performed commu-nally at the house of the montonokor the first rice planter. Several atagmats are spread in a shady place. The

bulul or granary idols from all thegranaries of the village are collectedand placed on the mats where thepresiding priest sits.

At the center of the spread matsis a ritual chest. On top of the chestis a pile of clustered areca nuts andbuga, or hard stones. Near the priestare coconut cups; a wine bowl, anda rice wine jar.

The priest starts the rite bycalling upon their ancestors, and thentheir deities. After the upstream bululdeities are invoked, two bundles ofnewly harvested rice are placed on thetwo west side corners of the ritualchest.

The downstream bulul deitiesare next called upon and another twobundles of newly harvested rice areplaced on the two east side corners ofthe chest. The four bundles ofharvested rice are called li-ub.

As the invoked deities possessthe priest and the wooden bululimages, one whole grain of rice istaken from each bundle of li-ub. Theyare attached as earrings to the pair ofbulul images. Wine is thereafter offer-ed to the deities in the person of thepossessed priest.

The ritual ends when the priestsips the wine from the cup and poursthe remaining wine on the heads ofthe bulul images. Then the images arebathed with blood from sacrificialanimals, such as pig or chicken. Insome localities, the bulul images aresmeared with rice cakes. And thenthey are kept in the granaries, onceagain.

The bulul is adored, invoked,and appeased. Man is absurd; hecannot make a flea, and yet he makesgods by the dozens. S

R E F E R E N C E S

Barton, Roy Franklin1946 "The Religion of the I fugao", American Anthropologists.

New Series 48 (4) Pan 2 Memoir Series No. 65. Monasha,Wisconsin.

Beyer, Henry Otley1913 "Origin Myths Among Mountain Peoples of the

Philippines". The Philippine Journal of Science, Vol.VIII, (April) No. 2.

Casal, Gabriel, et al1980 The People and Art of the Philippines. Museum of Cultural

History, University of California, Los Angeles: 183-263.Gomez, Garcia Pinky

1983 "Northern Philippine Primitive Wooden Art." Arts of Asia,July-August: 84-93.

6

Labanotation and Asian dance:selected examples

by Judy Van Zile

Since 1971 I have been teaching Labanotation at theUniversity of Hawaii, and both my students and 1 have usednotation in research. The unique opportunities in Hawaii toapply notation skills to a tremendously wide variety of danceforms, and the geographically broad - ranging research ofstudents, have provided many opportunities to applyLabanotation not only to dance forms of the Western world,but to those of the East as well.

Because of the success in the varied applications of thenotation system, 1 am convinced of its suitability to virtuallyany form of human movement. 1 would like to share withyou information on a number of specific projects, as wellas selected notation examples.

A fascinating study evolved at the University in the areaof Balinese dance. A graduate student who had lived andstudied dance in Bali, and svho knew the Balinese language,wished to translate a Balinese dance treatise into English.As ihe worked with a University language teacher sherealized that a literal translation of terms did not create anaccurate picture of the intended movement, so she decidedto do two translations - one literal and the other descriptive,based on her understanding of the movement patternsindicated by the terms.

1 then posed the question: what would happen if thesame process were done usingLabanotation?She proceeded

The author is a professor of dance at the University of Hawaii, USA. Thisarticle is based on the material originally published in Van Zile 1979.

to translate the entire text in four ways - literal andmeaningful versions in both verbal and symbolic systems (secBallinger 1977).

Two features emerged. First, the short - hand methodswe resort to, in applying verbal terminology (in any language)to movement, may be meaningful to the native practitionersof a dance genre or to those who have already learned themovement. But they are often not fully communicative inrepresenting precisely what is happening to anyone else.Second, while these terms may not be totally descriptive, theyoften do give clues to what is most important to the nativepractitioner and the genre, and hence, to elements that shouldreceive attention when learning, performing, and notatingthe movement sequences.

Many classical Asian dance forms employ preciseprescribed hand/finger/thumh positions. Although oftencomplex, all can be easily and very accurately described inLabanotation. In my own work 1 have notated a number ofsuch positions used in the bharata natyam tradition of India.

Although the notation for the positions may appearcumbersome, it very accurately conveys the desired result.And once the positions have been fully described, it ispossible to establish an abbreviated notation that can besubsequently used in scores (nee Van Zile 1982a). These samepositions would require numerous photographs and extensiveverbal descriptions to capture the same amount of detailsthat can be conveyed in relatively few notation symbols.

In some Asian dances the dancer also functions as a musician, frequently playing a drum while dancing. Indocumenting these dances, an indication of the rhythmicpattern for striking the drum is often insufficient. Alsoneeded are documentation of the choreographed movements

7

used u, striking the drum,the body part or portion ofa drMln stick or otherimplements, doing thestriking and the pan of thedrum r)n which the strikingoccuri

A student projectinvolved the notation of a Korean drum dance inwhich the dancer fastens a large hour - glass shapeddrum to her waist fard-ley 1972. Based onexisting principles of theLabanotation system a special key was establishedin which symbols used todelineate five different waysof striking the drum werecreated. These symbolswere then used as needed inthe score. They easilyconveyed all the necessarydetails for the properplaying of the drum.

In 1976 the Universityof Hawaii hosted aninstitute on the performingarts of Okinawa, featuringguest master teachers ofmusic and dance fromOkinawa. Several projectsdocumenting variousdances were undertaken,but lo me one of the most interesting projects centeredaround music One of the researchers was involved in learninga particular style of classical drumming - a style in whichthe visual aesthetic is as important as the resultant sound.Movements are highly choreographed, and the drummermust be equally comfortable in producing stylized movementas well as sound.

Together with a notation specialist the researcherproduced extensive documentation of the drummingtechiiique-via Okinawan terminology and symbolic notation,translations of the Okinawan terminology into English,gencial verbal descriptions of the movement patterns, still

Three bharata natyam mudras in Labanotation and in line drawings (from Van Zile 1982aand Bartenieff, et al 1984). The symbols to the left of the "equal sign" are abbreviated versionsof the notations used in the scores; the symbols to the right of the equal sign are the fullywritten out positions. The Labanotation contains greater detail of finger placement than itis possible to show in a single line drawing.

photographs, a video tape, and Labanotation scores (see

Sutton 1980).

The Labanotation scores provide an invaluable recordof the special movement involved in the drumming - onewhich can be read by Labanotation practitioners who havenever actually seen the drumming performed. And from thisrecord the movements can be as accurately learned as thesound can be from the music transcription.

Several students at the University of Hawaii havepursued projects relating to choreographic analysis. In a master's thesis a student related dance to tribal classification

8

through an examination of selected dances of the Paiwanaboriginal people of a particular county in Taiwan (Kwok 1977).

She was concerned with whether the dances could beclassified on the basis of distinct tribal and sub - tribalboundaries and, if so, would these agree with otherclassification systems. In the course of her research a numberof methodological approaches to movement analysisemerged.

One component of the movement analysis was thedetermination of the major characteristics of the dancesstudied. The student began by identifying repeatedpatterns, which she referred to as motifs. She discovered thatthese could be grouped on the basis of similar features andproduced a series of charts indicating the taxonomy of thedances observed.

She then tallied the number of times each pattern wasused and determined which patterns were used in all regionsstudied, and which were distinctive to a particular region.A similar analysis was done for arm motifs, groupformations, and floor patterns. This led to the delineationof a frequency distribution based on the establishedtaxonomy.

Once motifs were determined the student examinedchoreographic structure. Were there any rules governing howthe motifs could be put together to create a dance? Althoughher informants could not articulate such rules, theyintuitively knew that certain things could go together andcertain things had to follow each other in a particularmanner.

When she examined complete dances she was able,based on the defined taxonomy, to evolve a number offormulae for producing a dance. There was. indeed, a structural basis for the choreography.

She concluded her study by compiling the data toproduce a map of tribal groups based on dancecharacteristics. Although limitations prevented the work frombeing definitive, the groupings concurred with classificationspresented by some scholars using criteria other than dance.

A master's thesis completed in 1979 (Ohtani) furthersupports the notion of a structural basis for choreography.Following her intuition as a performer, the student markedphrases in Labanotation scores of several Okinawandances - those places in a dance where one would stop at theend of a teaching session, where one feels a sense ofcompletion before going on to something else.

She then examined exactly what was happening at these

dividing points. She discovered that there does, indeed, seemto be a consistency in what kinds of things are happeningthat makes us feel that a phrase is beginning or ending - a formulaic basis for choreographic structure.

The value of Labanotation in tracing the roots of a dance form and comparing it with other dance forms isdemonstrated in an article by a group of researchers dealingwith mohiniyattam from Southern India (Bartenieff, et a/1984). The article provides an initial effort in relatingmohiniyattam to kathakali and bharata natyam.

Labanotation has also been used by indigenousresearchers pursuing studies on their own dance forms. 1 Made Bandem has used Labanotation to document thedances of Bali, M. Soedarsono to document those of Java,Mohd Anis Bin Nohr to document those of Malaysia, andLouise Chen to document those of China.

My own research has led me to extensive use ofLabanotation in documenting bharata natyam from India(1982), bon dances from Japan as they are practiced in Hawaii(1982b), and several traditional court dances of Korea.

Perhaps the most significant testimonial regarding thevalues of using Labanotation came from a Korean danceteacher (see Van Zile 1984) During a major research periodspent in Korea I notated one group dance and one solo dance.Upon returning to the United States 1 gave the scores to a student who was totally unfamiliar with Korean dance, andasked that she learn the dances from the scores.

This she did, teaching the group dance to otherstudents, and performing the solo dance herself.Performances of the dances were video taped, and I tookthe tapes with me on a return trip to Korea to show to myKorean teacher.

The initial reaction was interest, curiosity, anddisbelief - disbelief thai Labanotation could be used tonotate their dances. My teacher was truly amazed thatsomeone who had never seen Korean dance could learn somuch from a notated score. The final testimonial came whenmy Korean teacher said, "Now I understand the value ofnotating the dances."

Very often it is assumed that because one knows howto dance well one should immediately be able to learn howto notate the dances one performs. Unfortunately this ignoresthe issue of how long it took to become an accomplisheddancer.

Because a dancer is consistently involved withperforming, the "knowing" of the dance and its movementsis often based on a kinesthetic, or muscle, "knowing." The

9

ability to notate movementis based on a consciousintellectual understandingof the movement - a modeoften bypassed by theperformer who knows themovement directly throughmuscles.

Hence, it is necessaryto take time to bring theunderstanding of dance tothe conscious level, andthen to translate thisunderstanding into thesymbology of Labanota-tion. And this also assumesa full knowledge of thesymbology and the rulesfor applying the notationsystem.

The process of learn-ing Labanotation can becompared to the processof learning a new language.The learner knows themeaning to be conveyed -in this case the movement -but must master the newlanguage and becomefluent in the translationprocess. While doing so,:he speaker - or dancer -jains a deeper under--tanding of the intendedmeaning that increasesability as a performer aswell as teacher. Theprinciples underlying thesystem of Labanotationprovide for an under-standing of movement thatin invaJuable to performers,critics, historians, teachers,and anyone deeply involvedwith dance.

It is important tokeep in mind that Labano-

Excerpt from a bharata natyam alarippu (from Van Zile 1982a). Notations to the left of thestaff include musical notation for the accompanying talam syllables recited by the natturanar, and syllables recited internally by the dancer. Note the ease with which movement and threelevels of sound accompaniment can be compared.

10

tation need not replace any indigenous forms of dancenotation. Rather, they can work in tandem. As pointed outearlier in the projects on Balinese dance and Okinawanmusic, indigenous systems provide valuable informationabout what is important within a particular dance tradition.In Labanotation, just as in verbal language, there are oftenmany ways to say the same thing, each way providing slightlydifferent emphasis and pointing to important components.And, as with a verbal language, there are good translations

and not such good translations.Labanotation should never be looked upon as an end

in itself. It is, rather, a very powerful tool for the study ofdance. It can provide a written document that can beunderstood by dance researchers throughout the world,whether or not they share a verbal language. And thisdocumentation can then provide the basis for a wide rangeof important dance studies. IB

Begin with back to .nun uf circle. Dunce progresses slightly clockwise aiound the circle.

C .''...it Movement12 Step kit to left side and

touch i ight toe alongside left. 3-4L eft ai in extends to forward 3-6left diagonal high, right tu forward left diagonal, parallel to flour,both slightly bent. Leftpalm faces away from body,right faces floor. Fingers of

Mcp lurwtira >u right. Both•n m drop forwaid low, palms

lacing backClose left foot to right. Bothamis make a slight arc awayruMM the body on their wayto forward high. Palms raceaway Irom body.Step forward on left. Both 11arms drop to forward low, 12-1?palm* facing back.Pivot quickly counierclock-

nghi hand are just below leftelbow.Repeat to opposite side.Step left to left side and pivotclockwise until tight shoulder

is to center of circle. Botharms swing down to left MJ.and then up to forward leftdiagonal high.

wi*e until bach IN to ten';*ot circle and step right to rigr.: side, finishing with both Ice.in * small snide. Kight armgoes to forward right daigon.il.left to forward left diagonal,parallel to floor Palms fleethe flooi.Hold.

Arms go to forward low, bentslightly, and clap two time*.

