I recently searched and found archive of writing assessments created during my college years in English Diploma III, Faculty of Humanities (FIB), University of Indonesia. This is one of them. Dated 4 May 2005, this piece was submitted for writing project: Event Report.
Dongeng Minggu (Sunday storytelling) was a monthly storytelling agenda taking place at Gramedia Matraman. I decided to make report on the event instantly after reading about it on a mailing list. I haven’t checked if Dongeng Minggu is still held regularly nowadays.
Sunday Morning Storytelling
Ain’t just another Sunday morning. Ain’t just another storytelling.
Dongeng Minggu yang kutunggu / tiap bulan selalu / aku pasti akan datang / tuk dengar cerita / kutertawa ha..ha..ha.. / kumelompat hap..hap..hap.. / banyak cerita yang asik / dan kakak yang baik / hey!!
It is 11 am sharp as I arrive in Matraman Gramedia bookstore. There is a cheerful feeling as I come in to an open auditorium at the third floor. About 50 children, aged 3 to 10, stand around a mini stage, singing Dongeng Minggu altogether. Some parents are sitting at the back, watching their children having fun with seven young female instructors.
Dana, one of the instructors, then delivers a fairytale about a baby squirrel and a coconut. The children sit before the stage; they look very attentive. And the story begins. Kiskis, the baby squirrel, has wanted so much to taste a coconut. Yet, his family forbids him since he is too little. Kiskis, being very naughty, tries to steal dried coconuts left alone in a jungle. It appears to be a trap made by humans. Kiskis then realizes that he has done something very wrong. Eventually, the story teaches us that not all things we want are good for our own sake. Finish telling the story, Dana gives some questions on the story. Children who can answer them are given some merchandise. It is Revo, an eight-year-old schoolboy, who seems very eager to win all the prizes.
The next story telling session is done by Glori. First, she asks the children to help her put themselves in two groups. One group will act like a rabbit, and the other one will play as a gigantic living stone. Together they do the role play as Glori delivers the story. It is a story of an adventurous rabbit who wants to find something very precious in this world. On his journey, he meets a scary giant stone. But, looks can be deceitful, so they say. The monster is apparently a very nice giant. He then helps the rabbit find the most precious thing in this world – the spirit to succeed. The rabbit group hops and creates tiny-winy voice, while the giant group walks foot by foot like a sumo and voices like a scary creature. One child of each group considered to play a very good role is given merchandise. One of them is Indira, a pretty six-year-old schoolgirl who plays the rabbit enthusiastically.
Enough with listening stories, it is the children’s turn to make up their own stories in groups. Four groups are then given different toy-characters: a lion, a snake, a polar bear, and a donkey. The theme of the story is how spirit leads us to success. After a fifteen-minute brainstorming each group, guided by an instructor, then delivers the story made on the stage. Some of them perform a role play, and some deliver the story in chains.
Towards the end of the program, the instructors give away the merchandise left. It is a totally hectic situation. All of the children seem very greedy to have all the prizes. The instructors have to make up some questions regarding to the six stories to keep the giveaway session in order. They also ask the children to sing a couple of songs and do the choreography. The ones who dance beautifully are given merchandise. Nevertheless, in the end, all of the children go home with at least a souvenir on their hands.
After a busy two and a half hour, I meet with the instructors and have a chat with them. It is CP, a short for Ciptanti Putriningrum, who coordinates the whole things. It was at the beginning a mini project set to live up Gramedia bookstore, as well as to accommodate book-lovers community. This group of volunteers has held the monthly program since June 2003. They come from various backgrounds. There are teachers, broadcasters, and staff in magazines. There are actually more than seven persons; about twice as many. However, the remainders are kept busied by personal activities. This particular issue has somehow become an obstacle for them to focus on Dongeng Minggu program alone. Yet, they don’t feel discouraged. They believe there will be more people interested to contribute and take active part in this non-profit program. That’s why they never close eyes to anyone who wants to join the group. Dana, for example, is a new member of the group who was in favor of the activity after her nephew joining Dongeng Minggu for several times.
At first they only targeted 20 children attending the Dongeng Minggu. Now that they have surpassed the target, they feel even more fun. “It is basically a fun activity held by us, a group of people care for children and the world of book,” CP declares. The children partially have joined Dongeng Minggu for quite a while. And there are always children who come and go. The situation makes it rather difficult for the committee to create a database.
So far, they promote the event on Kompas daily, Pustakaloka and Matabaca (both are Kompas-Gramedia Group’s magazines). They rarely make leaflets due to the obstacle previously mentioned.
The fairytales being told are from either books or original creations.
The program has always been held in Matraman Geamedia since it is the only Gramedia bookstore that can accommodate CP and her friends with a space.
Further, CP says, they are trying to find a way to drive the parents so that they involve in the activity efficiently, not only sit back and watch.
Overall, Dongeng Minggu is apparently a generous contribution from those who are in favor of children and book. They are only ordinary people who try in an extraordinary means to touch the children – our nation’s next generation. Dongeng Minggu does in a way educate children and maintain the art of story telling. Although, I think, this kind of activity requires a rather firm organization to make the outcome even more effective.
