Victoria
Winata
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This month we are delighted to introduce one of our two Digital Engagement Editors,
Victoria Winata.
Tell us about yourself!
I was born in Semarang, Central Java and was brought up in a Chinese-Indonesian, Buddhist family. My family and I moved to Bali when I was eight years old and we lived there for five years. When I was 13 we moved to Melbourne.
Despite not having lived in Java for over a decade, I still feel myself to be quite Javanese. Probably because most Indonesians comment on my medok (very Javanese) accent upon meeting me.
I'm an aspiring academic, but I am also an artist and a theatremaker. My creative work and practice draws from my personal experiences: I’m interested in exploring topics surrounding migration, identity, and trauma. My debut play was Dear Sun, Love Joy which I originally staged at the University of Melbourne, and it was inspired by the letters between Australian artist Joy Hester and Sunday Reed. My second play was MAY 1998, where I made my acting debut playing a woman who lived through the May 1998 Riots in Indonesia. You can find out more about my creative practice here, and if you'd like to keep up with my latest work give me a follow on @victoria_winata.
Where does your interest in Indonesia stem from?
I am Indonesian haha, so I can’t really escape being interested in Indonesia. When I moved to Australia, I was quite disconnected from my Indonesian roots, until I reached uni when I started exploring them again. This is in large part because of my family’s experience with intergenerational trauma: we are Chinese-Indonesian, so we have a very complicated relationship with the country. However, I decided to take Indonesian Studies so I could make up my own mind about my birthplace.
What is the nature of your engagement with Indonesia – are you an academic, a professional, an alumni?
I’m an aspiring academic/scholar. I am about to complete my Bachelor’s in Indonesian Studies at the University of Melbourne, before moving on to Honours next year. I plan to write an autoethnographic research on how I have negotiated my intersectional identity through my theatremaking practice.
How do you think organisations like Indonesia Council can improve Australia-Indonesia relations?
I think that these organisations can improve Aus-Indo relations by helping to amplify Indonesian voices. We are so privileged to live in Australia, and often have more access to knowledge about Indonesia than the average Indonesian. So I think organisations like these have a responsibility to listen to and collaborate with Indonesians, and also return to them access to knowledge that has been denied to them. I say “return” because this access to knowledge is often taken away by state powers and colonial governments.
What are some of the challenges and opportunities in the Indonesia-Australia relationship?
I think the challenges often come from whoever is in charge of these two countries. The Aus-Indo relationship has fluctuated so much over the years due to different governments having their own priorities and agendas which affect things from funding to tourism. Opportunities come from the grassroots movements in both countries, especially in Indonesia. As an artist, I am very excited and always amazed at the potential of creative collaboration, which, like any other grassroots activity, can strengthen relations between two peoples better than any diplomatic mission can.
Tell us about your favourite Indonesian food experience
Eating gurami goreng as a kid. That’s it, that’s the experience. Also big meals during Sincia (Chinese New Year).
What’s your favourite Indonesian food and why?
My favourite Indonesian food is any kind of ikan bakar, especially gurami bakar or goreng. Gurami was one of my favourite foods as a child, so I have fond memories attached to it. It also just tastes very very good.
What’s your favourite Indonesian music/song/writer?
I have a few favourite songs at the moment: Sepasang Kekasih Pertama Yang Bercinta di Luar Angkasa (Frau ft. Ugoran Prasad), Kala Sang Surya Tenggelam (Chrisye), Rindu Lukisan (originally composed by Ismail Marzuki, covered by Caldera). All of these songs I’ve discovered via the Gadis Kretek soundtrack which is one of the best soundtracks I have ever listened to. My favourite songwriters/musicians include Frau and Nona Ria.
This is not in Bahasa Indonesia, but I love the Javanese band Yowis Ben who I discovered through their musical films, all in Javanese. Gak Iso Turu is a personal favourite song of mine.
What’s your favourite Indonesian idiom?
Ada udang di balik batu (lit. there is a prawn behind the rock; there is something else going on) (ED: this is my favourite too!), Nasi sudah menjadi bubur (lit. the rice has turned into porridge; it’s too late, the bird has flown), Cinta bertepuk sebelah tangan (literally love is clapping with one hand; unrequited love.
[Last month’s PAY IT FORWARD question]: Have you read any Indonesian literature?
Literature is one of my great loves and I am deeply passionate about Indonesian literature. My favourite authors are Seno Gumira Ajidarma, Aan Mansyur, and Intan Paramaditha. I love Seno’s Sepotong Senja Untuk Kekasihku, Intan’s Gentayangan and essays, and Aan’s poetry collections including Tidak Ada New York Hari Ini. I would also like to dedicate a special shoutout to Ibu Dewi Anggraeni, who we were extremely lucky to have as part of our Melbourne diaspora. Her novel My Pain, My Country was foundational in my journey of identity searching. I was lucky to have her as a mentor and a friend before she passed this year. I think we need to keep paying attention to contemporary Indonesian literature, especially by the younger generation who are so often underestimated.
And don’t forget to suggest a pay it forward question for next month 😊 :
Who is your favourite Indonesian female artist?