Soma Bon Ufa, a Japanese bon dance performed in Hawaii (from Van Zile 1982b), with movements written in verbal des-criptions, Labanotation, and in line drawings. Note that the Labanotation score contains the greatest amount of movementdetail.

REFERENCES CITED

Ballinger, Rucina1977 "Balinese Dance Movements: A Labanotation Score." Unpublished student

paper. University of Hawaii.

Bartenieff, Irmgard, Peggy Hackney, Betty True Jones, Judy Van Zile, and Carl Wolz1984 "The Potential of Movement Analysis as a Research Tool: A Preliminary

Analysis," Dance Research Journal, Vol. 16, No. 1 (Spring), pp. 3-26.

Eardley, Mary Anne1972 "Labanotation Scores for Two Korean Dances: GiBon and Changko Chum!'

Unpublished student paper. University of Hawaii.

Kwok, Madeline1977 "Dance of the Paiwan Aboriginal People of Pingtung County, Taiwan, with

Implications of Dance for Tribal Classification." Unpublished M.A. Thesisin Music (Dance Ethnology), University of Hawaii.

Ohtani, Kimiko1979 "The Okinawan Kumiodori: an Analysis of Relationships of Text, Music,

and Movement in Selections from Nido Tekiuchi." Unpublished M.A. Thesisin Music (Dance Ethnology), University of Hawaii.

Sutton, R. Anderson1980 "Drumming in Okinawan Classical Music: A Catalogue of Gestures, Dance

Research Journal, Vol. 13, No. 1 (Fall), pp. 17-27.

Van Zile, Judy1984 "How Much Does a Score Say?" Proceedings of the Thirteenth Biennial

Conference 3-14 August 1983. Ohio: International Council of Kinetograph>Laban, pp. 104-106.

1982a "Balasaraswati's "Tisram Alarippu': A Choreographic Analysis," in Wade.Bonnie C, editor. Performing Arts in India. Essays of Music, Dance, andDrama. Maryland: University Press of America. Monograph Series No. 21,Center for South and Southeast Asia Studies, University of California,Berkeley), pp. 47-104. (Reprinted in Vol. XVI11, No. 2 (Spring/Summer 1987)issue of Asian Music, pp. 45-102.)

1982b The Japanese Bon Dance in Hawaii. Hawaii: Press Pacifica.

1979 "Exploring Notation as a Research Tool: Implications of Selected Projectson Asian and Pacific Dance, "Proceedings of the Eleventh Biennial Conference,3-22 August, 1979, International Council of Kinetography Laban, pp. 18-34.

12

Artists are indebted totheir society. While they paint toexpress a personal feeling, they mustsee to it that they go beyond theirpersonal goals. Their feelings mustalso reflect what their society feelsand experiences.

That piece of advice comesfrom the Philippines' foremostabstract expressionist artist, JoseJoya. As one of the most outstandingartists of Southeast Asia, Joya hasbehind him a lengthy record of artexhibits, held both in the Philippinesand abroad.

Jose Joya is a professor of FineArts in the University of the

The author is SPAFA's Senior Specialist forVisual Arts.

Philippines. When the college wasreconstituted as an autonomousCollege of Fine Arts, he became itsfirst dean. During his tenure as dean,

Story by

Bertoldo J. Manta

he successfully launched workshopson art techniques, art education in thecountry side and the depressed areasof Metropolitan Manila, especiallyTondo.

His iniative mission aimed atthe development of a balancedsociety, a well-rounded citizenry.Endeavouring to improve the qualityof life in the rural areas througharts, Joya organized scholarship

programmes for talented young artistsfrom the rural areas. Through artcompetitions, he opened the way forthese young artists and art teachers todevelop their artistic talents in urbaneducational institutions.

Joya's artworks have mostlyportrayed the Filipino rural folks,from the northern tip of Luzon downto the southern islands of Mindanao.Although these folks have rarely seenthe metropolitan art scene, they havebeen enthusiastically appreciatedthrough Joya's art forms and colours.Through Joya, their lives andsentiments are depicted artistically.Awareness of the Filipino rural folkshave, at least, contributed to theunification of the Filipino masses.

Exploring different creativeforms through multiple media, heputs his silent poetry on tapestries,

13

ceramics, rice paper, and othercontemporary art media. Joya's mainartistic vision is indicated by his

rong expressions in figurativejrawing and abstractionism in collage.

His abstractionism in collagetechnique was inspired by hisexposure in various international artforums. He intuitively combines ideasand materials, staging the imagesaesthetically, without losing hisanalytical and intellectual calibre.

In his collage, blocks of vibrantcolours seem to explode and splatter,transcending from a central point.The artist explains that his earlypaintings are expressions of hisemotional reactions to events and

vn>eriences. But his passions, givingway to the spontaniety of histechnique, are embedded in his recentworks. They present his impressionsof nature.

He says, "My work is abstractin the sense that one does not see theoutside appearance of nature, yet one

ill senses them. Forms becomeabstract in the sense that they arehighly imaginative, inventive shapes."

One critic described Joya'swork best when he said, "Joya'spaintings possess the colour ofunsublimate human ardour and>:oject the orgiastic abandon of a festival. No matter how discordantthey may seem to sound, their finaleffect is the full rounded tone."

Through his remarkable choiceof colours, Joya captures the joys oflife, the lively celebrations of thelilipino folk fiestas, and the rural

enario. Indeed, these aestheticportrayals reveal the rich Philippinecultural heritage and contribute to thedevelopment of national conscious-ness in the hearts of the Filipinoviewers.

While his abstract paintings inoil and acrylic indicate his capacity asa colourist of the higher level, hissepia sketches have reached thepinnacle of his mastery in linearforms. Joya's figurative sketchesalways capture nature,often times thesource of his inspirations.

Artist Joya usually sketch hissubjects in brown and burnt amber;the earthy colour of Asia. Most of hissketches are done in sepia (brownwith Venetian red and black pencil)and marking ink. Among his favou-

rite themes are the Filipino peasantfarmers, landscapes, and remnants ofthe colonial period such as historicalbuildings and churches. The motherand child, portrayed in differentethnic versions, has also been a frequent subject.

Portraits of the humble and thedowntrodden, he says, offer a broad range of stimulating forms. Theirinnocence, honest facial expressionsmirror their true character. Althoughfaces of the rich and powerfuloccasionally appear in his artwork,

14

they rarely inspire him to greatheights.

He believes he should be incommand of his creative forces,rather than be dictated by his model.Painting the rich, he says, usuallyinvolves a compromise which, moreoften than not, threatens artisticintegrity. For this reason, he hasshunned the lucrative field ofportraiture.

As a professor of art, J ovaclearly favours the acquisition ofappropriate training and control ofskills. During his classes, he movesthrough a vigorous series of exercises.He provides his students with ampledrawing and painting demonstra-tions, calling for figurativeexplorations. While teaching, hestresses methods and procedures asthe basis for the freedom to create.

His students often rememberJoya as a thinker's painter, blessedwith a powerful and delightfulpersonality. Most often he invites hisstudents to challenge him on canvasor the sketchboard. This, of course,

adds power and meaning to theneophyte's art work.

25 years in the practice of anyprofession represents nearly half a lifetime, says Joya. Usually, thisprovides one with sufficient insight,not to mention justification, to lookback over the years for an assessment,he adds. He records his achievementsby publishing books compiling his artworks.

In 1973, Joya produced "ABook of Drawings." Then in 1978,he authored, "Joya by Joya," a bookcompiling five years' creative worksas a teacher of art and a practitioner.The drawings illustrated by the bookcomprise the artist's on-the-spotsketches of the scenes witnessedduring his travels throughout thePhilippines. Another volume ofpaintings, made by Joya, is nowtentatively scheduled for publishing.

"As a practitioner, 1 can onlylook back over the years with a measure of pride and humility at theroads 1 have travelled, the challengesmet, frustrations overcome and

Amito Torogan. Brown ink (12"X18")August 30, 1974.

One of the three remaining royalhouses in the outskirts of Marawi,near the lake. It has floatingfoundations of spherical rocks. Thethatched roof has been replaced byrusty iron sheets.

Girl in Filipina Dress. Colored pencilU8"X12") March 12, 1974.

The 1930's is recalled in the costumethis model managed to ransack fromher family clothes chest. Hers is a typical Filipino face marked with deepdimples when she smiles. The panuelo or shoulder scarf that she wears haslong been discarded as a basic part ofthe Filipino woman's national costume.

problems resolved or otherwise," saysJoya. Copies of his books have beendistributed to Southeast Asiancultural libraries.

In 1953 Joya graduated magna cum laude from the College of FineArts at the University of thePhilippines. Holding a Bachelor ofFine Arts degree, the artist travelledextensively in Europe and the U.S.A.on a Spanish government grantand a Smith-Mundt Fulbrightscholarship.

He earned his Master of FineArts in 1957 at the CranbrookAcademy of Art in Michigan. There-after he joined the University of thePhilippines where he served as deanof the College of Fine Arts for eightyears.

In 1977, Joya undertook aninternational programme ofexhibitions in the U.S.A., Europe, andAsia. For three successive years, heorganized one-man shows in SanFrancisco and Washington D.C.(U.S.A.), London, Madrid, andBrussels.

His painting exhibitions alsoreached, among others, theMetropolis International GalerieIVArt of Switzerland, the Palazzo•irancaccio of Italy, the Chinesevorking People's Palace of Beijing,

und the National Art Gallery ofMalaysia. Five cities in West Germanyare now waiting to see and appreciatehis art exhibits.

Awards given to this Filipinonational artist are too numerous tomention. Suffice it to say that he wasrecently decorated by the Frenchgovernment with the Chevalier dansF Orde des Artes et Leitres. As aninternational art figure, his name isalso listed in the 1980 issue of theWho's Who in the World, the 1982

issue of Who's Who in Art (Hans,Britain), and the latest edition ofthe Academia Italia's History ofInternational Art.

Philippine art still has a longway to go. It moves with the time andis wide open to a world of excitingchange in form, drawing and content.Many artists have developed a penchant for western art while onlya few have appreciated the visual artsof the Orient.

Jose Joya, the Philippines'leading abstract painter, has created

an indelible mark in the art historyof his country. He has set a trend andhis dedicated and artistic energieshave led to the progress of his countryin abstract art.

By expressing the Filipino in hiscollage of colours, Joya has con-tributed to the awareness of hiscountry's identity. He says, "Thereal value of a man's work is notmeasured by the fame and fortune hehas gained but by the value peopleput on his works during his lifetimeand after it."

Woman with Walking Stick.Colored pencil(22"X15") September 24, 1974

lij protect themselves fromover-exposure to the sun,women in the rural areas ,, >.-of the Philippines usually fold a square of cloth over their heads. Worn witha striped tapiz (sarong), the costumemakes an attractive subject for artists. y-

The Khmers in Thailand : what the inscriptions inform us

by Claude Jacques

I n 1958, Professor George Coedes printed in the

Journal Asiatique an article entitled "Nouvelles donnees

epigraphiques sur 1' histoire de 1' Indochine centrale.1 In

that article he mentioned that he published the three new

important inscriptions discovered in Thailand. In the 1958

article, he summarized what is known about the Khmer and

Mon presence in Thailand until the 13th century. What

he termed as "Indochine Centrale" is the centre and the

northeast of the present-day Thailand.

That was thirty years ago and it is not surprising that

one would like to update the history of that region until

the 15th century. This update however necessitates the creation

of a new hypothesis, based on a number of newly discovered

inscriptions. For ten years I have regularly come to Thailand

and I have developed excellent relations with the Faculty of

Archaeology, Silpakorn University.

"Liste generate des inscriptions du Cambodge", is a

title which is rather perplexing. But one cannot change it

without creating great confusion in this scholarly field.

Nearly eighty inscriptions have been recently reported or

discovered.

As the new hypothesis deals with the first century to

the tenth century, I will therefore essentially deal with this

period.

On the Khmer presence in Northeast Thailand during

the first thousand years, George Coedes wrote: "At the end

of the sixth and at the beginning of the seventh century, the

Sanskrit inscriptions of Bhavavarman and Mahendravarman,

the founders of pre-Angkorian Cambodia were discovered

at the mouth of the Mun River and in Surin Province. They

reveal the political implantation of the Khmers in the extreme

east and south of the Khorat plateau. It was however only

in 886 A.D. when a Sanskrit inscription of Indravarman was

found in the province of Ubon (Bung KB, K 495).

The double inscriptions of Yasovarman were not found

higher than Bassac (Huei Thamo, K 362). Yasovarman is the

son of Indravarman and the founder of Yasodharapura, a

town in Angkor. For the tenth century, only three stone

inscriptions have been found. The first was found in the

province of Ubon (Ban 7ar Thong, K 697). It is an inscription

written in the Sanskrit and Khmer languages by the sons of

Yasovarman. The second, discovered near Aranya (K 957), is

a 941 A.D. Khmer inscription in the name of Rajendravarman.

The third, found in Surin (K 880), is a Khmer inscription. Its

script was written in the second half of the tenth century."-

First I would like to make a number of observations on

the first sentence of Professor Coedes' summary. I insist that

the inscriptions he mentions cannot be said "of Bhavavarman

and Mahendravarman". They can only be from Mahendra-

varman.

