TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A native American Indian Kevin Locke exhibited the traditional hoop dance (changlesska wachipi) in @america Pacific Place Mall, Jakarta on Tuesday. The exhibition was entitled “The First to Arise” which is the meaning of Locke’s tribal name.
Kevin Locke danced the hoop dance with 28 dances that represented the number of days in one month according to lunar calendar. The hoops consisted on four colors: red, black, white, and yellow, that each has its own symbolic meaning.
While hopping and turning around, Locke performed many acrobatic and arranged the hoops into giant ball, flowers, even wings. The ball shape, for example, symbolizes the unison and harmony between human and earth.
“If you pull just one hoop, any hoop, any color, this ball is going to fall apart,” said the 60-year-old while demonstrating what he had just said.
In the performance, artists of Dayak tribe from the East Kalimantan joined the stage and danced the Hudoq, a dance to repel pests and evil during the harvest season. Locke even played the Indian traditional flute along the song sung by Philius, a performer of Dayak Kenyah tribe.
“For the indigenous, dances are form of self expression, that also unite with the nature. Dances can even mean a form of prayer,” said Locke.
RATNANING ASIH