Superman is Dead (SID), punk rock pioneers of Bali, were born and bred in Kuta Rock City. The band is three chord attitude-heavy young men, by name : Bobby Kool (lead vocal, guitar, a dog lover and a graphic designer) , Eka Rock (low ridin’ family man, beer drinker, laid back bass and backing vocal and a warm smilin’ Rock ‘N Roll bandman, IT warior), Jrx (low ridin’ beer drinking Rock ‘N Roll prince charming, drummer and a hairwax junkie, Bar owner) The name ‘Superman is Dead’ started its’ evolution from Stone Temple Pilot’s “Superman Silvergun”. The name moved on to “Superman is Dead” cause they like the idea that there’s no such thing as a perfect person out there. SID actually stumbled together in ’95, drawn by their common love of Green Day and NOFX. Their influences soon extended to the punk ‘n roll genre a la Supersuckers, Living End and Social Distortion, and here they stay. They say what they wanna say, how they wanna say it. In your face, to say it precisely.

SID public image, self described, is “Punk Rock a Bali” (think raw energy of NOFX vs Social Distortion supersonically fueled with beer-soaked Balinese Rockabilly attitude). History ? SID produced their first three albums independently (the boys worked years of crappy night jobs), with fabulous, small scale indie labels 1997 “Case 15″, 1999 “Superman is Dead”, 2002 “Bad Bad Bad”(mini album, 6 tracks).

In March 2003, SID finally signed with Sony-BMG Indonesia after extended negotiations regarding their right to sing the majority of their tracks in English and have full artistic rights over their ‘image’!! With that decision they single handedly became the first band from Bali to be invited to sign with a major recording label in Indonesia, the first band in their nation to be recording majority of songs in English and the first punk band in Indonesia to get the national exposure and promotion that working with a major label in a third world country provides. And so the history of Indonesian Punk Rock begins!

Official Website | Myspace Page | Facebook Page | Jakarta Globe Article

Research Program Seminar on Politics
Tuesday, 4 May at 12:00 pm in John A. Burns Hall, Room 3012 (3rd floor)
Presented by Baladas Ghoshal, Visiting Fellow in East-West Center

For centuries Islam in Southeast Asia was renowned for its adaptability to local practices and tolerance of other religions. Over the past three decades, however, fundamentalists have tried to homogenize Islam, introducing new tensions. More than any other factor, what has fueled conflicts and divided Muslims and others in otherwise tolerant and harmonious plural societies like Malaysia, Indonesia and some other countries of Southeast Asia, is the slow but steady process of the transformation of Islam in the region, from a syncretic and inclusive Islam to a puritanical and exclusivist one under the influence of ideas, norms, practices, and finances flowing from the Arab world. The “Islam of the desert” has made inroads across the Indian Ocean. This process of homogenization and regimentation – a process I would like to call the “Arabization” of Islam – puts greater emphasis on rituals and codes of conduct than on substance, through the Wahhabi and Salafi creeds, a rigidly puritanical branch of Islam exported from, and subsidized by, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The internationalization of Islam drew Southeast Asian Muslims to the desert and brought the desert to them. Such “globalization of political Islam” could threaten stability throughout Southeast Asia and the world. Unfortunately, too many proponents of any form of fundamentalism rely on it as a tool, not for inspiring spirituality, but for acquiring economic or political power.

BALADAS GHOSHAL is currently a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi and an honorary Distinguished Fellow at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. He is a former Professor of Southeast Asia and South-West Pacific Studies and Chairman of the Centre for South and Southeast Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. A leading expert on Indonesian politics and society, Professor Ghoshal has published extensively on Indonesian politics, ASEAN and regional security issues, South Asian regional security and political developments. He received his Ph.D. at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

The First International Conference on
HUMAN RIGHTS in SOUTHEAST ASIA

Organized by the Southeast Asian Human Rights Studies Network and the Center for Human Rights Studies and Social Development (CHRSD), Mahidol University, Thailand.