One always indicates that Mahendravarman is the

"brother of Bhavavarman". But that does not imply that

Bhavavarman 1 accompanied his brother during his conquests.

I think there were certain exaggerations in these texts.1

The recent discovery has increased the number of short

Mahendravarman inscriptions to nine. They show Mahendra-

Professor Claude Jacques is the Director of Sadies. 4,h Seciion, at the

Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris.

This article is based on a lecture given by the Professor, ai the Silpa

korn University of Thailand, during the lir>: Franco-Thai symposiur:

entitled "Thailand from the Beginning of Its History to the XV Century

A.D.: Problems of Research and Conservation." Held from 18 to 29 Jul)

1988, the symposium was organized be the French Embassy in Bangkok".:

the Silpakorn University.

17

varrnan's victories within the present -

jay Thailand. This is especially

eviJ •: in K 1102, discovered at Ban

[)0i .:m, about 40 km. north of

Khon Kaen. This inscription pushes

the victories of this king further up

north.

For more than two centuries

ihere was a total absence of inscrip-

tion from the Khmer kings of

(7ai ',.i in this region. This

absent.c, which G. Goedes justifiably

points out, makes us think that the

"Khmer political implantation" is

not very solid. Personally I would

rather suppose that after having

conquered this important territory,

abon' '" ' end of the sixth century,

Viah. trman went to Sambor

Prei Kuk (Cambodia) to assume

power after the death of his brother.

Then the people of the " land" which

Mahendravarman had conquered in

the north of the Dangrek Range

rapidly gained their independence.

contrary, it is difficult to

explain ••..!.> no trace of Isanavar-

man I, son of Mahendravarman, has

^een discovered in this territory. We

an believe however that he had in-

'•crited the total empire of his father.

Hut there is now one great question:

'• ho it,' ' ired this region at the time

' m<- 'i of Mahendravarman?

Isanavarman I seems to have left, on his own or byllrce, this conquered territory which is in the northeast of

'•Jesent-day Thailand. We have found, in the province of

•achinburi, the recently discovered inscription no. K 1150.

" was uncovered near those already known in the region of

uanyaprathet. This indicates that this zone was the vassal11 c 'tapura, the head of which was Prince Sivadatta,

^ sni, : ^ i n g Isanavarman I. The king could have

''ended his power to the vicinity of Chantaburi through thislssal state. This is attested by Inscription K 502, found near

own of Chantaburi.4 Nonetheless, nobody ever seemed

ins ide r that Isanavarman I probably attempted to findu> way out to the sea through this channel although he could

Both revealing exactly the same wording, these inscriptions belong to Jayavarman

VII. The picture on the left is a stone inscription found at Kok Roka (k 435) while

the one on the right is a rubbing of the inscription found at Sai-fong (K 368).

have also found his way through another one, the Mekong.

I have recently shown that the kingdom of Jyesthapura

probably became independent in 628 A.D., after the death

of Isanavarman 1. Subsequently, in this region the only

manifestation of a king, who might have been a Khmer, is

found on the bronze plaque of U-Thong. This plaque from

King Harshavarman, grandson of King Isanavarman,- has

been classified as Inscription K 964. 1 resist the idea of G.

Coedes in that King Harshavarman might have been a Khmer

king bearing that name.

Inscription K 1142, discovered in 1983, probably came

from the same region. This inscription introduces a new

Khmer king: Bhavavarman 111, nephew of Jayavarman 1. He

18

simultaneously reigned on the region and a territory southof Cambodia. This is attested by an inscription of PhnomBayang.

One should again talk about the site of Si Thep innorthern central Thailand. The Sanskrit inscriptions, thoughundated were discovered in site among the most ancient onesfound in the territory of present-day Thailand. One of these,which was found in a very bad condition, gives the nameof Bhavavarman who might have been the first Khmer kingbearing that name.6

Professor Coedes notably deduced that the empireof Bhavavarman 1 extended to Si Thep. On the contrary,and apart from my interpretation that the inscriptions ofMahendravarman is incongruous with the idea that Bha-vavarman 1 could have reached so far into the interior ofthe present-day Thailand, one should note that the poorcondition of the inscription prohibits any definitive con-clusion without difficulty.

Another interpretation from this fragmentary textcould possibly be that the king of that site, whose name hasdisappeared, was compared in this text to Bhavavarman I.This means that although the fame of Bhavavarman I extended so far, it does not necessarily mean the same forthe boundary of his kingdom. Si Thep's past still remainsa mystery.

There are a good number of inscriptions in the northeas-tern part of Thailand during this period of the silenceof the Khmer kings in Cambodia. Professor Coedes hasincluded, for convenience, nearly all of them in his "Listegenerale des inscriptions du Cambodge". He did this evenif he realised perfectly well these inscriptions do not belongto the "Cambodians". After his death, numerous inscrip-tions have been discovered and reported. These inscriptions,with or without the Sanskrit text, were sometimes writtenin Mon instead of the Khmer language. This is a veryimportant statement for the history of this region.

Some of the inscriptions were engraved on large slabsof red sandstone in the form of sima.. These can be regardedas remarkable pieces. These stone slabs, with or without theinscription, have generally been found in small groups. Theyare often decorated with Buddhist bas-reliefs whose style,like the statues sometimes found with them, is very close tothat of DvaravatF.

Known for a long time,7 many of these inscriptions,particularly those recently discovered in the province ofChaiyaphum, have only been closely observed lately. Becausethey are often badly eroded, deciphering them is not always

easy. But the scripts present some of the characteristicsProfessor Coedes has well observed and described. Theyquite differ from the Cambodian script and are nearer tothe DvaravatF . Since the inscriptions bear no date, they canonly be approximated to about the 8lhcentury. These inscrip-tions are sometimes in Mon or in Khmer. But generally, theyare in Sanskrit. This quite clearly separates this region fromthe ancient kingdom of Dvaravatf in the west, where Paliseems to have been the only known scholarly language.

Some of these inscriptions mention the name of kings.These differentiate them from those at Dvaravati's. Theinscribed "pillars" at Hin Khon8 do not have the exact simaform. They have square sections but their arrangement is thesame. The inscriptions indicate they celebrate a Rajabhikshuwho had the royal title of Nrpendradhipativarman. He mighthave reigned in a city called Sro Bra (K 388, face b, 1.10,16; face d, 1.17-18) or Sro Vraah (A' 389 face b, 1.9-10; face c, 1.9-10).

We find in K 388 other names of kings, e.g. : In-dravarman, Soryavarman. Some of the named kings arequalified as cakravartin (universal monarch). But this issurely exaggerated. The inscriptions also contain names of"capitals" such as Mr and Tamrari which are not knownanywhere else.

Apart from these, the inscriptions draw attentionbecause of their mediocre Khmer language mixed with Mon.Another large slab-slmi K 404y in Sanskrit mentions a kingnamed Jayasirihavarman, but did not indicate the nameof his kingdom.

Bernard-Philippe Groslier traced the area where theseinscriptions were discovered and designated it as the "civi-lization of inscriptions". Of course, after his article waspublished in 19801". new inscriptions were discovered. Andin the province of Chaiyaphum, this area has enlargedconsiderably. It is now interesting to examine the connection,if there is any betweeen inscriptions and the inhabitants ofancient towns, surrounded with moats, existing in the wholeregion.

The mysterious "kingdom of Srf Canasa", appearson two inscriptions of the same type. The first engraved twodifferent inscriptions"; the older one, in Sanskrit, gives nodate and the other, in Sanskrit and Khmer, gives a dateequivalent to 868 A.D.

Professor Coedes writes about this kingdom in hisarticle published in Journal Asiatique. He claims it is in theregion of Khorat (Nakhon Ratchasima). In reality, as verylittle is known about Srf Canasa, one should avoid

J9

imagining it as a large kingdom even if it is one of the only

two named "kingdoms" known in that region. The two

inscriptions, one of which has probably been moved from

i' original place, does not allow us to trace the limits of a

4 i Professor Coedes used Pali Chroniclesof the 15th century

to explain about the Khmersof the 11th century.''

In the inscription of 868 A.D., there is an interesting

allusion to Kambudesa. Professor Coedes translates the

Sanskrit expression kambudesantare to "outside of Kam-

i-.uaesa". Using that translation he writes that the region was

still independent during that period. But owing to the varied

meanings of the word antara, this expression could have been

better translated as "inside Kambudesa", which is contrary

to the first translation!

This inscription, engraved above a Buddhist text, relates

the foundation of a linga and supports the last translation: •;• showing the arrival of Khmers from Cambodia Anyhow the

mention of Kambudesa is, historically perhaps, the most an-

cient. It also shows the appearance (or reappearance) of Khmer

influence from Cambodia in this region. The name of Sri"

Canasapura appears in K 9491-, a later inscription dis-

covered in Ayutthaya. Bearing the date of 937 A.D., it could

have originated from the region of Khorat. The inscription

e> a series of royal names and refers only to Sri Canasa.

•is implies the kingdom was still or again independent at

that time. In addition, the name Canasa (or Canasa), a

Sanskrit word, is meaningless in that language, in Khmer,

or even, perhaps, in Mon.

There is again a reference, says Professor Coedes, about

a kingdom of Sambuka. It is mentioned only in inscription

K 577l3 which is engraved on the base of a Buddha image

. overed in Lopburi (This image may have been removed

'rum an original site). It is possible that the name Sambuka

might be the same as the one found in an epithet of Sambuka-

pattana town. Cited in one of Jayavarman Vll ' s 1 4 inscrip-

tions, it seems like the name of a town in the Chao Praya

Valley.

Sambuka in Sanskrit is the general term for "shell".

Shall we find such a layer in the valley, not far from Lopburi,

like for example the name of Samrong Sen in Cambodia?

But in this case, would the name be in Sanskrit?

Inscription No. K 1082 was recently discovered in Wat

Ban Song Puay, Yasothon Province. Unfortunately, this

inscription bears no date. However it informs of king Pra-

varasena and his"capital"Sahkhapura. Sahkha is another

name for shell especially of conch shell. This word is not known

anywhere else. The inscription also mentions KrorTcabahu,

the king's son,and Dharmasena, the founder of a linga of

Siva, his grandson. These royal names have no varman at the

end. But on the contrary they have sena at the end, like

Citrasena, which is the original name of Mahendravarman.

Engraved on a re-used door-jamb at the great temple

of Phimai is Inscription K 100015. Although this inscription

mentions the name of Sauryavarman, a Buddhist king, its

dilapidated state prohibits any conclusion. But since the

script used can be dated back to the eighth century, one may

use this simple hypothesis. King Sauryavarman, who is

unknown anywhere else, might have reigned in the kingdom

of Canasa -- if the region of this kingdom can be precisely

identified to include the territory around Phimai.

Another document recently discovered is particularly

interesting. It is a short undated inscription engraved on the

back of a Buddhist terracotta votive tablet which is now

preserved in the National Museum of Khon Kaen. The front

side records a scene from the life of the Buddha. The whole

text is in the Mon language, except one expression : kamrateh

pdai karaum meaning "lord of the lower surface". This

Khmer phrase designates kings in general. While the word

kamrateh is written the same way as in the Angkorian period,

the word pdai is written in pre-Angkorian form. The elon-

gated form of the word karom may be local. This inscription

however marks the beginning of the Khmer kings' influence

in a Mon zone. These Khmer kings came from Cambodia.

This period could therefore be attributed to the reign of

Indravarman I as none of his predecessors seemed to have

extended power up to that region. But this again is a working

hypothesis.

To summarize, Buddhist bas-reliefs, Sanskrit, Mon or

Khmer inscriptions testify the existence, around the eighth

century A.D. in the northeast of present-day Thailand, of

various small but more or less independent kingdoms. Only

two kingdoms are named: Sri Canasa and Sambuka;

apparently they are Mon. Some "towns" are also named but

whether or not these towns had any connection with the

20

known "kingdoms" is unknown.The political influence of Cambodia's Khmers which

probably appeared in 868, might have arrived a little earlier.This might have been due to Indravarman I, who was con-secrated as a cakravartin in 877 in the town ofHariharalaya, Cambodia. During that time Indravarman 1 was not very young. He could have been consecrated as a cakravartin only after having conquered a vast territory. Butthis again belongs to the domain of hypothesis.

*After the publication of Professor Coedes' article,

many inscriptions from the epoch of Yasovarman 1 have beendiscovered in the northeast of Thailand. Thus significantlyenlarging the domain of this king, corresponding to whatProfessor Coedes has written.

First of all, inscriptions in two languages have beenfound. Normally fragmentary, they however satisfactorilyattest the presence of many famous asrama (hermitage) belonging to Yasovarman 1, in Phanum Rung or Khorat.There is also an inscription engraved upon a lintel froirPrasat Phanom Van (K 1065). It was edited by H.R.H.Princess Sirindhorn who reproduced the edict of the sameking. This inscription also refers to the authority of In-dravarman I.

Long before the reign of Jayavarman VII, the Khmershad already built important constructions on the plateau ofKhorat. Given that the Khmers were then the masters of theregion, how should one interpret all the royal titles mentionedin Inscription K 949 on the kingdom of Sri Canasa in 937A.D.? In reality this inscription does not seem absolutelyincompatible with recent discoveries.

