Indonesia in Australian Indonesia in Australian Popular Culture, 1999-2009Popular Culture, 1999-2009

George QuinnGeorge Quinn

ASILE ConferenceASILE ConferenceSt. Catherine’s School, Waverley, St. Catherine’s School, Waverley,

SydneySydneyJuly 15, 2009July 15, 2009

What is “Popular Culture”?What is “Popular Culture”?

It is It is massmass culture, consumed culture, consumed by, and meaningful to, a by, and meaningful to, a genuinely broad audiencegenuinely broad audience

It is driven by It is driven by commercecommerce and and the quest for profitthe quest for profit

It is created by, and It is created by, and propagated through, propagated through, modern modern technologytechnology

““I’ve been to Bali too…” (1984)I’ve been to Bali too…” (1984)Qantas flight 20, Denpasar, Qantas flight 20, Denpasar, Meals and accom', rent-a-carMeals and accom', rent-a-carI've been to Bali, I've been to Bali tooI've been to Bali, I've been to Bali too

Took a two week course at a suntan clinicTook a two week course at a suntan clinicSo lying round legian and I wouldn't look anaemicSo lying round legian and I wouldn't look anaemicAnd you can't impress me, 'cause I've been to And you can't impress me, 'cause I've been to Bali tooBali too

Got a ride out to Kuta in the back of a truckGot a ride out to Kuta in the back of a truckCost me twenty dollars and it wasn't worth a buckCost me twenty dollars and it wasn't worth a buckHustled to a losman down Poppies LaneHustled to a losman down Poppies LaneBy a Javanese guy in the tropical rainBy a Javanese guy in the tropical rainLock up your daughters, I've been to Bali tooLock up your daughters, I've been to Bali too

Life is tragic hanging out at KutaLife is tragic hanging out at KutaIf you haven't got a car, a bike or a scooterIf you haven't got a car, a bike or a scooterShow me the bike shop, I've been to Bali tooShow me the bike shop, I've been to Bali too

Got myself a Honda, had to get awayGot myself a Honda, had to get awayNo brakes, bald tyres, five thousand rupes a dayNo brakes, bald tyres, five thousand rupes a dayI've been to Bali too.I've been to Bali too.

The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)

Mel Gibson and Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver in “a Sigourney Weaver in “a love caught in the love caught in the fire of revolution.”fire of revolution.”

Directed by Peter Weir. Directed by Peter Weir.

Based on Chris Koch’s novel Based on Chris Koch’s novel The Year of Living DangerouslyThe Year of Living Dangerously (1978). (1978).

Jakarta scenes filmed partly Jakarta scenes filmed partly in Glebe Point Road, Sydney.in Glebe Point Road, Sydney.

Why has Indonesia moved “centre-Why has Indonesia moved “centre-stage” in Australian popular culture?stage” in Australian popular culture?

Indonesia is more open and Indonesia is more open and accessible to the Australian accessible to the Australian mass mediamass media

Better communications Better communications technology and cheaper, more technology and cheaper, more reliable travelreliable travel

Dramatic events in Indonesia Dramatic events in Indonesia involving Australiansinvolving Australians

Headline-grabbing events involving Headline-grabbing events involving Australians in IndonesiaAustralians in Indonesia

1999 Militia mayhem in East Timor1999 Militia mayhem in East Timor 2002 The (first) Bali bombings 2002 The (first) Bali bombings 2004 Australian Embassy in Jakarta bombed2004 Australian Embassy in Jakarta bombed 2004 The tsunami in Aceh2004 The tsunami in Aceh 2005 Schapelle Corby sentenced to 20 2005 Schapelle Corby sentenced to 20 yearsyears

2005 Second Bali bombing2005 Second Bali bombing 2005 The “Bali Nine” arrested2005 The “Bali Nine” arrested 2006 Earthquake in Jogjakarta2006 Earthquake in Jogjakarta 2007 Garuda crash in Jogkakarta2007 Garuda crash in Jogkakarta

Answered by Fire (2006)Answered by Fire (2006)

ABC two-part mini-series starring David Wenham

Heroic Aussies face Indonesian bullets in Timor (Answered by Fire)

Tomorrow, When the War Began (1994)Tomorrow, When the War Began (1994)

• Around 3 million copies sold

• Reprinted 48 times

• Translated into five languages

• Followed by six sequels

• Widely used in secondary school courses

The Smiling AssassinThe Smiling Assassin

Bali bomber Amrozi bin Nurhasyim

Executed November 7, 2008

The meaning of a smileThe meaning of a smile

From Amrozi’s smiles to From Amrozi’s smiles to Schapelle’s tearsSchapelle’s tears

Arrested 8 October, 2004 in Bali.

