FEELS like I had an explosions in my stomach when I heard about a festival in Kampung Bustaman. I never heard a festival or art exhibition held in the narrow street within a kampung before. I didn’t even know where the place. Then, I went on the day 2 –the closing day—with my friend who had came here before.

There was me, in the middle of a fanfare in unpopular kampung which is now turned into popular, in Semarang. Those was called Tengok Bustaman (#TengokBustaman). I saw murals, vintage family photos, and some art drawings by local children and artists.

This street art exhibiton held by UGD (Unidentified Group Discussions) Semarang. With some help from Rujak (Ruang Jakarta/ Jakarta Space), Hysteria and many more –I couldn’t mention it one by one–, this event held all day long on Saturday and Sunday, 18-19th May. Tengok Bustaman was UGD’s first project in order to presented a common space for public. Don’t imagine a common space like Taman Menteng, because this is more to discover and introduce an unknown spot over a city, without any intervention from the government.

This kampung definitely has its history, and its own story to write. The name of this place took from Raden Saleh’s great-grandfather, Kiai Kertosuro Bustam. The resident believe in the earlier time, Kiai Bustam built a draw well then soon became Kampung Bustaman. This place itself, well-known as a center for pemotongan hewan (slaughterhouse) in Semarang.

The UGD team not just gave us some entertainment, they done digital archive for the resident; through their ID, and family photos that displayed during the event. Anyway, at day 1 (the opening), there was cavalcade, welcome dance by the local children, sunatan (traditional circumcision ceremony), Gambang Semarang (Semarang’s traditional music), fireworks and many more I barely couldn’t mention it all.

Because the local residence had a big appreciate to this event, there was an amazing surprised in day 2. They had initiative held Liong show in the middle of hot sunny day. At the afternoon, they had an extraordinary discussions called ‘Pakar Mendengar’ (The Expert Listened). Some experts –including Prof. Eko Budihardjo from Diponegoro University, came to Bustaman as the audiences. They listened what the civilian spoke up about their ideas and thoughts.

At evening, this was the close event. Some stage performed was from Komunitas Semarang Gitar Klasik (Semarang’s Classic Guitar Community), Semarang Blues Community, Jazz Ngisoringin Semarang, and Risky Summerbee and the Honeythief.

During these 2 days festival, Kampung Bustaman filled with local people and youngsters enthusiasm. Well, introducing an unknown place which has bunch of stories through an art-exhibition like this, obviously an ‘it’ thing to be done. Its like (me) finding a pair of Manolo Blahnik on an old-dusty box.

*photographed by: me

taken by Fresky

taken by Uje Dinomo