14-15 October 2010
Bangkok , Thailand
www.seahrcon.org

Human rights in Southeast Asia are at a critical juncture. There are a number of positive developments in the promotion and protection of human rights, such as, the institutionalization of the ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), formation of national human rights commissions or institutions and the development of a dynamic human rights discourse within the region. These occur, however, alongside a significant amount of human rights violations in a wide variety of areas. There is still much work to do in the promotion and protection of human rights of ASEAN peoples.

The First International Conference on Human Rights in Southeast Asia intends to bring together academics, researchers, graduate and post-graduate students, civil society organizations and government agency representatives who work on the research and greater understanding of human rights in Southeast Asia . It seeks to explore the ways researchers and civil society have begun to make more critical contributions to deepening the understanding of human rights-based framework and actual issues through in-depth engagement with localized sites within the Southeast Asian region. Likewise, as human rights is an emerging area of study at universities and academic institutes in Southeast Asia , the conference also aims to provide a venue for the increasing body of research work being done by academics and graduate students on Southeast Asian human rights.

Possible Panel Themes will include:
1. Universality and particularity of human rights
2. Individual and collective rights
3. Gender, sexuality and women’s rights
4. Rights of vulnerable and marginalized groups
5. Peace, conflict, security and human rights
6. Challenges to human rights in Southeast Asia
7. Media, advocacy and popularization of human rights

Paper Submission Details
Those who wish to present a paper at the conference are invited to submit an abstract of 300-350 words and a short biographical paragraph of 150 words in English by 30 June 2010 to Ms. Saksinee Emasiri at seahrcon@gmail.com. Please indicate to which proposed panel you think your paper would best fall under. The full paper should be about 5,000-6,000 words.

Successful applicants will be notified by 15 July 2010. Full papers are due on 30 September 2010.

Photo taken from flickr user j l t under creative commons license

Wednesday, 28 April
6:30 p.m. – Korean Studies Auditorium

Viet Nam, 2002 (107 min)
Vietnamese with English subtitles
Director: Viet Linh
Cast: Duong Don, Dung Nhi, Trang Minh, Thuy Nga

Early 20th century, northern Viet Nam. Nguyen (Dung Nhi), a westernised nobleman and landowner, befriends Tam (Duong Don), a “dan day” (three-stringed instrument) player after the latter is accused of murder. Nguyen hides him in his estate, making him a supervisor and a confident, but in doing so, Tam is forced to leave his lover, the singer To (Thuy Nga). A life-changing event forces Master Nguyen to turn his back on everything modern, burning his own Western furniture and clothes, and forcing his villagers to destroy their few modern possessions, including tools, books and toys. Tam, seeing the land sliding into misery and his master retreating into madness, tries to help him and his people.

Mê Thao is interesting for what it tells us about Vietnamese culture and Vietnam’s perception of itself. There are many themes in this movie: the conflict between modernity and tradition; the complexity, rigidity, and violence of traditional class relations; the ambiguous role of the colonists (both seen as oppressors and as liberators); and a repressed sexuality.

There are many impressive scenes in this movie including a stunning visual where dozens of giant lanterns are lit and set free in the night sky, a tradition re-invented for the movie by the superb director Viet Linh (The Traveling Circus). Also remarkable is the “cat tru” chamber music, a thousand-year old art that plays a decisive role in the film, and sounds like a Vietnamese version of the Blues, as harsh, plaintive and moving as its American counterpart. -Gilles Tran

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Muslim Societies in Asia and the Pacific Program (MSAP)
Two (2) Graduate Assistant Positions (Ref#85073; Ref#000GA09)

Pending position clearance and availability of funds
Starting August 16, 2010 to May 13, 2011 for academic year 2010-2011
Salary Information: Half-time, $1,198.50 per month plus tuition waiver and medical benefits
Contact: Paul Rausch, Associate Director
Closing Date: May 17, 2010
apply now

Duties and Responsibilities:
* Initiate, develop, and coordinate overall activities for the Muslim Societies in Asia and the Pacific Program (MSAP) across departments on campus.

* Plan and organize public lectures, distinguished speaker events, film screenings and co-sponsorship of events with themes related to Muslim Societies in Asia and the Pacific. This includes serving as program liaison for visitors to UH.

