Restoring the Acehnese Spirit

Acehnese woman in bright traditional costumes prepare to perform the Ranub Lampuan dance, which signifies hospitality toward honored guests. Photo: Clarissa Meister-Petersen/Mercy Corps

Trauma, for the Acehnese, is understood through the term ret roh, which means "a falling of the spirit." In this area of Indonesia, trauma is dealt with in culturally appropriate forms that fall under the category of peusejuk - a term that signifies a restoration of the spirit and dignity. Traditionally, this process involves various rituals and ceremonies, through which people come to grips with what has happened and regain a sense of what it means to move on and persevere.

In the spirit of peusejuk, Mercy Corps organized a cultural event in Banda Aceh on June 4 and 5, 2005. The event featured 14 different traditional dance and music performances from all over Aceh, a photo exhibition and a concert by Acehnese music star Rafly and his band KanDe. In the evenings, famous Indonesian films were shown.

Overall, an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 people took part in the event, which was held in Banda Aceh's football stadium and is considered to have been a great success.

Many of the people attending the festival came from temporary camps for internally-displaced people (IDPs) or from the returning communities Mercy Corps is working in. Most of the people in these communities still live in temporary shelters, such as government barracks, tents or sometimes the ruins of their former homes. Mercy Corps provided a bus service on both days from several locations to facilitate people's participation in the event.

Hosts for the event were two Mercy Corps staff members from Aceh – Intan and Yuni. Intan used to work as a presenter for an Indonesian television station, while Yuni worked as a local radio personality before the tsunami struck.

The event was opened by an Imam singing a blessing, followed by a speech from John Brownlee, Mercy Corps' Social Revitalization program manager in Banda Aceh.

"Most of what we've done here in Aceh is a reaction to a need that has been expressed by the people here. Since the tsunami, there has been a lot of talk about trauma healing and psycho social interventions for survivors. The Heritage Fair fits in with what Acehnese themselves tell us about how they prefer to deal with trauma, by what they call the reviving of spirits," said Brownlee. "The basic concept of the Heritage Fair is to allow cultural and artistic expression and celebrate Acehnese traditions and culture, while also remembering what happened and at the same time carrying on."

The highlight of the event was the performance of the Acehnese singer Rafly and his band KanDe, which are well known in all of Indonesia. He is known for his modern adaptation of Acehnese folk songs. Throughout his performace, the audience was in front of the stage, singing, dancing and clapping with abandon.

Songs and dances from Aceh usually reflect Islamic values and Islamic prayers. In former times, dances were either done at the courts of sultans or in the villages as entertainment. Traditional costumes used at the Heritage Fair featured long-sleeved tops and traditional skirts (called songkets) wrapped around the waist. Costumes were universal in their display of brilliant colors and were made from materials interwoven with gold or silver thread. All Acehnese dances are performed by groups (see sidebar).

Aceh has a proud, strong and vibrant cultural heritage. The Heritage Fair was a great occasion for the people of Banda Aceh to come together, celebrate their traditions and values, laugh and forget their worries and troubles for a while.