The sons and successors of Yasovarman I: HarshavarmanI and fsanavarman II. were not powerful enough. Theydid not have the same authority as their father but tracesof their reigns were found in Inscription K 107316 in theprovince of Buriram, circa 925 A.D. and in Inscription K 69717 in the province of Yasothon.

Jayavarman IV, their successor, reigned in 937. Althoughhe is totally unknown in the north of Dangrek Range, hisson Harshavarman II is mentioned in K 39318, an inscriptionof Phanom Van. This then permits the assumption that thekingdom of SrT Canasa, of which Prasat Phanom Wanmight not have been a part, assumed its independencesome time during the first half of the tenth century. KingsNarapatisihhavarman and Mahgalavarman,who were brothers,may have reigned successively. At the same time they mayhave preserved the Khmer language as an official language

as can be observed on the second face of Inscription K 949.Rajendravarman took the supreme power at Angkor

in 944 A.D. He controlled all the territories of YasovarmanI. After the death of Professor Coedes, many new inscrip-tions have been discovered showing the authority of Rajen-dravarman in the northeast of Thailand. One of these is K 112019, at Phanom Rung, which still unedited.

Rajendravarman had a rare but grand title of dhuli jerikamsteri an. This is indicated on Inscription K 95720,bearing the date of 941 A.D., from the region of Aranya-prathet in eastern Thailand. The inscription reports thefunction of a vassal for an unnamed supreme king. Mentionof this same king is found again, among many high dig-nitaries, on Inscription K 1151. Recently discovered in thesame region, this inscription of 943 A.D. indicates thatvarman appears at the end of his name, in the same position,two years later, as that on K 957.

But it is not certain whether or not that unnamed kingbecame the supreme king of the Khmers. During that periodRajendravarman may have been the independent king ofBhavapura, a kingdom situated around Sambor Prei Kukin Cambodia. He may have not served under JayavarmanIV or Harshavarman II. However a complex politicalstructure may have existed wherein the independent king ofBhavapura was also the master of the Aranyaprathet region.In this case, he could have been a vassal of the supreme kingof the Khmers.

Jayavarman V apparently spread his authority on allthe possessions of his father on the other side of the DangrekRange. New discoveries attesting this is abundant. But G.Coedes knew only of two inscriptions naming this king.Found in Thailand, they are K 235 and 990.

Now, there are nine more: K 1063: K 1116; K 1156of unknown origin; K 1141 from the old town Sema, nearAmphoe Sung Noen, Nakhon Ratchasima Province; K 1067and 1120 from Phanom Rung; K 1094 from Nadun, KhonKaen Province; and from the region of Aranyaprathet, K 1087 and K 1152.

*

In the same article Professor Coedes wrote the fol-lowing for the rest of the Angkorian period: "With theestablishment of the authority of Suryavarman 1 on theMenam, at Lopburi, in the second decade of the 11th

century, the Sanskrit and Khmer inscriptions attesting theAngkorian domination multiply themselves on the plateauof Khorat, from Sakhon Nakhon to Phnom Van (K 369 and393).

21

22

"With the reign of Jayavarman VII which began in1181, this domination covered the whole plateau, where onehas found not fewer than seventeen inscriptions21 of thefoundation of hospitals, from Sai Fong in Laos (K 368) inthe north (see picture) to Chaiyaphum (Vat Ku, K 402) inthe west and at Khonburi in south-southeast of Khorat inthe south. This domination also spread to the Menam basinand in the north of the Malay peninsular.

Without the epigraphical documents in these regions,one can know from the inscription of Prah Khan of Angkorthat Jayavarman VII had his own image under the traits ofthe Buddha Jayabuddhamahanatha installed in twenty-three towns, many of which are now situated in the territoryof the present-day Thailand. This is apparently to affirmhis sovereignty in a tangible way".

It is now known that the many kingsProfessor Coedes had identified

and used in his assumptionsare probably incorrect."

I am not certain how one could have so much con-fidence. Professor Coedes22 used Pali chronicles of the15th century to explain about the Khmers of the 11thcentury. As Michel Vickery points out in his thesis, oneshould be prudent with these kinds of texts23.

It is now known that the many kings Professor Coedeshad identified and used in his assumptions are probablyincorrect. In order to eliminate his rival, Jayaviravarman,Suryavarman I had to conquer a lot of land before comingto the capital of Yasodharapura (Angkor). The famousinscription of Sdok Kak Thorn (A' 235)2A informed, a longtime ago, that Suryavarman 1 became the master of theAranyaprathet region. He became so after provoking heavydestructions. He probably came from the region of Sambor,on the Mekong, and moved from the east to the west byfollowing the south of the Dangrek Range. He thereforerested largely on the territory of the Khmer kingdom. Onlyafter he had solidly installed himself in Angkor did he beginto rule what is now actually Thailand. His predecessors usedto govern this part of Thailand and inscriptions mentioninghis name are not rare.

Recent discoveries of inscriptions at the monument ofPhanom Rung, some belonging to Suryavarman I'sreign,25 are numerous. They have been studied by H.R.H.Princess Sirindhorn.

An inscription from Suryavarman I's reign at Phimai(K 953) and one inscription at Phanom Wan (K 393) havealso been found. Though it is true that an inscriptionreproducing the edict of Suryavarman I26 and bearing thedate of 1022 A.D. was found in Lopburi, it is not certainwhether or not it was found at its original place. As a result,this king's conquest of the Chao Praya Valley in CentralThailand is still open to question.

The name of Udayadityavarman 11 very rarehappears in the inscriptions discovered in present-dayThailand. His name however is evident in the Sdok KakThorn Inscription. This king and his guru were muchcelebrated in that inscription. Inscription K 393, engravedon the door-jamb of Phanom Wan, also mentions his nameafter Suryavarman I. As for his brother and successor.Harshavarman III, he has left no trace in the epigraphy oithis region.

h is sometimes said that the "dynasty" Marndha-rapura came to supreme power with Jayavarman VI in 1080.This dynasty might have originated from the region or evenfrom the town of Phimai. The epigraphy found concerningthis "dynasty" contains relatively abundant support to thishypothesis.

K 391, from Phanom Wan27, dating back to 1082A.D., is the only inscription found in Thailand referring toJayavarman VI when he was still alive. King Dharanin-dravarman 1, his brother and successor, is referred to in K 39728, the large inscription of Phimai. But this inscriptiondoes not show his authority clearly. It only indicates, at theturning of the phrase, that one donor at the temple dedicateda part of his accomplished merit to him.

Suryavarman 11 himself is rarely cited. Nevertheless,he is celebrated in a beautiful Sanskrit poem engraved inInscription K 384 at Phanom Rung.29 This was composedfor the glory of Narendraditya who seems to be a nearrelative of the king. The relative silence of the inscriptionson the great kings of Angkor in Cambodia leaves us, at thistime, no clue on the origin of many temples such as themagnificent Angkor Wat temple, Beng Mealea, the townof Phimai and its beautiful sanctuary. No definite conclusioncan yet be made on them.

King Yasovarman 11 has left no epigraphy in Thailand.Nonetheless, according to a stanza of Inscription K 28S3n,

23

from Prasal Cruh at Angkor, after he returned from1 avodaya or Lopburi in central Thailand he succumbed to

attack in his palace at Angkor around 1165. Weknow very Utile about his opponent, Tribhuvanadityavarmanthe "usurper". In particular, we do not know whetheror not he continued to control the north of the Khmer

empire.Khmer historians generally neglect King Tribhuvana-

dityavarman's reign as well as that of his predecessor. Thisis probably without reason because these two kings

had maintained their powers for a total period of more thantwent :ive years. This was until the town of Angkor wascaptured by the Cham king, Jaya-lndravarman IV, in 1177A.D.. Furthermore, major Khmer works of art wereproduced during this period.

Inscriptions discovered in Thailand are not the onlyones demonstrating the interest of Jayavarman VII on thispart of his empire. The inscription of Prah Khan fromAnyker indicates an itinerary in which Jayavarman VII hadthe "houses with fire" constructed. Although we cannotprecisely identify all the sites, many of these houses wereclearly situated in the present-day Thailand.

An inscription on the hospital created by JayavarmanVH was recently discovered in the region of Surin. Thismakes a total number of seven inscriptions on the hospitalscreated by Jayavarman Vll and discovered in Thailand. Thehospital inscriptions found in the khmer empire now totalsto eighteen. Many ritual objects in bronze have beenunearthed. On them are engraved the dedication byJayavarman VII to hospitals or temples, especiallyInscriptions K 973, 1052, 1056.

After the reign of Suryavarman 1, it is certain that theKhmer civilization, especially its arts, was brilliantly and

rgely represented on the territory of present-day Thailand.Uut no doubt it is more difficult to affirm that the kingsof Angkor continued to maintain their power over theseterritories. Using evidences from inscriptions, many locallords, who in reality might have been Khmers, may haveliberated themselves by taking advantage of weaknesses ofthe Angkorian masters.

Up to this time no traces of the successors of Jaya-virmen VII were found in Thailand. From their timeonwards the inevitable growth of the Thai people soondefeated the Khmer power. The Khmer kings, even withsome notable successes, had more and more difficultymaintaining their suzerainty over the territories north of theDangrek Range.

*1 would like to stress again that epigraphy has its own

limitation. I personally encounter this every day, and admitthat it cannot tell us everything. Epigraphy is often suc-cessfully completed through archaeology and art history.

In dealing with epigraphy, one must be careful not togive history more lessons than what it can give. It is certainthat sometimes a lot could be learned from Sanskrit in-scriptions. They belong to a particular class. On the otherhand inscriptions, notably khmer, did not aim to analyzeinformation.

Normally, Khmer inscriptions only report a particularcase. To generalize it imprudently would be misleading. Andusually this is the tendency because inscriptions are difficultto find. One should avoid forming too many conclusionson the presence or absence of any inscription.

An inscription reports only what a certain person haddone; a fact at a precise site. On the subject of the realboundary of the territory of Sri" Canasa, for instance, onecannot infer from the presence of only one inscription insitu, which mentions the name of the "kingdom". It cannotbe deduced with certainty that the territory of Srf Canasais a tiny kingdom.

Perhaps one day, one or many inscriptions would bediscovered. They could help us understand the area of SrfCanaia better 1 have made here only a provisionalopinion and my earnest wish is that it will be outdated verysoon. Discoveries of new texts will contradict what I haverelated and will advance our historical knowledge by fillingup one or many of its numerous gaps. !8

- Translated from French to English by Professor MC

Subhaciradis Diskul.

G L O S S A R Y

Dvaravati - name of a kingdom, existing in Central Thailand,

during the 7th - Uth century A.D.linga - a phallic emblem representing Sivasena - officials, particularly in the militarysima - a sacred stone boundary or markervarman - originally meant a cuirass, this word was later

added to proper names as a suffix meaningprotected by

24

L i s t o f t h e K h m e r K i n g s(from The Indianized States of Southeast Asia by G. Coedes, 1968)

Funan Period

Kaundinya Jayavarman (died in 514 A.D.)

Rudravarman (514 - c 550)

Pre-Angkorian or Chenla PeriodBhavavarman 1 (598)

Chitrasena Mahcndravarman (beginning of 7fh c.)

f sanavarman I (616 - c. 635)

Bhavavarman II (639)

Jayavarman I (657-681)

Jayadevi (713)

Angkonan Period

Jayavarman II (802-850)

Jayavarman III (850-877)

Indravarman I (877-889)

Yasovarman 1 (889-900)

Harshavannan 1 (900 - after 922)

1 sanavarman II (925)

Jayavarman IV (928-942)

Harshavarman II (942-944)

Rljendravarman (944-968)

Jayavarman V (968-1001)

Udayadityavarman I (1001)

Suryavarman I (1002-1050)

Udayadityavarman 11 (1050-1066)

Harshavarman HI (1066-1080)

Jayavarman VI (1080-1107)

Dharanindravarman 1 (1107-1113)

Suryavarman II (1113 - after 1145)

Dharanindravarman II (c 1160)

Yasovarman II (• 1165)

Tribhuvanidityavarman (1165-1177)

Jayavarman VII (1181 - c 1220)

Indravarman II (died in 1243)

Jayavarman VIII (1243-1295)

Srindravarman (1295-1307)

Srindrajayavarman (1307-1327)

Jayavarmadiparamesvara (1327 • 1)

F O O T N O T E S1. Journal Asiatique (JA), Vol.

CCXLVI, No. 2, 1958, p.

125-142.

2. Loc.cit., p. 126

3. Cf. "Le pays khmer avant

Angkor", Journal des

Savants, January-September

1986, p. 59-95.

4. Inscription de Wat Sabap et

de Wat Thong Thua, edited

by G. Coedes, BEFEO XXIV,

p. 353-358

5. Edited by G. Coedes, JA,

ibid, p. 129-131

6. K 978, edited by G. Coedes in

Inscriptions du Cambodge

(1C), Vol.VII, p. 156-158

7. Cf. E. Seidcnfaden : Comple-

ment a I'invemaire descriptil

des monuments du Cambodge

pour les quatre provinces du

Siam Oriental in BEFEO

XXII (1922), p. 89-90

8. The text of these inscriptions,

K 388 and K 389, has been

edited by G. Coedes, in 1C

VI, p. 74 and 78. Hin Khon,

"stone marker" is the name

of the inscriptions and not

the name of a place; cf. E.

