AMI ETHNIC's Real Efforts To Support Indonesia's Traditional Music Globally

The launch of the AMI ETHNIC page in the Kemang area, South Jakarta, Wednesday (Photo: Ivan Two Men)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Music Award Foundation (YAMI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) launched AMI Ethnic.

Meanwhile, AMI Ethnic is an information portal created to present various things about traditional musical instruments in Indonesia, be it the type, history, how to play them, to places where people can buy them.

YAMI General Chair, Candra Darusman said that AMI ETHNIC is a separate award for traditional Indonesian music, which so far may not be considered.

"So far, AMI has been giving awards to those who have succeeded through recording studios for 25 years. However, we have not given awards to musicians and traditional music," said Candra Darusman during a press conference in Kemang, South Jakarta on Wednesday, October 11.

"We want to continue to advance the arts of traditional music. Not only with trophies, but the opportunity for them not to be forgotten. Even if we can, we invite the world to see how rich traditional music is in Indonesia," he continued.

Quoting Franki Raden's statement, Candra sees a great opportunity in Indonesian traditional music. Moreover, so far the traditional music market is controlled by Latin America and Africa.

"The export market for traditional musical instruments is Rp. 6 billion US dollars. The details don't ask me, ask Franki. The point is that there is a large market in front of our eyes. Let's achieve it through AMI Ethnic," said Candra.

Gilang Ramadhan, a musician who is known to have special attention to Indonesian traditional music, said that what was through AMI Ethnic should be appreciated.

Based on his experience, traditional music activists are far more numerous than modern music. More than that, there is a traditional musical instrument manufacturing industry that needs to be considered for its sustainability.

"This traditional music is something we have to protect together. Every time I go around, I coordinate with traditional musicians, there are so many musical instruments," said Gilang Ramadhan.

"With the existence of AMI ETHNIC, we support the musical instrument manufacturing industry as the upstream of Indonesian traditional music. Don't let them close making traditional musical instruments. If they don't pay attention, traditional music doesn't sound anymore, all cultures disappear," he continued.

Gilang said he was happy with the Ministry of Education and Culture and YAMI who were willing to facilitate traditional music. AMI ETHNIC is expected not only to target the Indonesian people.

"The expectations for buying (traditional musical instruments) are not only at the RT and RW levels, but also globally," he said.

Currently, at least six traditional musical instruments can be obtained through the www.amiethnic.com page. It is planned that AMI ETHNIC can collect as many traditional musical instruments as possible in Indonesia.