Creative Country

If you ask me about the most creative country in the world, the answer of mine would be for sure varied. I'm going to reply this query by first asking you, in what field? Yes it depends on the gauge we use. I'd probably answer Japan if you ask me about the automotive industry and I'll answer USA if you ask me about the general technology and military stuff. About Art, I'll probably answer Italy as what I know, there are many great art works from there. Ah...these of course can be totally wrong as they are just personally my rough subjective answers. But please don't forget one nation – Indonesia. It has tons of things that others don't. Really, you'll only can find them here in the archipelago country in which now its people are sort of sad as we are stricken by natural calamity happening in many parts of the country. These calamities are actually some of the really Indonesian things as I am sure no others nations do have many volcano as we do. But in this piece of writing I just want to unveil a thing that I think it is quite creative and it only exists here. Besides, I also use the consideration of mine based on the experience of daily activities occurred around me.


Yeah, it is a street entertainment. It is something that entertains the bikers on the street. Please picture this. You are driving motorbike and as usual you have to befriend with the jam while driving in the city. You must feel so annoyed with the traffic jam, right? But there is kind of free remedy that will overlook your wary. It is the totally creative writing stuck on the rear part of motorbikes in front of you. While having jam, please read that. As examples, this morning l read:

“Aing disusul kunu Gelo”
“Moal balap, sieun meunang”.
“Ingat dzikir, doa dan sodaqoh”
“Mio aing, kumaha aing”.
“Hari gini over gigi, cape deh!
“Hari gini gak punya gigi, ompong dong!”
“Lieur, motor can lunas wae!”

Yes, you can only see them on the street here in Indonesia. I indeed love reading this kind of masterpiece art work. I call it so as it brings new feeling to the readers. It probably cannot be called as the real art though as some of the writings contain the very rude saying that I cannot share with you here. Yes, there are some of the impolite ones that I sometimes feel a bit irritated inside. But majority is just a kind of kidding or little entertainment. Aside from that, it shows the creativity of the artists that need not to be acknowledged by anyone. What they need is probably just money or happiness in the heart of those who user their attributes and those who enjoy. I am one of those who enjoy this quite much anyway. Their art work lets me fly, think, imagine and laugh. I just love it and appreciate those who make it (the good one, not rough).

I am not really sure the beginning of this street giveaway entertainment. But it is probably started when automatic motorbikes thriving around 5 years ago. The very first sticker haunting my mine was “Hari gini over gigi, cape deh!”. This more or less means, “what a tiring thing if today you still have to shift the gear or dealing with transmission, use the automatic one please!” Ya this is probably a kind of satire to those who still drive a non automotive bike. I am sure the automatic makers benefit from this. They have to thank the artist or the sticker makers as it somehow brings a debate on the mind of the automatic fans and their competitors.
One thing for sure, the sticker containing some quite creative words pretty much grabs my attention as it can loose the jumbled mind while trapping in the jam. You may or may not call it as a form of art though. It maybe does not bring the joy to all. But I just simply appreciate those who intend to make it for any good reason. Keep in mind, I just pick the good ones to be remembered or shared, I think you can do the same, laddies and gentlemen.

You won't be able to find this kind of thing in USA, Japan, Thailand or where else. This is really a form of non formal communication on the Indonesian street that reflects the real situation or condition of Indonesian people. They who stick the sticker are actually conveying the truth they want to share to others. But they just cannot say it personally especially when it is aimed to the government or authority owner, so publicly spread by sticking it on the bike is maybe the very best idea. What do you think?
Thank you ;)