* Assist in the development of affiliations with other educational, professional, and community organizations with a shared interest in Muslim Asia and the Pacific.

* Create, edit, and distribute the program’s weekly email newsletter (primary tool of awareness-building). Manage content and updates for the program website. Add content and archive materials on the program Facebook page. Photograph and record talks and lectures and produce podcasts for inclusion on the MSIAP web site. Many aspects of the job involve a constant monitoring and archiving of potential resources and producing well-written news and curriculum items.

* Handle day-to-day management of program activities and information including scheduling and attending meetings, and archiving resources. Assist with report writing, grant writing, and program’s fiscal documents.

* Work closely with the staff/coordinators of the Center for East Asian Studies, the Center for Pacific Islands Studies, Center for Philippine Studies, Center for South Asian Studies, and the Center for Southeast Asian Studies to create course materials/programs on Islam in Asia/Pacific.

Minimum Qualifications:
* Full-time, classified graduate student in good standing; familiar with the Muslim world and sensitive to Muslim cultural concerns.
* Background in Asian/Pacific studies or a humanities/language related discipline with a primary focus on an Asia/Pacific region including, but not limited to religion/anthropology/sociology/social work/political science/theater/music.
* Experience with word processing, database development, spreadsheets, and Powerpoint/Keynote.
* Accomplished Mac user for a Mac equipped office. Possess a keen sense of and passion for good design; able to use camera and recording equipment.
* Good English writing skills, ability to organize, attention to detail, and ability to work in a team, but with minimum supervision.

Desirable Qualifications:
* Knowledge of an Asian language used in Muslim Asia/Pacific and/or Arabic.
* Website development skills using Expression Engine, experienced in the use of Apple publication software Pages, skilled in the use of Constant Contact email marketing and survey tool.
* Skilled in recording and editing sound files for podcasting, skilled in shooting and editing film for web streaming, knowledgeable in the use of social networking tools (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
* Possess good public speaking skills.

To Apply:
Submit cover letter indicating how you satisfy the minimum and desirable qualifications, your resume and names and contact information (including email and addresses) of 3 professional references to rausch @hawaii.edu via email attachment. Electronic submissions are preferred. If available, include a sample of your web design work (a URL is sufficient) with your application.

Address:
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Center for Southeast Asian Studies
1890 East West Road, Moore 405
Honolulu, HI 96822
Inquiries:
Paul Rausch; 808-956-2688; rausch@hawaii.edu

Aloha UHM CSEAS Students! The Fall 2010 Course Schedule is now available. For SEA-related courses, download the CSEAS Course List.

CSEAS is proud to announce our newest weekly feature–a song of the week!  Using technology from Grooveshare, CSEAS will bring you a new Southeast Asian inspired tune each week.  This song may be accessed from the main page of our site or through the post describing the song.  We hope you enjoy this new aspect of our weekly programs and look forward to your comments/suggestions/etc.  The first song of the week is noted below:

Dengue Fever is Chhom Nimol – who sang regularly for the King and Queen of Cambodia – Ethan Holtzman (keyboards), Zac Holtzman (guitar), David Ralicke (horns), Senon Williams (bass) and Paul Smith (drums). The band’s music has been featured in a number of film and television shows including CITY OF GHOSTS, MUST LOVE DOGS, BROKEN FLOWERS, HBO’s hit series TRUE BLOOD and twice on Showtime’s, WEEDS. They have released three albums, Dengue Fever, Escape From Dragon House, Venus On Earth and released their DVD/CD soundtrack to the documentary Sleepwalking Through The Mekong on April 14, 2009.

The band’s eponymous debut was mostly covers of Cambodian classics. Their second album, Escape From Dragon House, written almost entirely by the band, was more psychedelic, freer, looser and more experimental than the debut. Their next release, 2008’s Venus on Earth, consisted entirely of original material, with several songs performed in English, furthering the band’s overall goal to fuse American and Cambodian styles. In 2009, the band earned kudos for the DVD/CD soundtrack release of the documentary film Sleepwalking Through The Mekong, which chronicled their 2005 trip to Nimol’s homeland during the water festival. They also wrote and performed in front of live audiences a commissioned soundtrack for the 1925 silent film classic The Lost World.

