CSEASPANORAMA2008 A (Balinese) Tempest Ian Falconer (MA, Asian Studies) starred as Prospero in the Department of Theatre and Dance’s version of the Bard’s lauded comedy, a performance infused with Balinese wayang and gamelan and Larry Reed’s famed shadowcasting. Center for Southeast Asian Studies University of Hawai‘i By Director Barbara Watson Andaya Dear friends and including the highlight of the Prospero, Miranda, Ariel and year, the Balinese shadow-play Caliban were given a new life as colleagues... version of Shakespeare’s The the shadows of human “puppets” In late July 2008, when I re- Tempest. Under the auspices of wearing specially made masks turned from twelve months’ the Department of Theatre and were projected onto a large sabbatical leave, I began to ask Dance, Kirstin invited Larry screen. And the “Southeast myself if my presence as director Reed, founder and artistic Asian” content was not merely was really necessary. So much had director of Shadowlight Produc- visual, for an important feature of CSEAS Panorama (Vol. XII) is published been accomplished in my absence tions and one of the few the production was the music annually by the Center Americans trained in wayang kulit, provided by the University of for Southeast Asian that I really felt quite dispensable! Studies at the or shadow puppetry, to spend a Hawai‘i Balinese Gamelan University of Hawai‘i. I would like to express my deep gratitude to Acting Director semester in Hawai‘i. Larry and Ensemble directed by a second For more information about the program, Kirstin Pauka (Professor, Asian Kirstin worked with students in artist-in-residence, Balinese please visit the Theatre and Dance to produce a puppet master, I Nyoman Center’s website at Theatre), Associate Director Paul www.hawaii.edu/cseas Rausch, and our graduate assis- memorable and innovative Sumandhi. Although I was not Director tants Hoa Le, Leon Potter, and performance that completely en- able to be present at the final Barbara Watson Andaya Christian Razukas for their gaged local audiences. Shake- performances, I was in Honolulu Editor speare’s dramatic verse and the briefly in January and had the Paul Rausch efficiency in overseeing the Production completion of various projects, complex relationship between opportunity to see a dress Christian Razukas 1 rehearsal. I was amazed at the host of other UH departments in Studies encourages cooperation dexterity with which the cast co- supporting the international where possible, and we were 2008 ordinated their words and move- conference Beyond Tsunami: The therefore pleased that two of ments with the music and other Aceh Experience and International these meetings (on migrant audio effects, and the skill with Applications in October. The two- Southeast Asian workers in Japan, which they handled their day conference organized by Ari and on ancient Japan-Java elaborate masks so that the shad- Palawi (MA, Asian Studies) high- connections) were co-sponsored panorama ows were projected to full effect. I lighted the research of younger by the Center for Japanese was not at all surprised to hear scholars and activists from Ha- Studies. Our effort to strengthen that the production played to full wai‘i, the mainland United States, our campus connections was also houses, or that the reception was Europe, Australia and Indonesia. evident in our collaboration with overwhelmingly enthusiastic. The Paper topics covered such issues Public Administration in sponsor- cseashawaii week-long performance run as disaster management, peace ing a visit by five Thai academics garnered mainstream press cover- building and conflict resolution, from Khon Kaen University and age with previews and reviews in Islam and democracy, ethnic five local leaders – a mayor, a both major Honolulu papers, plus identity and culture, and Aceh’s school principal, the head of a coverage and reviews from two post-tsunami recovery and woman’s group, a doctor, and the local TV news stations. The out- development. The province of director of an environmental reach component of this project Aceh was presented by Mr. Mu- NGO. The goal of the visit was to included school performances at hammad Nazar, the vice gov- meet local government officials in the Maui Arts and Culture Center ernor. It is hoped that the Honolulu, and to develop the for approximately 600 K-12 connections developed during this framework for future collabora- children. You can see a period as well as a Memorandum tion with local leaders in performance of A (Balinese) Tem- of Understanding signed by the Cambodia and Laos. However, pest streamed on our website. Chancellor, Virginia Hinshaw, the Thai visit also coincided with will provide the basis for a con- the political turmoil in Bangkok, Aceh Conference nectionstinuing relationship with and it was not surprising that a In collaboration with the our Acehnese colleagues. talk on Thai politics attracted an East-West Center, the Hawai‘i overflow audience. chapter of the Indonesian Brown Bags