Aymonier, Le Cambodge II,

p. 115.

9. Inscription of Phu Khiew

Kau (or Ph'u Khiao Kau),

edited by G. Coedes, 1C VII,

p. 73

10. "Prospection des sites khmers

au Siam" in Couts et profits

en archelogie, CNRS, Paris,

1980, p. 33-57 4 4 maps.

11. Inscription of B8 Ika K 400,

edited by G. Coedes. IC VI,

p. 83-85

12. Edited in RS IV, No. 117, p.

216-220

13. Edited by G. Coedes, RS II,

No. 16, p. 4-5

14. Inscription of Prah Khan K

908, edited by G. coedes,

BEFEO XL1, p. 255-301. The

name of Sambukapattana

appears in the stanza CXVI.

15. Edited by C. Jacques, BEFEO

LVI, p. 57-61

16. Inscription of Prasat Prei

Bat, preserved at Khorat

Museum, unedited.

17. Inscription of Ban T'at Tong,

edited by G. Coedes, IC VII,

p. 94-98

18. Edited by G. Coedes, IC VI1.

p. 63-70. The mention of King

Brahmaloka, posthumous

name of Harshavarman II is

on the southern door-jamb,

1.44.

19. K 1120, unedited.

20. Inscription of Nong P'ang

P'uey, edited by G. Coedes,

IC VII, p. 137-140.

21. This number of seventeen,

produced by G. Coedes after a

lacuna, was the total number

of the hospital inscriptions.

22. Cf. Les Etats hindouises..., p.

251-252.

23. Cambodia after Angkor. The

chronicular evidence for the

fourteenth to sixteenth cen-

turies, thesis for Ph.D., Yale

University, 1977 (published

on demand by University

Microfilms International). The

problem of these chronicles is

notably discussed p. 372 sq.

24. Edited by G. Coedes and P.

Dupont in BEFEO XL111, p.

57-13-1

25. They concern the Khmer

inscriptions K 1066, 1071,

1072 and 1090 which one can

date only by palaeography

and perhaps because they are

mutilated, they leave no name

of the king to be deciphered.

26. Edited by G. Coedes, Recueil

des inscriptions du Siam, Vol.

II, No. XIX

27. Edited by G. Coedes, IC VI,

p. 297-299

28. Edited by G. Coedes, BEFEO

XXIV, p. 345-352; the name

of Dharanindravarman is at

1. 23.

29. The upper half of this in-

scription, which has been

known since a long time, was

published by G. Coedes, IC

V. p. 297-305. The lower half

was recently discovered and

•studied (though not yet

edited) by H.R.H Princess

Sinndhorn who could par-

ticularly correct the hypo-

thesis proposed by G. Coedes

when he could read only the

upper fragment.

30. Edited by G. Coedes, IC IV,

p. 209-231. It figures in the

stanza CV1II which was

already studied particularly

in BEFEO XXIX, p. 306-307

(and plate XLV1) but it was

not well deciphered and as a

result the name of Lavodaya

was not noticed.

25

LOOKING AT CORPOPATE STRATEGIES AND PLANNING

FOR BETTER HANDICRAFTS DEVELOPMENT:

THE MALAYSIAN EXPEDIENCE

by Sulaiman bin Othman

Handicrafts showcase

the nation's artistic wealth.For

tourism, the handicrafts indus-

try is one of the many streaks of

colors which make up the beau-

ly and splendour of travels. As

an activity, it is widely acknow-

ledged that the economic con-

Hi: jns generated by these

industries in terms of employ-

ment and foreign exchange

earnings have been, in some

osiances, comparable to those

the organized sectors.

The public and private

. been commonly re-

iexjed (o av organized, whilst the

handicraft sector has been the

ubject of many reviews. It is

•ithin this context that I would

'.ke to address and focus atten-

ion. 1 would like to relate the

'' •'icraft sector to monetary

-ensing, certification,

-p.Nation and other factorsGrounding it.

As an economic concern, this

<*tor must be looked into in total

perspective. It must be viewed as an

economic energy which has, in the

past years, been an active source of

income to many of the lower income-

groups. But today, based on infor-

mation gathered through surveyed

datas, some interesting con-

clusions have been made.

In some countries, fami-

lies involved in the handicraft

industry are found to be living

with incomes over the national

household average. This is an

interesting point to ponder

upon. Money value in this

industry is reflected by the

strong demand for handicraft

products.

The economic value of the

handicraft sector is e\ idem. Its

growth and contribution to the

nation's wealth have been sub-

stantial. But this industry is

reaped of its wealth without

much concern for return in -

vestment. Reinvesting profes-

sionally means sufficient know-

how and advanced techno-

logies through professional

input to further develop in into a

bigger and more respectable industry.

Nonetheless, as the industry

grows, immanent problems grow too.

In many instances, authorities are

onlv concerned with investing time

2fi

and energy only within the organizedsector. But a huge proportion ofthe handicraft sector still remainsunorganized.

It is important, at this juncture,to seriously investigate the problemslaced by the industry. All energiesshould be directed to preservation ofcultural and economic traditions.

There is a need to create a more stableenvironment for growth for the handi-crafts industry.

Since the subject matter con-cerns people and their artistic skills,this forum will be referred to as aninformal enterprise.

There are three distinct God-given assets. First is the inherent skillof the artisan. If professionally or-ganized, this asset can provide themeans to produce products sought byexport markets worldwide.

Second is the abundant supplyof local raw materials. 1 his is com-mon to excellent handicraft products.One must also look at raw materialsas money-makers and as part ofthe handicraft industry itself. Rawmaterials, imported or locally avai-lable, can help build a stable industry.

The author is the director general of theMalaysian Handicraft DevelopmentCorporation.

The third God-given asset iscultural and artistic wealth. This is thesoul of many craft forms. To sum up,natural resources and the artistictalents make up the three importantassets of the handicraft industry.

The regular supply of rawmaterials remains a fundamental con-straint. Increasing volume production

demand, particularly in the exporttrade, coupled with irregular suppliesand fast rising prices, make businessexpansion questionable. With thisdrawback, positive steps towards a more organized raw materials pro-duction system must be viewed withgreat concern. Apart from providingjobs, steps for increased raw materialsupplies ensure the continued growthof the industry.

In Malaysia, the supply of basic-raw materials at controlled pricesprovide some buffer to the problemof insufficient raw materials. But a more welcome approach could be thesetting up of a supply sector whosemembers deal directly with the manu-facturers of the industry. This inmany ways would eliminate the needfor and the ever rising costs of ready-made imported raw materials. Inaddition, government policies shoulddiscourage the exportation of un-processed raw materials.

All approaches and considera-tions must generate greater oppor-

tunities for growth within this handi-craft sector. Regulating policies toprevent trading of basic and unpro-cessed raw materials will generatesteadier and guaranteed supply. Thiswould enable local industries to presentthemselves in the open market withmore confidence.

Government regulation on pricingis another concern. Without propercontrol, costs of raw materials in-crease. But the prices of finished goods may not move up commensu-rately. Then the handicraft industrymay suffer.

Many entrepreneurs are reluctantto upgrade their technological stan-dards. They fear that by doing so thenovelty of their products may bereduced. And this may result to theloss of their traditional markets.

In Malaysia, a similar fear existsamong its handloom entrepreneurs.Market sensitivity in this problemremains a determining force. Theconstant demand for product varia-tion and innovations encouragesentrepreneurs to slowly welcomechanges in technology.

In this respect educational in-stitutions or government agencies canassist in educating craftsmen ontechnological change. They, as well asthe general public, must be educatedstarting from the earliest possibleschool age. Changes, especially intechnologies, are necessary if handi-crafts are to remain competitive.

There is a lack of awareness invarious technological advancementsparticularly in production techniques.In many Asian countries such infor-mation is not readily available andthis limits alternatives for change.

Entrepreneurs exposed to thelatest technologies are able to upgrade

••. . . .government policiesshould discourage the exportation

of unprocessed raw materials."

27

their operations. They are at an advan-tage when pricing is concerned. Sincethe handicraft industry is highlylabour intensive, there is a need toupgrade technological know-how.Long hours, traditional methods ofproduction and, in most cases, poorworking conditions should drasticallybe improved. This is to ensure artisansget a better deal and receive more inreturn.

Another approach undertakenby the Malaysian government in up-grading the local handicrafts industryis product development and design.These are areas often neglected bymany quarters. Design developmentis usually left unattended in sub-contracted productions since themajority of the artisans are also theworkers themselves.

In a very demanding and highlycompetitive market, design plays an

important role in the survival of a handicraft. In Malaysia emphasis isgiven to design work. Where theartisan population is relatively smalland where wage is comparativelyhigh, innovative and marketable designsas well as quality products are im-portant ingredients for survival. Thiscould be clearly seen when neigh-bouring countries have greater advan-tage in labour, skills and wages. A highly innovative and professionalapproach to product developmentand design is an investment.

There is a strong need for pro-duct diversification. The governmentmust take the lead role to ensure thehandicraft industry's growth in theexport sector. Be it for export, local,or tourists, the government must helpthe industry fulfill increasingdemands.

Skilled labour, the maininvestment in the industry must at all

time be seriously examined. Withoutit the industry will never enjoy theartistic respectability it now enjoys.But there are now new areas of em-ployment which promise better andlucrative benefits.

And skilled labour in the handi-crafts industry of Malaysia is quicklydisappearing. The artisan's irreplace-

Mengkuang leaves (top), grow inabundance on the Malay Peninsula.Before they are woven or plaited intovarious items, they are first cut intolong strips, soaked in water, driedand dyed (left).

able value must be duly recognizedwithin the formal wage structure ofthe government. Only through formallegislation can there be an assuranceof the continued availability of skilledlabour.

Looking at India, employmentand trade generated by their handi-craft, sector are commendable. Ma-laysia, on the other hand, has a youngpopulation. Out of the 16.1 millionpopulation, 58% forms the workingage groups. In 1980, 128,000 artisan-related workers were registered.

In the fibre plaiting and theloom weaving sectors of Malaysia,employment is part-time and femaledominated. Since this constitutes a sizeable proportion of the handicraftsindustry, this sector should be stabi-lized into a formal structure. Malaysia

28

In a very demanding and highly competctive market, product diversification anddesign play a vital role in the survival of these woven handicrafts.

gears itself towards an economicchange, forging ahead towards a newindustrialized nation in the years tocome.

The direction undertaken by theMalaysian government provides themove to stabilize, organize and placethe craft industry as an economicsector. This too could provide sub-stantial support to the country'seconomic growth.

On the other hand, the manu-:acturing sector has been identified tospearhead economic growth. As anindustry handicrafts has proven itselfto be considerably important to theeconomic well being of those involvedin it. This suggests that handicraftsalso has a role to play in Malaysia's economic growth.

Among the many steps taken byour government to ensure the in-dustry's growth is the introduction ofsignificant changes to relevant legisla-

tions. Under the promotion of invest-ment act of 1986 and the income taxact of 1967, taxes applied to com-panies in Malaysia are in the form of40% income tax and 5% developmenttax*

To encourage growth in themanufacturing sector, companiesgranted pioneer status are exemptedfrom these taxes within a period offive years. And to promote greatersupply of raw materials, suppliers arcalso tax exempted. Raw materials arc-brought into the country under theauspices of the Malaysian handicraftdevelopment corporation. This is toprovide the needed buffer stock.

In addition to the tax free bene-fits, duty privileges are also grantedfor imported machineries and equip-ment in the manufacturing sector.Nearly all these types of machinery

and equipment are exempted fromimport duty, surtax and sales tax.

Based on the findings conductedin 1987 by the International Develop-ment Research Centre, Canada (1DRC).exports hold the key to the future. Ifthis is the case, large scale structuralchanges take place. The answer to thishowever lies in the direction of govern-ment policies and the number of trade-offs made to strike a harmoniou-balance. There are no easy answer'-..

Furthermore, snarls in govern-ment policies need to be disentagled.Where free enterprise is encouraged,policies may be in conflict with theneed to protect local industries. Theremay be no immediate answers, but atthis juncture what is important isawareness. Long term planning can beutilized. At best, it can be imple-mented towards striking a balance in

* However, in 1989. the rates have been reduced to 35<tb and 1% per annum for the ne\l live vears respectively.

29

the growth of all sectors concerned.Malaysia's economic growth is

invested in her plans of industrializa-• K-nected by active growth of

niufaeiuring sector. Asacoun-(f\ comprising Malays, Chinese,Indians, loan, Kadazans and otherraces, it is now looking into thepossibility of making plurality anadded asset. Its varied and colourfulculture* provide a unique platform toH Malaysians and our productsin ihe open market.

The tourism industry and thehandicraft industry strongly compli-ment each other. The strong image ofa nation can be built on reputable anduniquely presented handicraft products.

iral significance can belur'hci enhanced by the beauty andother strong qualities of a productproduced by craftsmen. The handicraftindustry remains a significant factorcontributing to the growth of tourism.

