Yesterday (Sunday 7/7/13) was the second anniversary of the granting of the official charter which brought Universitas Dhyana Pura ("Undhira Bali") into being. That was just a couple of weeks before I arrived on my second assignment and folk were still excited about what lay ahead.
I was present at the "Wisuda" (formal presentation of degrees) on 12/8/11 when Dr I Wayan Mastra (Chairman of the Dhyana Pura Foundation) received the document. It was an exciting and inspiring moment, but the magnitude of the task ahead was not forgotten.
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| Dr Mastra receives the document bringing Undhira Bali into existence |
Planning for this day began long before I arrived last month and I've seen both staff and students preparing in many ways in the last 2 weeks.
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| A section of the choir at rehearsal |
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| Choir and audience sang the Undhira March and Undhira Hymn |
Bu Laurel (Milner) and Pak Paul joined the choir at rehearsals so we could acquit ourselves well on the day.
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| Signs and decorations liven up the western entrance. Volunteers live on the top floor of this building (53 steps several times per day!) |
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| The main entrance and foyer. The painters were busy late on the eve of celebrations to ensure this approach was all in good order. |
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| I normally approach this staff member when I need material photocopied but here he is preparing traditional decorations to line the driveway to the western entrance. |
On Saturday most staff and many students were on campus rehearsing roles, cleaning and tidying, making and fixing decorations and putting up signage. Rehearsals and activities continued on Sunday afternoon and in the evening many groups were still preparing for the feast for the Dies Natalis (the "day of birth" - we usually associate the term with Christmas Day). The students below worked well into the evening slicing, stripping and shaping sugar cane into the flat sticks to be used for the Balinese sate. The sticks are often bamboo or other cane but the soft sugar cane adds extra sweetness to the meat which is pounded with spices into a paste and squashed around the flat stick.
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| The boys cooked the sate over coals assisted by a small electric fan (literally fan forced cooking) |
Most staff and students arrived at 8 am to take up places and have last minute rehearsals before guests arrived for the worship service at 9 and then the formal speeches by civic dignitaries at 10.
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| The University Rektor Dr I Made Nyandra (centre) is interviewed by Bali TV before the ceremony. |
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| Bu Christine looks sparkling in her important role as MC |
The worship service ran promptly and the choir acquitted itself very well. Dr Ketut Waspada, the current Bishop of the GKPB (the Christian Protestant Church of Bali) spoke. Dr Waspada is the composer of Undhira's Hymn and March.
After a short break many of the government officials arrived for the second part of the formal ceremony.
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| The Bupati (chief government officer for the Regency of Badung) examines the document of charter, watched by Dr Nyandra (right) |
Three students of the University presented a traditional Balinese dance of welcome during which a small earth tremor rocked the building (actually just gave it a bit of a buzz) and alarmed a few guests who felt safer outside. The Rektor and the current Foundation Chairman helped blow out the candle on a traditional Balinese cake bearing the number "2".
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| You have never seen a prelude to "cutting the cake" like this one: Balinese dance and accompanying earth tremor. |
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| Now blow out the candle before there's another tremor and we have to leave! |
During the ceremony staff with recognised publications, research grants and study trips were recognised, as were representatives of successful student groups such as the Futsal, Basketball and Debating teams.
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| Steven, Yustina and Evan display certificates recognising the Debating Team's success in the Provincial competitions. |
Although the Rektor's speech on achievements and initiatives was in Indonesian, there were enough English words to give me clues, and the excellent video presentation showed me much which I had not yet learned and could be proud of which was as yet unknown. The Bupati (Chief Officer of the Regency of Badung - one of the 8 Regencies making up the Province of Bali) gave a lively and entertaining speech which was greatly enjoyed by the guests, but sadly not understood by me. At one point the Bupati asked me if I understood what he was aying, to which I had to confess "no". He was kind enough to invite me to his office, so I shall look forward to the visit. At about 1 pm the ceremony concluded and guests made their way to the campus training restaurant to enjoy the feast of many kinds of Indonesian food made from 30 traditional ingredients. It was just delicious.
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| The fruit and vegetable decorations were carved by students of the Hospitality Studies component (PPLP) of Undhira |
Happy Birthday "Undhira Bali". You have come a long way in a short time but there are still many dreams yet to be fulfilled. I'm proud to be able to play even a small part in your present and future.
Paul in Bali
Hahahahahah well it is a very small world, as we know. If you read my other comment on your more recent blog (sorry about the sections -it kept seizing up), I mentioned our second "Bali Son" Daniel Suparta, who is doing cooking at Undhira. Sure enough, right there in the centre of your photo of the three guys at the bale bengong on your rooftop making sates over charcoal is Daniel! Yep, the one in the dark grey shirt! We were very proud of him for going on to Uni, and pleased that he's decided to aim for becoming a cooking teacher. All of the four boys are very bright, but I thought he might finish school and look for work and money in a Warung. I hope he succeeds and that first in the traditional foods (sate) category was a lovely surprise! His English is the worry for me - I don't know how good it needs to be to become a teacher... Everything seems to require English.... Perhaps he'll have to come and live here with us in Darwin to practise for a few months.... And perhaps cook me some yummy food at the same time ;) cheers and love to Laurel!
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