Earlier this year, the band curated a collection of classic Cambodian rock songs from the pre-Khmer Rouge era called Dengue Fever Presents: Electric Cambodia.
(exert taken from the band’s MySpace page)

Official Website | NPR Article/Interview | Facebook Page | NYTimes Article

Are you an alumni of the Asian Studies program at the University of Hawaii?  Are you a Southeast Asia aficionado?  Are you interested in professional networking with SEA specialists?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, the CSEAS Alumni & Community Group on Linkedin is perfect for you!  By joining this group, members will receive a weekly newsletter with 10-20 open positions, fellowships, and opportunities in addition to open positions posted by our colleagues around the globe!  In addition, we have a discussion forum and newsfeed so you can stay up to date with the Center and participate in discussions with Southeast Asian specialists.

Linkedin is the largest professional social networking site with over 60 million users.  The purpose of the site is to connect with professionals and obtain references from those who personally know the member.  Linkedin is rapidly becoming a common name as the company has unique partnerships with larger institutions such as the New York Times, Business Week, and Google among others.  Linkedin also allows users to research companies where they wish to gain employment in addition to searching for open positions in their field.

The Center for Southeast Asian Studies also runs a facebook page, yet our Linkedin page remains separate with differing uses.  Overall, facebook is used to connect friends and family while Linkedin is used to connect professionals.  Therefore, the CSEAS tends to place emphasis on jobs within our Linkedin group while our facebook group is used primarily for local events pertaining to Southeast Asia.  If members are more interested in employment opportunities, Linkedin is a better source while those only interested in UH events would benefit more from our facebook page.  While members can choose which service they wish to join, we hope many utilize both as we continue to grow our online presence.

Saturday, 8 May from 5:00-7:30pm at Shangri La, Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, Honolulu, HI
Co-Sponsored by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, PERMIAS, the University of Hawai’i Department of Dance and Drama, and the University of Hawai’i Music Department

5:00-5:30pm Open House
5:30-6:30pm Performance
6:30-7:30pm Dinner

Ticket price: $50/person – VISA, MC, and check are accepted. Reservations required. Seating is limited.

Celebrate the dance and musical traditions of Islamic Southeast Asia as performed by students and scholars from the University of Hawai’i and members of Hawaii’s Southeast Asian community in a special evening at Shangri La.

Van service to Shangri La will begin at 4:45pm from the Kapiolani Community College, Parking Lot B, 4303 Diamond Head Rd.
Please note there is no parking at Shangri La or in the surrounding neighborhood.

RSVP by Friday, 30 April 2010 via shangrilaevents@ddcf.org or +1 808 792 5503

Wednesday, 21 April
6:30 p.m. – Korean Studies Auditorium

Philippines 2005 (107 min)
Tagalog with English subtitles
Dir: Emmanuel dela Cruz
Cast: Jacklyn Jose, Angelo Ilagan, Al Cris Galura, Miguel Guno, Pierro Rodriguez
Music: Jessie Lasaten

Emmanuel dela Cruz’s first feature film Sarong Banggi derives its title from a Bicolano folk song that one of the characters used to sing to her baby as a lullaby. It’s a melancholic song that sets the mood of the film employing different variations in tempo and rhythm.

Melba (Jacklyn Jose) is an aging prostitute who is hired by a group of friends for Nyoy (Angelo Ilagan), the group’s birthday boy and only virgin. When they discover that Melba isn’t actually the mid-twenties hottie she described herself to be, they diss her and head out to the nearest bar to catch younger girls for the birthday boy. Nyoy who seems to have something more in his mind, wanders from the bar and back to Melba. Melba and Nyoy develop a bond that we later discover, is something more than friendship. From the makers of Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, Sarong Banggi earned Official Selection status at ImaginAsian (NYC) and CineAsia (Barcelona), and won Jaclyn Jose the 2006 Urian for Best Actress. –Francis Cruz

IMDB Website | Film Otaku Review | Mindanews Review | Download Poster