It is very necessary to seriouslyanal\:v the registration and legisla-

tions governing the manufacturingsector. Manufacturing units, small orbig, must be effectively controlled.Certificates on the standard of opera-tions and products could form a market guarantee. This legislativemove could further enhance growthin both the tourism and the handi-

craft industry.With growing exports and local

demands, handicrafts products couldbe one of Malaysia's main strengths.The handicraft industry has the po-tential to attract tourists and generatemore revenue for the country. (D

Photos show a few of the manytraditional handicrafts produced byMalay artisans.

30

SPAFA AFFAIRS

Training Courseon Information Dissemination

Designing leaflets, one of the mainactivities of the course.

A o strengthen the local culturalprogrammes and to increase the Asiancultural content of the media, SPAFAhas successfully implemented the(raining Course for the Promotionand Dissemination of Information onSoutheast Asian Cultural Traditions.

With the cooperation of theInstitute of Development Communi-cation (IDC) of the University of thePhilippines at Los Banos (UPLB),Lagona, the course was carried outfrom November 14 to December 12,1988 at the IDC Building.

The majority of the traineeswere media personnel and informationofficers of government offices in theSPAFA Member Countries. At the

commencement of the course, eachcountry delegation was requestedto present an assessment of theircountry's needs and problems in thedissemination of their cultural infor-mation. These presentations thenbecame the basis of a proposed re-gional cultural communication network,later conceptualized by the traineesthemselves. During the course, thetrainees were also given the oppor-tunity to experience the use of printingand audio-visual equipment.

In addition to the lectures andpracticum, the trainees were broughtaround the campus to familiarize themwith the different institutions in UPLRFor a glimpse of the rich Filipinoheritage, field trips were arrangedoutside the campus, to the differenttowns of Laguna Province.

Experts from the Asian Instituteof Journalism in UPLB, the PhilippineNational Museum and UP Dilimanserved as resource persons for thetraining course. They were largelyinstrumental to the achievement of thecourse objectives, which were:

* to arouse interest and awarenessin the value of the country'scultural heritage and the neces-sity of seeking effective ways of

transmitting and dissemina-ting cultural information to thepublic;

* to promote intercultural ap-preciation of Asian culturaltraditions;

* to establish a regular networkof information exchange ofcultural activities and pro-grammes; and

* to equip the participants withthe principles and technique?of effective utilization of audio-visual equipment and othermass media facilities in thepreparation and disseminationof culture and cultural infor-mation.

Constant togetherness has rein-forced the Southeast Asian group'scamaraderie. They were: Mr Soekatno,Ms Siti Dloyana Kusuma and Ms SriRahayu Mulati of Indonesia; Mrs FooFoong Lian, Mrs Norpisah Musa andMrs Sermani Pien of Malaysia; MrsDinah F. Mindo, Mrs Elisa R. Orencia,Mrs Asuncion M. Valdesco and MrsFilipina T. Villapando of the Philip-pines; Mrs Sally Ng Ban Kean ofSingapore; and Miss Patra Lumjiack,Mrs Vichanee Bunnag and Mrs WynettePuntuna of Thailand. H

31

Franees S. Arespacochaga of

the Ph i l ipp ines ' ln t ramuros

Administration (1A) and Saengchan

Traikasem of the National Museums

Division of Thailand travelled to

Canada in 1988 and became the

scond batch of museum experts to

training on the various as-

pects of museum work in Canada.

The two museum experts started

their month-long training in Canada

on November 7, 1988. Especially

designed for museum personnels from

the SPAFA member countries, this

training aims to

::rcngthen museum expertice of the

region and to provide an opportunity

for the region's experts to exchange

Musuem experts join SEAMEOInstitutional Cooperation with Canada

ideas and experiences in museology

with their Canadian counterparts,

' " r i h e r m o r e , the p rogramme

leavours to create possible

connections for mutually beneficial

activities in museology, between the

participant's country and Canada.

As part of the SEAMEO Pilot

Project for Integrated Community-!"-'d H u m a n Resource

elopment: The Inst i tut ional

Cooperat ion Arrangement , this

SPAFA training p rogramme is

actually funded by the Canadian

International Development Agency

(CIDA). It is implemented jointly by

the Associat ion of Canad ian

Community Colleges (ACCC) and

the Association of Universities and

Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

Here SPAFA's most recent

museology trainees, Frances and

Saengchan, talk about their training

and experiences in Canada. Frances

is the Chief Restoration Officer of

lA's Museum Division while

Saengchan is Curator 5 of her

country's National Museums Divi-

sion.

Q: What were the objectives of your

visit to Canada?

S: First, to de\elop our professional

competence in museum adminis-

tration, museum exhibition as

well as in educational and out-

reach programmes. Second, to

attend the seminar titled "Museum

and Art Gallery Management"

at the Banff Centre School of

Management in Banff, Alberta.

Q: What did >ou gain from the

seminar at the Banff Centre?

F: Information learned from the

seminar added to my knowledge

in marketing, leadership, financial

management , o rganiza t iona l

behaviour and planning strategy.

32

By interacting with our fellow

participants in the seminar, we

were able to gain insights on

museum policies and practices in

Canada.

S: This seminar, held on November

13-26, gave me better knowledge

in leadership, interpersonal skills,

organizational skills, financial

management, fund raising and

marketing.

Q: Could you relate your experiencesand what you have learned duringyour stint in Canada?

S: The programme is divided into

two parts. One is the visits to the

various museums in Canada; the

other is the internationally

recognized seminar on "Museum

and Art Gallery Management"

held at the Banff Centre.

We visited university museums,

provincial museums as well as

national museums. This enabled

us to observe the administration

and management of the various

types of outstanding museums.

We learned the planning and

the concept of museum display,

including their exhibit ion

techniques, educational and

outreach programme activities in

Canada.

F: 1 arrived in Vancouver only on

November 10 but, as arranged by

Anne-Marie henger, coordinator

for our visit, 1 managed to confer

with some officers in the Museum

of Anthropology at the University

of British Columbia. Observation

of the museum's exhibition

galleries, visible storage, and

conservation laboratory capped

Museum experts Frances S. Arespacochaga (left, second row) and SaengchanTraikasem (fourth from left, first row) pose with fellow participants for a souvenirphoto of the seminar "Museum and Art Gallery Management" held at the BanffCentre from November 13 to 26, 1988.

by a performance of native

dances and songs completed our

brief visit to the museum.

On Memorial Day, November 11,

Saengchan and 1 visited the

Vancouver Museum, the

Vancouvei Maritime Museum

and the St. Koch National

Historical Site. Unfortunately

because it was a public holiday,

none of the museum officials

were available lor interview.

Anyhow, 1 noted down my

observations on the various

methods of display, lighting,

design of exhibit cases, etc. which

could be useful for my institution.

Particularly interesting were the

methods of eliciting the viewers'

active participation.

While in Banff, Alberta, we

attended the 13-day seminar on

Museum and Art Gallery Manage-

ment at the Banff Centre. This

intensive programme is designed

to help profess ionals from

museums, artist-run spaces, art

galleries and other heritage

organizations to develop their

marketing and organizational

4 i l K

Four sessions were held daily.

And aside from the two to three

hour study group meetings in the

evenings, there were also the

individual s tudy per iods .

Discussions with faculty and

fellow participants in and out of

the class sessions enlightened me

on the problems and concerns of

Canadian museums and their

workers. This activity culminated

with a group presentation on a

major case study.

33

Visits to the Moore and WhyteHeritage Homes, the LuxtonMuseum and the Whyte Museumof the Canadian Rockies, wherewe attended a book launching,enabled me to witness theimpressive active support given byrelatively small Canadian com-munities to cultural activities.From Banff, Mr Eric Waterton(advisor to the Provincial Muse-um of Alberta) brought Saeng-chan and me to Glenbow Museumin Calgary. Discussions withassistant directors were followedby a guided tour of their extensivecollections, exhibited on severalfloors of the building.In Toronto, Ontario, RobertKirkman of the Royal OntarioMuseum made the arrangements for our two-day visit to one of thelargest museums in Canada.Discussions with various officersproved very informative.1 was impressed at how extensivethe services offered by themuseum are. A quick tour of theROM galleries revealed the widerange of their collections andtheir excellent methods of display.I iound their "Mankind Discover-ing" exhibition outstanding.Our visit to the Royal OntarioMuseum ended with a wrap-upsession wherein Saengchan and I talked about our respectivemuseums. During this session 1 met Hugh Spencer of LordCultural Resources Planning andManagement, Inc. We were ableto discuss the possibility oforganizing seminars andworkshops in the Philippines.

But, just like many other activitiesin Southeast Asia, fundingremains to be the main pro-blem.In Ottawa Mr Waterton arrangedfor us to meet the SPAFA/ACCCconference participants: Professor

Their use of high-tech devices wasquite impressive.At the Canadian ConservationInstitute, we were given a briefingon the functions and services ofthe various sections of the Insti-tute. A tour of the laboratories

** A tour of the laboratoriesshowed the tremendous advances

made by the Canadians in their conservationand research activities."

M.C. Subhadradis Diskul, SPAFACentre Director; Dr MichaelSinclair, Canadian ProjectDirector, SEAMEO/CIDA; GailMacLennan, Project Officer,ACCC/Asia and Middle EastDivision; and Liz Chia, also fromACCC. I was glad to be able topersonally thank them for thewonderful opportunity extendedto the lntramuros Administrationand to me.

Mr Waterton also very kindlyarranged for our tour of theCanadian Museum of Civiliza-tions. Although still unfinished, itpromises to be a major force inthe Canadian museum scene.Visits to the newly-openedNational Gallery of Canada, theNational Museum of NaturalSciences, the Canadian WarMuseum, and the ParliamentBuilding provided a lot ofinformation on exhibitionmethods and guiding procedures.

showed the tremendous advancesmade by the Canadians in theirconservation and research activi-ties.

Q: Did you encounter any difficultiesduring your visit?

F: 1 found the 13-day course at theBanff Centre too rigorous. Hadthe course been stretched to threeweeks it would prabably havebeen more beneficial to theparticipants. The combination ofthe course and the observationtour of the numerous museumsmade the pace a bit hectic.The Canadian weather wasespecially difficult for me sincetemperatures went as low as -16degrees celcius. In Manila it isusually 28-33 degrees celcius.

S: The length of museum visits wastoo short. In some provinceswe had only time to visit onemuseum. There wasn't enoughtime to visit other types of muse-ums in the same area.

34

Top : Enjoying the snow at LakeLouise are Frances S.Arespacochaga (right) andfriends.

Left : Saengchan Traikasem at theVancouver Museum.

Q: Do you have any suggestions forimprovement?

F: Perhaps spring or summer wouldbe a better time for Asians toundertake a similar programme.Also, should funds permit, toensure a more relaxed pace, per-haps a longer period should beallocated to museum visits.

S: More time should be spent ineach province to enable a betterview of museum works forcomparative study.

Q: What do you consider is thehighlight of your Canadian trip?

F: Although the seminar onMuseum and Art Gallery

35

Management at the Banff Centrewas the major activity of theprogramme, observations andinterviews made at the variousmuseums, particularly the RoyalOntario Museum, proved to beequally informative.

S: We gained different kinds ofexperiences and knowledge fromthe activities held at the seminarin Banff Centre and the visits toall the other museums.

Q: Describe what contributions thestudy tour has given to yourinstitution.

F: IA was quite pleased that itsrecommendee was chosen bySPAFA. My attendance in theseminar at Banff Centre is a firsttime for the Philippines. Most ofthe museum courses taken byFilipinos abroad centre onconservation. The arts manage-ment programme was thereforevaluable in imparling new know-ledge.The readings and hand-outmaterials I brought home withme, plus catalogues and brochuresfrom fellow participant*, are allavailable for use by IA officersand staff, including any otherinterested museum worker.1 was fortunate to have had thechance to visit a number ofmuseums, big and small, fromWest to East Canada. Theirstructural organizations, storagesystems, exhibitions, public pro-grammes and other activities havegiven me fresh insights and ideasapplicable to the IA museum.In view of our meagre funding,

we could at least adopt some oftheir techniques and undertakesimilar projects on a modest scale.For example, our museum will bemore active this year in museumeducation. The kits 1 have broughthome have been very helpful inproviding ideas for activity work-sheets and other materials forstudents.

Q: Personally, what did you gain fromthe trip?

S: This programme gave me the chanceto meet with the personnels ofvarious museums, art galleriesand other heritage organizationsin Canada. Among other things,from our discussions, we learnedeach other's working experiences,ideas, and culture. 1 learned thelatest developments in museumactivities in Canada.

F: 1 was extremely happy to be ableto visit Canadian museums. Priorto this 1 had never had the chanceto visit museums in North Ameri-ca. In fact, my visits to museumsin Greece, Egypt, Austria, Italy.Spain, France and China weremade years ago. So this tripcertainly enabled me to updatemyself on the current museumscene abroad.

Undoubtedly, my widened networkof museum colleagues will provevaluable. Moreover, the museumworkers I met in Canada wereoverwhelmingly hospitable andaccommodating.

Q: Would you like to attend a similarprogramme in Canada again?

F: Yes, I would.

S: Should 1 be awarded anotherfellowship, I would choose to goto Canada.

• ...this trip certainlyenabled me to updatemyself on the current

museums scene abroad.

Q: Would you recommend this typeof programme to others?

