Culture of 6,000 islands is squeezed onto a bus
A culture which is considered exotic by most Greeks is the focus of an unusual tour that has been taking place since Wednesday around the Peloponnese. The Indonesian Stage Bus will be going from town to town for the next three weeks in the south, together with a big cast of actors, dancers and other performers, setting up shows that highlight the wealth of Indonesian culture, including shadow theater and video projections showing the customs of the country’s 6,000 inhabited islands. The 12-meter bus supports a platform that unfolds from its side to form a stage. The Stage Bus is a contribution by the Embassy of the Indonesian Republic in Athens and is part of the Cultural Olympiad bill, a cooperation that was born of the first visit by the Indonesian president to Greece in 2002, during which the two countries joined forces in an initiative to promote cultural exchanges. According to Cultural Olympiad President Stamatis Mavros in a recent press conference, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism proposed the Stage Bus two months ago and it was included in the Olympiad’s schedule of events. This is the first time the performance, which is composed of segments of a larger, more elaborate show by JackArt Productions, which tours locally in Indonesia, is traveling beyond the nation’s borders. The event marks the beginning of bilateral cooperation on the level of culture and the arts and soon, a Greek mission will be leaving the country to perform in the Asian country.
