Teak Leaves at the Temples (2008)

Directed by: Garin Nugroho | 70 minutes | music, documentary | With: Ismanto, Tiar, Sutanto

In 2006 Indonesian director Garin Nugroho made the impressive ‘Opera Jawa’ in which (a part of) the Hindu epic Ramayana was cast in the form of an opera, using traditional Indonesian music. A special, unique film, to which ‘Teak Leaves at the Temples’ fits in to a certain extent. In this film, too, Indonesian music is lovingly put in the spotlight and combined with new, different forms. In this case an interplay is created with free jazz music and this results in fascinating, sometimes almost psychedelic performances.

The form of ‘Teak Leaves at the Temples’ is more of a documentary, where ‘Opera Jawa’ told a clearly defined, fictional story. The “telling”” in ‘Teak Leaves’ is mainly left to the music itself, as it should be. So we see the Western jazz trio standing on a large field with Indonesian musicians and audience around it, continuously interacting with each other, or a similar kind of combination – this time the jazz musicians with the local Sono Seni ensemble in an eclectic and exciting performance – in a concert hall setting. It is also interesting to see the music in the daily life of the Indonesians. Just as in many parts of Africa, for example, people make boring and monotonous work more interesting by performing it in a rhythmic way – as with stamping stamps on a post office – so in ‘Teak Leaves at the Temples’, for example, we hear the musicality of a a pair of chisels or a group of women stamping large stone cylinders into a pot.

As long as the documentary focuses purely on the musical aspects, it is extremely fascinating. However, verbal commentary is also provided by various individuals and this element of ‘Teak Leaves’ has been mixed with success. When the conductors or musicians of the traditional Indonesian music groups speak, it is often worthwhile, but as soon as the artist in his Superman outfit speaks, or a Western philosopher makes pompous remarks, the docu often loses its urgency. Too much explanation can detract from the narrative power of the music, which is nevertheless open to interpretation. The narrators try to make a nice story out of it, but at the same time hardly know what to add to the music and rather point out the banality of their own statements. Fortunately, the music is often present. Music that doesn’t need any extra added story, and in this interesting mix forms a very intriguing subject.