F: Yes.S: Yes, I would.

Q: Would you like to say somethingmore regarding this study tour?

F: Yes. 1 wish to take this opportuni-ty to thank SEAMEO-SPAFA inBangkok, the Association ofCanadian Community Colleges,the Association of CanadianColleges and Universities, theCanadian International Develop-ment Agency, and the SPAFA( oordinating Committee in iriePhilippines for enabling me toparticipate in this programme.

S: 1 feel very lucky 1 was part of thisprogramme. Hence, I would liketo express my sincere gratitudeto all those responsible forenabling us to join this activity.My thanks go to SPAFA, CIDA,ACCC, AUCC and to every indi-vidual, at all the places we havevisited, for their guidance andhelp. S

- Wynette Puntuna

36

The author (left) with Bangkok friend

A Canadian Perspective : Mid-Sojournby Marie-Ellana Dryden

At the end of that Februaryday, I sat in my office watching a typical Canadian blizzard out thewindow. I wondered if 1 should leavesoon to shovel my car out of the snowand scrape the ice from thewindshield. Little did 1 know that thenext phone call would place me in thesearing heat of Bangkok in April!

Such an opportunity presenteditself in that phone call from MarioPoulin. The Anthropology Depart-ment Coordinator and Professor atthe Edouard-Montpetit College inQuebec asked me to consider travel-ling halfway around the world. This,he said, was a chance for me to

observe firsthand a long establishedand rich culture very foreign to anyof my previous experiences.

Long before Mario Poulin'-.call, 1 was teaching at the elementaryand secondary school levels. Afterearning my Bachelor's degree in FineArts and a Master's degree in AnConservation, 1 became a profession-al artist. Then 1 was employed asa conservator at the Canadian Con-servation Institute in Ottawa for fouryears.

In January 1986 1 accepted theposition of Teaching Master andCo-ordinator of the Art Conservation Techniques Programme at Sir

Sandford Fleming College. Thecollege is located in Peterborough,province of Ontario.

Throughout my experiences 1 realized that 1 must remain current inthe field of an preservation. I mustcontinue to expose myself to newareas of knowledge and awareness inconservation.

As a professional conservator, I take pride in analyzing the conditionsof works of an. I propose and executeconservation treatments. And toensure the longevity of irreplaceableobjects of historic and artisticimportance, 1 also make recommen-dations for storage, display, and

37

mndling. These skills are learnedonly after many years of training andon the job experiences. Conservation is, therefore, a life-long vocation.

Nonetheless, the objectives ofmy subsequent SPAFA scholarship inthe Conservation of Murals andBronze are: 1) to observe the state ofbronze and mural conservation inThailand, 2) to share knowledge ofCanadian conservation techniqueswith my hosts and counterparts inThailand, and 3) to assist SPAFA inits programme of institutionallinkages in Canada.

During the visit, from April 17to May 1, 1989, I was able toaccomplish the first two objectives.This was done through rigorous butstimulating tours of variousconservation sites across Thailand.The third objective will hopefully beachieved in the reflection of thecompleted experience.

At this time of writing, havingcompleted only one third of thefifteen days, 1 am already lamentingthe brevity of this trip. The depth andbreath of the Thai cultural heritage,if which I have barely seen the•urface, is astounding. It is somethingwhich, although anticipated, cannotoe understood until experienced.

One visit is enough to learn onlythe merest details of the rich artisticheritage that Thailand has to offer. I am however content to accept theseimitations. 1 know 1 must learn asluch as possible in the short time I

am here.The National Museum of

Thailand and the Division ofArchaeology, both under theThailand Governments' Department

of Fine Arts, are very ably assistingme. They provide gracious andknowledgeable hosts for tours ofnumerous conservation laboratories,museums and religious sites inBangkok, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri,Petchburi and Sukhothai. 1 amatingle with anticipation of what thenext few days will hold. Each daybrings new delights.

The benefits of my Thaiexperience cannot be comprehendedin the limited time this sojournallows. It cannot even be expressed ina brief article. But I would stronglyurge anyone, who is fortunate enoughto be considered for a similarexchange, to participate willingly.

1 have learned much aboutmany things: the methods ofconserving individual objects, theentire approach to a body of artrevered for both artistic and religiousexpression and the culture thatspawned it, a gentle and friendlypeople, an exotically beautifulcountry, and a unique way oflife - the Thai way. Upon reflectionand in comparison 1 have also learnedmuch about myself.

Those who are workingdiligently to make this possible aretoo numerous to mention. However,1 would like to thank two very specialpeople for their assistance, SPAFAPublications Officer WynettePuntuna who's energy and sense ofhumour have made my job oflearning a pleasure, and SPAFAProgramme Officer AssociateProfessor Kamthorn Kulachol whohas kindly welcomed me and spentcountless hours helping me make thisprogramme meaningful. IB

• • The depth and breath of the Thai cultural heritage, of which I have barely seen the surface, is astounding*

38

UNESCO

joins

SPAFA

in conservation of ancient citiesAglobal vision and the

concept of the unity of mankindshould permeate all actions", said Mr.Makaminan Makagiansar, AssistantDirector-General of UNESCO in hisspeech delivered during the openingceremony of the UNESCO-SPAFAWorkshop: Principles and Methods ofPreservation Applicable to the AncientCities of Asia.

The workshop was implementedto provide a broader perspective anda balance in the conservation andrestoration efforts by including notonly the technical aspects but also thesocio-cultural-economic context ofstructures and sites of the living his-toric cities. Organized by SPAFA andsponsored by UNESCO, this Workshopwas held in Chiang Mai, Thailand,from November 6 - 12, 1988.

Ancient cities constitute im-portant links with the past. They are

living reminders of the nation's event-ful history. Unfortunately, much oftheir glory disappeared with theravages of time and whatever remainsis frequently unnoticed, unidentifiedand uncared for.

Cities are vitally important tohuman progress and social develop-ment. They hold a very imporrantplace in the history of the civilizationof mankind. Ancient cities aresymbols and concrete evidences of a country's long history and culture.

The cultural heritage of a his-torical-cultural city is a living part ofa country. For this reason, responsiblegovernment departments, writers andartists, historians and archaeologistsas well as other concerned citizenshave, in recent years, shown greatconcern and keen interest in the pre-servation of ancient cities.

"In modern times, the biggestand most usual threat comes fromrandom demands imposed by modernlife", said Mr Muhammad IshtiaqKhan, Regional Advisor for Culture,UNESCO Principal Regional Officelor Asia and the Pacific.

"Most of the pressures for changejre generated b\ people themselves.New families need homes and jobs.With more opportunities they expecta higher standard of life, better homes,public services at their homes.

"The use of cars - necessity inmany cases - not only needs wideningof streets and thoroughfares but alsoadditional space for parking. Theirfumes also affect the atmosphere andcause pollution. These and similarthreats pose a serious danger to thefabric of many historical cities andtowns."

39

Left: Country participants and ob-servers of the UNESCO-SPAFAWorkshop pose for a group photo.

Supported by representativesfrom the Sophia University of Japan,UNESCO, SPAFA and observerscountry participants re-examined thenature oi conservation activities re-garding the preservation of historiccities in their respective countries.

Participating countries in theWorkshop consisted of Bangladesh,China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal,Philippines, Republic of Korea, SriLanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Urban renewal projects, said MrKhan, seem to show that all too manyhave been prepared by specialists whohave been bounded by their trainingwithout awareness of the overall con-

sequences. The depersonalization anduniformity of modern town planningposes a danger to the survival ofhistoric areas.

Realizing the urgent need foraction against threats to Asia's ancientcities, a number of recommendationswere made by the country partici-

pants. To effectively guard thesehistoric areas, recommendations werecarefully classified according to:Principles of Preservation, Methodsand Means of Preservation, PublicAwareness, and lntra-regional Coor-dination.

As a result, a positive contri-bution could now be made toward thepreservation of Asia's cultural heri-tage Recommendations formed duringthe workshop could possibly go a long way for the preservation ofhistoric areas which had previouslyreceived little attention because ofneglect and apathy. "When the Work-shop's recommendations are cir-culated, we could be able to establisha connection", said Mr Khan.

And a global response could beforthcoming. H)

- Wynette Puntuna

Mr.Makaminan Makagiansar, Assistant Director-General of UNESO (standing, thirdfrom left), gives a warm reception to workshop participants during the openingceremony

Mr Nabuo Endo of Sophia University presents his special report on the TotalSystematic Approach.

40

Untimely Endfor Chief Trainer

P.O. 1 Udom Netroj

I irst Class Petty OfficerUdom Netroj, the chief trainer ofSPAFA for its Underwater Archaeo-logy Training courses, passed away onDecember 9, 1988 at the age of 43. Heis survived by his wife, Thongyu, andhis two sons.

On that tragic day, PO. 1 Udomwas sailing at the Gulf of Thailand.He was on a mission for the Under-water Archeology Survey of the Govern-ment of Thailand's Division of Ar-chaeology. Fulfilling his duties, andwith no hint of danger, at 1220 hourshe dived into the large deep bay. Thatwas the last time his mates saw himalive. The location is about 70 milesfrom the Island of Rang, Trad Province.

PO 1 Udom worked with SPAFA,then a Coordinating Unit, as a chieftrainer during all its regional trainingprogrammes in Underwater Archaeo-logy. As a civil servant, the formernaval petty officer is connected withThailand's Department of Fine Artsat the Division of Archaeology. The

division is SPAFA's main co-organizerfor Underwater Archaeology courses.

For 11 years, P.O. 1 Udom wasone of the division's most competentunderwater surveyors. Hence his as-signment as chief trainer for SPAFA'scourses. Previous to this job, he waswith the Royal Thai Navy for 13years.

His experiences cover training atthe Naval Rating School in Sattahipin 1963 and at the Naval Rating Schoolof the Royal Thai Marine Corps until1965. Thereafter he joined the RoyalThai Marine Corps as a Second ClassPetty Officer and became a HowitzerAimer of the Third Battery, FieldArtillery Battalion, Marine Brigade.

The joint project of the Divisionof Archaeology with the Royal ThaiMarine Corps on the retrieval ofancient ships may have given theyoung Udom his first opportunity toknow people from the division. Hisdiving capability must have attractedinterest and this later led to his re-cruitment to the division. The jointproject was held in the surroundingsof Khram Island, Sattahip District,Chon Buri Province.

In 1967 Udom underwent theBasic Underwater Demolition Team/Sea Air Land Course (Basic UDT/

SEAL Course) and then joined theNaval Special Warfare Unit of theRoyal Thai Navy. After about tenyears of diligent and loyal service, hereceived several decorations namely,the Underwater Demolition TeamInsignia (UDT Insignia), Sea Air LandInsignia (SEAL Insignia), RangerInsignia, and the Airborne Insignia.

Eventually, Udom Netroj,already a first class petty officer,was recruited by the Division of Ar-chaeology. For his special qualifica-tion as an outstanding diver, he wasimmediately assigned the task ofunderwater surveyor. Simultaneously,he became a trainer for SPAFA'sUnderwater Archaeology courses.

Until his untimely death, he hadbravely covered about 25 importantunderwater archaeological sites withinthe Gulf of Thailand. No doubt, hisaccumulated know-how, strength anddiligence has become a source ofpride for SPAFA, particularly in itstraining activities underwater.

Indeed the SPAFA RegionalCentre, together with the Division ofArchaeology of Thailand, has lost a major asset. May his soul rest inpeace. (H

- Wynette Puntuna

41

Conservation of Archival Materials

A number of nationalrecords and documents have crumbledinto dust due to neglect or faultyconservation techniques. Owing tohese invaluable losses, in many of

the Southeast Asian countries, thereis a felt need for additional trainingin the protection of documents andrelated materials.

In view of the regional call formore up-to-date preservation andrestoration techniques, the SPAFARegional Centre has conducted, withthe cooperation of The NationalArchives of Malaysia, the TrainingProgramme in Conservation of ArchivalMaterials. The programme aimed toincrease the overall professional com-petence of the Southeast Asian partici-pants in the conservation of archivalmaterials.

It was particularly designed forpersonnels responsible for the con-servation of documents in archives,libraries, museums and other govern-mental institutions. Altogether tenregional participants plus a numberof Malaysian observers attended thetraining.

Held in Malaysia, the trainingprogramme was implemented fromNovember 1 to December 10, 1988.With the help of German film expert,

Mr Harold Brandes, and other Ma-laysian experts, the SPAFA traineeswere provided with direct experienceson the conservation of three majorarchival materials, namely : film,microfilm, and paper base.

SPAFA trainees and Malaysianobservers studied the chemical andphysical properties of archival ma-terials, the causes of their deterioration(due to light, heat, humidity, micro-organism, air pollution, etc), andthe appropriate preventive measures

to arrest and delay their furtherdeterioration.

Moreoever, trainees acquiredknowledge and skills in the appropriateconservation methods to take. Practicalsessions stressed preventive measures

'and conservation techniques utilizinglocally available materials, equipmentand the assistance of local conser-vation experts available within thecountry.

"We were exposed to conser-vation techniques not usually applied

42

Thai trainee, Vira Pimpa (left) triesthe sewing frame for bookbinding.

in our country," says ParticipantPraneat Niyaylub, Archivist 5 fromthe National Archives of Thailand."However, owing to inavailability ofmaterials some of these techniquescannot be utilized in Thailand."

