Bringing Bali Artists to Wellington

We seek to raise NZD3,300 to help cover some of the costs of bringing Pur and Ayu, professional artists from Bali, to perform and teach workshops at the 48th ICTMD Conference in January 2025. With your support, we can cover their some of their travel expenses that enabled them to come to Welllington, enriching the conference and injecting so much positive artistic energy into our international community!

Mekar Bhuana Aotearoa is a passionate and dedicated team committed to teaching and promoting traditional Balinese arts in New Zealand. Our organization is an extension of the Mekar Bhuana Centre in Bali, which has been at the forefront of Balinese cultural preservation for many years.
 

Our Team:
•    Vaughan Hatch (Founder and Director): Vaughan is a dedicated ethnomusicologist and musician with a deep passion for Balinese gamelan music. He has spent over two decades studying, performing, and teaching Balinese music. Vaughan's expertise and commitment to cultural preservation led him to establish Mekar Bhuana Centre in Bali, an organization dedicated to the research, revival, and performance of rare and endangered Balinese gamelan music and dance forms. Vaughan will be presenting at the 48th ICTMD Conference at Tākina, where he will talk about his two encyclopedias on Balinese gamelan ensembles and instruments. His vision for Mekar Bhuana Aotearoa is to create a bridge between Bali and New Zealand, fostering cultural exchange and appreciation.

•    Putu Evie (Founder): Putu Evie, a native of Bali, brings a profound understanding of Balinese culture and arts to the team. She co-founded Mekar Bhuana Centre alongside Vaughan and has been instrumental in its development and success. With her extensive knowledge of traditional Balinese dance and music, Putu Evie plays a crucial role in ensuring the authenticity and integrity of the cultural programs offered by Mekar Bhuana Aotearoa. Evie will also be presenting at the 48th ICTMD Conference, where she will discuss Mekar Bhuana's documentary short on a rare type of gamelan ensemble called Selonding. Her dedication to preserving and promoting Balinese heritage has inspired many, both in Bali and New Zealand.

Our Artists:
- I Wayan Gede Purnama Gita: A talented young artist from Batuan Village, born into a family of master artists. A graduate of the Indonesian Institute of the Arts Denpasar, Purnama has been composing since 2009 and frequently collaborates with international composers. In addition to traditional arts, he is also skilled in sound mixing for films, electronic music, and sound recording. His expertise and passion make him a vital part of our cultural exchange project, showcasing the intricate rhythms and melodies of traditional Balinese gamelan music.

- Ni Komang Yohana Wandira: A gifted Legong dancer from Sanur who has been dancing since she was six years old, inspired by the environment where her aunt managed a dance studio. Despite her busy schedule working and taking care of her family, Yohana continues to dance regularly and practices the Selonding and Angklung Bali gamelan with Mekar Bhuana. She has even taught and performed with Mekar Bhuana at various international festivals. Her grace and precision in her performances capture the essence of traditional Balinese dance, providing an authentic and captivating cultural experience for our community.

Our Connection to Mekar Bhuana Centre in Bali:
Mekar Bhuana Aotearoa is an extension of Mekar Bhuana Centre in Bali, which Vaughan and Putu Evie founded to preserve and promote rare and endangered Balinese gamelan music and dance forms. Since 2000, Mekar Bhuana Centre has been a pioneer in the field of cultural preservation, offering performances, workshops, and educational programs to local and international audiences. By establishing Mekar Bhuana Aotearoa in 2022, Vaughan and Putu Evie aim to bring the rich cultural heritage of Bali to New Zealand, creating opportunities for cultural exchange, education, and appreciation. Their combined expertise and passion for Balinese arts drive the mission and vision of Mekar Bhuana Aotearoa, ensuring that the beauty of Balinese culture continues to thrive and inspire.
 

The NZD3,300 will primarily cover the cost of Pur and Ayu's round-trip flights from Denpasar to Wellington. This is the main expense due to high airfare prices in January.

While we are focusing on raising funds for airfares through this campaign, we also have other essential costs, such as visas, per diems, daily consumption, and accommodation. Generous family members in Wellington are kindly assisting with accommodation and some daily expenses, helping to make this cultural exchange possible.

In addition, we've applied for funding from the Lottery and ECDF to cover performance and workshop costs. We expect to hear about the success of these applications around March.

Your support will ensure that our Balinese artists' travel expenses are covered, allowing them to join us in Wellington and share their incredible talents. By contributing, you're helping bring this unique cultural experience to life and enriching our community's cultural landscape. Thank you for your support!

Mekar Bhuana Aotearoa, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional Balinese arts in New Zealand, embarked on an exciting cultural exchange project this January. We brought Pur and Ayu, a professional gamelan musician and dancer from Mekar Bhuana Centre in Bali to Wellington for the 48th ICTMD (International Council for Traditional Music) Conference at the Tākina Convention Centre in January 2025.

What We Achieved:

1. Invited Balinese Artists: We brought a skilled traditional gamelan musician and a talented dancer from Bali to Wellington. These artists are experts in their fields and provided authentic performances and workshops.

2. Performances and Workshops: The artists performed four performances of traditional Balinese music and dance, showcasing the beauty and intricacy of these art forms. In addition, they taught music and dance workshops, offering unique hands-on experiences for participants to learn and engage with Balinese culture.

3. Cultural Enrichment: Mekar Bhuana founder Vaughan Hatch and director Putu Evie gave presentations about their gamelan encyclopedias and a documentary film at the conference: the presence of Pur and Ayu enhanced their presentations and offered an interactive cultural experience for our community.
 

Why We Did It:

1. Preserving Tradition: Balinese gamelan music and dance are integral parts of Balinese heritage. By bringing these art forms to New Zealand, exposed and promoted them to an international audience of expert academics as well as family and friends in Wellington, ensuring they continue to be appreciated and practiced by future generations.

2. Fostering Cultural Exchange: This project facilitated a meaningful cultural exchange between Bali and New Zealand. It provided an opportunity for people at the prestigious conference to experience and learn about Balinese culture firsthand, fostering mutual understanding and appreciation.

3. Enriching the Community: The presence of Balinese artists added depth and richness to the ICTMD Conference, creating a memorable and impactful cultural experience for all attendees. It also inspired and educated our local community about the diversity of world cultures.

4. Supporting Artists: Your support will help reimburse some of the travel expenses of the Balinese artists, the highest part of our outgoings that made it possible for them to share their talents and knowledge with us.  
By supporting our crowdfunding campaign, you're not just helping us financially; you're  also contributing to the promotion and celebration of Balinese culture outside of Indonesia. We would have brought vibrant sounds and movements of Bali to Wellington together!
 

Our project has had a profound impact on promoting and sharing the unique cultural heritage of classical Balinese gamelan music and dance to an international audience for the first time ever in New Zealand. By bringing skilled artists to Wellington, we provided conference participants and our community with an extraordinary opportunity to experience and engage with these captivating art forms firsthand. Our work needed to be seen, heard, and experienced because it not only enriches our cultural landscape but also fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of global traditions. Backing our project means supporting cultural diversity, promoting artistic exchange, and ensuring that we can do this again one day, perhaps with even more professional artists. Together, we can make a meaningful contribution to the exposure and promotion of Bali’s rich heritage, creating lasting memories and inspiring future generations.