Students Association (PERMIAS), Our efforts to provide a Publications the Indonesian Club at the regular forum where UH col- As always, the goal of the University of Hawai‘i, the leagues and visitors can share Center for Southeast Asian Southeast Asia Program at their current research with Studies is to operate as a truly Cornell University, the Provincial interested academic audiences has National Resource Center, despite Government of Aceh, the flourished via our Brown Bag Hawai‘i’s geographical separation Indonesian Embassy and Lunch Series. The typically well from the United States mainland. Consulate in the United States, attended presentations have An important initiative in this the National Oceanic and covered topics ranging from direction has been the digitization Atmospheric Administration Burmese films to conservation of more than 10,000 pages of (NOAA), and the Aceh Relief issues along the Mekong River. educational materials produced Fund, joined the Center and a The School of Pacific and Asian by the previous Associate Anne Kumar, Professor of Asian Studies and Director of the International Centre of Excellence for Asia at the Australian National University, chats with Professor Barbara Watson Andaya, Director of UH’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies. Kumar’s provocative brown bag lecture on Java and Japan: A New View of the Yayoi Revolution com- manded an overflow crowd of students and scholars alike. 2 Director, Florence K. voices, Chronicles of Chiang Khaeng is related to Muslim societies in Lamoureux, during her 26 years an important new resource for South Asia and in China as well. 2008 with the Center. To this collection our understanding of the history we have added all issues of of this little-known region. We New Director Cakalele, the journal focused on thank our publications chair, While we have all been Maluku that was published by the Kennon Breazeale, for his energized by the possibilities of Center from 1990 to 2004. untiring dedication to editing and developing and expanding our panorama Cakalele can now be accessed in its preparing the manuscript for Southeast Asia program, we also entirety via the UH Hamilton publication. face challenges. Like the rest of Library’s ScholarSpace on-line the nation, Hawai‘i has been hard resource collection. The Florence Film Programs hit by the current recession and K. Lamoureux Archive will be Our goal of providing the financial situation for the im- cseashawaii available on ScholarSpace some- resources on Southeast Asia is mediate future is bleak. As a state time in the Spring 2009 semester. most visible in our Southeast Asia institution, the University of Ha- The most recent addition to our Film Project, which continues wai‘i will inevitably be affected by publication list is the Chronicles of under the able leadership of Paul the economic downturn. The Chiang Khaeng: A Tai Lü Principality Rausch. The weekly screening of major concern for the Center is of the Upper Mekong. Volker Southeast films drew more than the protection of our unique Grabowsky and Renoo 1,000 film aficionados and Southeast Asia program, Wichasin have produced an newcomers alike to the UH especially in regard to the main- annotated translation and campus over the course of the tenance of language instruction description of five texts that is a year. The Center again sponsored for our FLAS students. Thus far testimony to their scholarship and a collection of Southeast Asian we have been heartened by the their dedication to the field. The films and hosted a number of cooperation between the Center, translations are accompanied by filmmakers and industry people the School of Pacific and Asian Thai inscriptions, an essay that from Southeast Asia in a series of Studies, the Department of Indo- provides a detailed historical post-screening Q&A at the 2008 Pacific Languages and the background, and maps and other Hawaii International Film Festival College of Languages, Linguistics illustrations. Providing in October. In April 2009, Paul and Literatures here on our unprecedented access to local will travel to a number of main- campus, but we must also prepare land universities and colleges to for a worsening situation. The screen selected Southeast Asian election of Stephen O’Harrow films in conjunction with the (Professor, Vietnamese) as University of Hawai‘i’s Asian incoming Director (from July 31, Studies Program Freeman Foun- 2010) is therefore fortunate. He dation Grant for resource sharing will be responsible for developing with Minority Serving the academic content of the 2009 Institutions. NRC proposal, and as a former director and a key member of the Muslim Societies in Asia Department of Indo-Pacific An important development Languages, has a special Filipino Film at UH for Spring 2009 concerns the knowledge of the creative strate- Director Ellen strengthening of our Muslim gies that will be necessary to help Ongkeko-Marfil from the Philippines, seen Societies in Asia initiative.