"Nonethess, we learned a lotof new things from the SPAE\ trainingprogramme," stresses Participant ViraPimpa, Archivist 5, also from theNational Archives of Thailand. Headds that conservation techniquestaught in the course are actually usefulfor Thailand.

Before parting, participants ofthe programme agreed to continuecontacting one another to updatethemselves with developments in theconservation of archival materials.Significantly, the duration of thetraining activity has enabled themto share specialized knowledge andexperiences in conservation.

Because of the amity developedby the group during their training,experts and specialists among themselveswere identified. They could now becalled upon for advice and assistanceVira says, "Our continuous contactswill be useful for sourcing suppliesabroad as well as information onconservation developments."

SPAFA trainees and observers practisecleaning glass plate negatives.

At the Records Centre of theNational Archives of Malaysia.

The SPAFA participants of thecourse are : Mr Sudiono and Mr SriSugiyanti from Indonesia ; MrShariffuddin Baharom, Mrs NorJanati Bt. Ibrahim and Miss NoriahJalil from Malaysia ; Mrs Amelia M.San Luis and Mrs Elena Alfonsofrom the Philippines ; Mr Chng YakHock from Singapore, Mr ViraPimpa and Ms Praneat Niyaylubfrom Thailand.

Hopefully, after the programme,all of them will be more appropriatelyarmed to combat the challenges ofinsects, humidity, and other agentsresponsible for the irreparable destruc-tion of valuable documents in theregion's national archives, libraries,museums and other government in-stitutions. IB

- Wynette Puntuna

As part of their practicum on films, SPAFA trainees and observers visit Malaysia'sGAYA Laboratory. Harold Brandes, invited expert from Germany, is seen standingfifth from left, second row.

43

Dr. Chua Soo Pong, SeniorSpecialist in Performing Arts.

On 3 January 1989, theSPAFA Regional Centre welcomed Dr("hua Soo Pong as its first SeniorSpecialist in Performing Arts. Priorto his current appointment at SPAFA,the forty year old Singaporean hadbeen teaching at the National Univer-sity of Singapore and the NanyangAcademy of Fine Arts. He obtainedhis Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology fromthe Queen's University in Belfast.

The bespectacled Dr Chua hasbehind him numerous trophies andplaques attesting his artistic talent. In1962, at age 13, he first attractedpublic attention when he came outfirst in a Chinese Calligraphy Contest.

Welcome to SPAFA,Dr Chua

Since then he had constantly been inthe limelight with his yearly triumphsin various national art competitionsfrom 1962 to 1988.

Dr Chua was appointea as theChairman of the Dance AdvisoryCommittee of the Ministry of Culturein 1980. Later, he also became a member of the Singapore ArtsCouncil, a committee member of theSingapore Arts Festival and theSingapore Dance Festival. Since 1980,he has been the Chairman of theNational Dance Theatre DanceCircle, the Pan Singapore DanceOrganization for choreographers anddance teachers.

In 1986 he formed Arts & Actsand became the group's ArtisticDirector. Arts & Acts is Singapore'sfirst and most dynamic bilingualdrama group. Simultaneously, he wasArtistic Adviser for the SingaporePhoenix Dance Company and theChairman of the editorial committee

for the NationalTheatre T rus t ' smagazine entitledPerforming Arts.

Ramayana, the famous Indian epic, was rewritten byDr. Chua Soo Pong and Staged by Arts & Acts in 1988.

This versatileartist is also a pro-lific writer. Asidefrom writing severalbooks on dance andthe theatre, Dr Chuaalso wrote exten-sively for the writtenmass media.

He maintained, until his appointmentat SPAFA, a weekly column on danceand art reviews at the Lianhe Zaobao,Singapore's leading Chiness newspaper.He has also written frequently for theStraits Times newspaper. For sixyears, until 1986, Dr Chua was theSecretary of the Singapore As-sociation of Writers.

"1 learned painting before I wasinvolved in any performing arts," saysDr Chua who informed that heconsiders visual effects as extremelyimportant in all the plays and danceshe had directed.

"1 see theatre or dances asmoving pictures; they are movingsculptures. 1 think my training invisual arts helped me a lot in my formof theatre, particularly in theperceptions of colour and aestheticvalues."

Among his internationalexperiences, Dr Chua Soo Pong couldpride himself for participating in thefirst, second, third and fifth ASEANFestivals of Performing Arts and asthe Government of Singapore'sDeputy Leader for the NationalDance Company's series of danceperformances in Denver, U.S.A.

On his plans for the SPAFARegional Centre, he says:

"1 would like to promoteprojects which will contribute moreto community development... Toachieve this purpose, we should beable to, launch more trainingprogrammes, publish more books onthe cultural heritage, and set aninformation network for greatercultural cooperation in the SoutheastAsian region." Ill

- Wynerre Pumuna

44

Training Course in the Technique of Labanotation

The Dancing Signs of Labanby Dr. Chua Soo Pong

The Dancing Signs of Laban in Soloby Dr. Chua Soo Pong

A ren't you sleepy?" askedPriscilla Legaspi.

"Yes. But if you are going to dosomething, do it. And, do it the bestyou can". Mama Som said, the"largest" and eldest in the class.

"Usa, could you come andcheck my leg," screamed Ketut. Whathe really meant was asking Usa todouble check whether or not thenotation he did on the paper reflectaccurately.

It was 11.00 p.m. and the"classroom" converted from therestaurant of the Indah Jaya Hotel,Solo was still full of life.

"1 am not going to sleep untilI get this done" Azanin enunciatedcrisply. Then she lighted a cigarette.

This was not the first time this

group of enthusiastic choreographershaving a late night coping with theirnotation, to be precise, Labanotation.

For three weeks, this tenchoreographers, namely Miss DewiHafianti (Indonesia), Mr I KetutDarsana (Indonesia), Mrs AzaninAhmad (Malaysia), Mr Abdul RahimMokhtar (Malaysia), Miss PriscillaLegaspi (Philippines), Mr LarryGabao (Philippines), Mrs SomMohamad Said (Singapore), Mrs LowMei Yoke (Singapore), Mrs Chomma-nad Sobhon (Thailand) and Mrs UsaSobrerk (Thailand) were here in Solo,attending SPAFA's Training Course inthe Technique of Labanotation andIts Implementation for Teachers ofthe Performing Arts (S-T191a).

Labanotation, or Kinetography

Laban, is the system of recordingmovement originated by RudolfLaban in 1920's. It provides a universal understanding of movementand hence serves as a "commonLanguage" through which choreo-graphers, dancers and scholars in thefields of anthropology, athletics andphysiotherapy can communicate. Thesystem has been tested in manycountries and been successfullyapplied. In the west, numerouslibraries with special interest in dancehad collected all kinds of dancesnotated in Labanotation.

Abdul Rahim confessed that hehad no idea how complicatedLabanotation was before he attendedthe course. He was naturally worriedafter the first session, having seen thenumerous signs dancing in the textbook. However, his anxiety dispersedon the second day when the doyen ofIndonesia dance, Dr. Soedarsonocame to give a lecture. He illustrated,with the help of Tri Nardona, howintricate hand movements and leggestures of the Srimpi, female courtdance dating from the sixteenthcentury, before the YogyakartaSultanate was established in 1755,could be accurately notated. Dr.Soedarsono is indeed a wonderfulteacher. He used tact and gentlenessto persuade and convince theparticipants of the training course.

45

uh his magical lesson, not onlyKahim but the whole class then fullyrealized the usefulness of Labanota-tion and began their zealous guest forthe systematic way of recording dance.

The training course was jointlyorganized by the SEAMEO RegionalCentre for Archaeology and FineArts and the Directorate of Arts,Ministry of Education and Culture ofthe Republic of Indonesia, from 14thMay to 2nd June. The participants ofthe course, apart from learning thedemanding system of notation, alsomanaged to sample several out-tanding performances of students at

the Sekolan Tinggi Seni Indonesia inSurakarta and the Indonesia Instituteof Arts in Yogyakarta. Low MeiYoke from Signapore even venturedto see a Ramayana performance atthe Prambanam Temple. The partici-pants of the training course were alsotaken to the "Art Village" of BagongKusudiardjos in Yogyakarta.

"Although it was a pity that wecould not meet the legendary figureof Indonesian dance, Pak Bagong,everybody was deeply impressed byhe versatile dancers he trained. Thetgorous training exercises, the

spectacular painting exhibition aswell as the beautiful surrounding ofthe art village were indeedmemorable" said ChommanadSobhon, a dance instructress fromi he Suansununtha Teachers's Collegen Bangkok.

On the 22nd May, SuwarsidiTrisapto came to join the teacher'steam. A renowned dancer, Trisaptohad also become an expert inLabanotation at the Jakarta ArtsInstitute. His humour and laughter

had brightened the classroom andencouraged the participants to try outfresh ideas in their notation.

"It was not an easy course, butI am so pleased that I was given theopportunity to come. The subjectrequires a high level of concentrationand one gets very tired at the end ofthe day. But it is an extremely usefulintroductory course as it provides thebasic knowledge towards fulfillingthe need for documentation of dancesin our countries. However, 1 hopethat SPAFA will conduct the trainingcourse on a continued basis fromelementary to intermediate andfinally advance level. Although, weall worked very hard, at this stage theknowledge we had acquired isnevertheless enough to notatecomplicated dances. We really hopethat we could further our studies inthis field in the future so that one day

we could properly disseminate theknowledge of Kinetography Laban toour Students", said Larry Gabao.

F. X. Widaryanto, the mostpatient teacher had this to say, "It isvery encouraging to teach such a group of dedicated choreographersand dance teachers. We will be toohappy to teach Labanotation at a more advanced level. I hope that oneday SPAFA could even establish a communication network forLabanotation in the SEAMEO(Southeast Asian Ministers ofEducation Organisation) MemberCountries".

"There is a will, there is a way.I am sure that in the not too distantfuture, we could set up this networkand we will be able to stage and teachdances of our neighbouring countriesfrom the scores of Labanotation",said Azanin, with a big smile. HI

Teacher Widaryanto helps Priscilla Legaspi (Philippines) in her notation exercisewhile Rahim Mokhtar (Malaysia) looks on.

46

HERE AND THERE

ANOTHER FRENCH CONTRIBUTIONMiss Fabienne Mansencal personally handed over, on behalfof the Government of France, EFEO publications to SPAFAlast January. This French contribution to the SPAFALibrary includes rare books on archaeology.

Miss Mansencal (centre) is seen presenting the French booksto Prof MC Subhadradis Diskul while Prof Bertoldo J. Manta,SPAFA Senior Specialist for Visual Arts, looks on.

CANADIAN VISITORS :

Dr Niall J. Gogan, Associate Vice-President (Research)of the Memorial University of Newfoundland, paid a cour-tesy call on Prof MC Subhadradis Diskul, SPAFA CentreDirector, last January. He was accompanied by Dr MichaelSinclair, Canadian Director for the SEAMEO Pilot Projectfor Integrated Human Resource Development.

Photo shows Dr Gogan (right) and Dr Sinclair (2nd, right) engaged in a lively discussion with SPAFA's (L-R) Dr ChuaSoo Pong, Prof Bertoldo J. Manta, and Centre Director.

JAPANESE INTEREST : A group of Japanese archaeologists and museum curatorsrecently visited the SPAFA Regional Centre during their tourof Southeast Asia. They inquired on available researchmaterials regarding Southeast Asian ceramics.

The SPAFA Director (left) is seen explaining the Centre'svarious publications to the visitors who purchased a numberof volumes.

SPAFA Calendar for 1989

Jul 9-Sep 9 Training Course in Palynology(Philippines) (S-TJ31a)Oct 2-Oct 4 Fourth SPAFA Governing Board(Indonesia) MeetingOct 8-Dec 9 Training Course in Preventive(Thailand) Conservation of Museum Objects:

Heritage Preservation and the Com-munity (S-T121b)

Oct 15-Dec 16 Training Course in the Systematic(Philippines) Presentation of Archaeological

Data (S-T132a) Tentative:Oct24-Dec29 Seminar on Southeast Asian Con-(Thailand) servation Laboratory Collaboration

(Special A ctivity)

47

BOOK CODE SEMINAR/WORKSHOP FINAL REPORTS PRICES INCLUDE POSTAGE

ASIAHANDLING FOR

OTHERS

WS3/79

WS4/80

WS5/80

WS7/81

WS9/82

WS11/83

WS14/84

WS15/85

WS16/85

vVS1 7/86

301.2/WS17.2/87

301.2/WS18/87

301.2/WS1 9/87

301.5/WS20/88

301.5/WS21/88

Preservation of Traditional Performing Arts US$8.00

in Modern Environment

Teaching Techniques for Art Teachers in Schools 11.00

Techniques of Restoration of Monuments 9.00

Technological Developmentand the Traditional Performing Arts 7.00

Archaeological and Environmental

Studies on Srivijaya (IDN) 11.00

Archaeological and Environmental

Studies on Srivijaya (THA) 1 2.00

Research on Maritime Shipping

and Trade Networks in S.E. Asia 1 3.00

Archaeological and Environmental

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