S03 E02: Rasbuba

LAUT LOUD (((~~~)))

LAUT LOUD (((~~~)))

Three things make Bawean unique;

a devotion to Islam, to martial arts, and to the sea.

Take a person from Java, Madura, or Sulawesi to the isolated island of Bawean and they will find a land that is foreign yet familiar. Living at a crossroads of sea routes connecting these larger islands, the people of Bawean pride themselves on their singularity. Their identity, language, and way of life retains traces of these transient cultures, while transforming into something unique.

Baweanese sailors are an essential part of the modern Indonesian sailing diaspora, yet the locals tell us that traditionally, not all Baweanese could escape the island for the adventures of the sea. They would first have to attend a local pesantren (Islamic boarding school), complete years of rigorous religious training, and study their particular form of martial arts.

Then, and only then, would a Bawean sailor be deemed hardy enough to represent their island abroad.

So when Arka Kinari dropped anchor in Bawean and broke bread with a local pesantren, Penaber, we asked if some of these future sailors could demonstrate their skills atop our vessel. They responded by sending what seemed like an entire village of musicians, clerics, martial artists, and aspiring sailors under the banner of their troupe, Rasbuba.

After the sunset swordplay finished and the cameras were put down, a hallal fiesta commenced, with guests and Arka Kinari playing drums and dancing as the sky shifted from blues to violets to a tapestry of stars.