Charged with illegally importing cannabis

Sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, 27 May, 2005

Schapelle Corby’s WebsiteSchapelle Corby’s Website

www.freeschapelle.net

The iconography of celebrityThe iconography of celebrity

Susan Boyle doesn’t look like a “celebrity”…

… but Schapelle does.

Schapelle Corby, an Aussie “damsel in distress” behind bars in Indonesia

Rescuing WawaRescuing Wawa

Six year-old Wawa as he appeared on Channel 9’s 60 Minutes and Channel 7’s Today Tonight

May, 2006

““Tribal expert” Paul Raffaele with Tribal expert” Paul Raffaele with “current affairs” host Naomi Robson“current affairs” host Naomi Robson

Little Wawa about to be eaten…Little Wawa about to be eaten…

… by Australian television

How How 60 Minutes60 Minutes introduced the introduced the Wawa story…Wawa story…

Liz HayesLiz Hayes: This really is an adventure : This really is an adventure into the unknown. We're going back to the into the unknown. We're going back to the Stone Age on the trail of a long lost Stone Age on the trail of a long lost tribe, the last of the cannibals. And the tribe, the last of the cannibals. And the amazing thing is this isn't ancient amazing thing is this isn't ancient history. The tribe really does exist and history. The tribe really does exist and not all that far from us — our next-door not all that far from us — our next-door neighbours, really. neighbours, really.

Nevertheless, it'll take a major Nevertheless, it'll take a major expedition to find them. They're called expedition to find them. They're called the Korowai and they live just as they did the Korowai and they live just as they did 10,000 years ago, deep in the jungles of 10,000 years ago, deep in the jungles of West Papua. Our reporter Ben Fordham set West Papua. Our reporter Ben Fordham set out in search of the Korowai — these out in search of the Korowai — these primitive warriors who have never seen a primitive warriors who have never seen a white man still believe in witchcraft and white man still believe in witchcraft and still eat human flesh.still eat human flesh.

How How 60 Minutes60 Minutes reported the reported the Wawa story from the field…Wawa story from the field…

Reporter Ben FordhamReporter Ben Fordham: West Papua — just a : West Papua — just a few hundred kilometres north of Australia. few hundred kilometres north of Australia. But it could be a different planet. Snow-But it could be a different planet. Snow-capped mountain ranges rich in gold and capped mountain ranges rich in gold and copper and, for its Indonesian rulers, the copper and, for its Indonesian rulers, the greatest prize of all — timber. Down there greatest prize of all — timber. Down there is the largest expanse of rainforest is the largest expanse of rainforest outside the Amazon and that's where we're outside the Amazon and that's where we're going. We've arrived at the edge of Korowai going. We've arrived at the edge of Korowai territory, the start of a 10-day round trip territory, the start of a 10-day round trip into the jungle. We've hired 15 Korowai into the jungle. We've hired 15 Korowai porters to help carry our equipment. […] porters to help carry our equipment. […] And so begins a gruelling trek into the And so begins a gruelling trek into the thickest, wettest, muddiest jungle on the thickest, wettest, muddiest jungle on the planet.planet.

Luke Slattery in Luke Slattery in The AustralianThe Australian

Emphasis should be on European languages that have an “affinity with English”.

The push for a mass Asian language program comes from an “Australia-is-an-Asian-nation cabal”.

A mass Asian language program would be “lunacy”.

The Australian, 17 June 2009, p.33

German, French, Spanish and Italian are “relatively easy to learn.”

The pop misconceptions that are The pop misconceptions that are Slattery’s beginning points Slattery’s beginning points

Australia is a “Western” nationAustralia is a “Western” nation

Australians can rely on global EnglishAustralians can rely on global English

Asian languages are uniquely Asian languages are uniquely “difficult”“difficult”

Our real enemiesOur real enemies

Behind the façade of immediate problems we Behind the façade of immediate problems we face as Indonesian teachers, our deeper, face as Indonesian teachers, our deeper, more intractable challenges are…more intractable challenges are…

… … the juggernaut of global English, andthe juggernaut of global English, and

… … the power and inertia of Australian the power and inertia of Australian popular culturepopular culture