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Djenara Bags : Red for Courageously Indonesian!

D.j.e.n.a.r.a – uhm…before we get to the reviewing part…reviewing creative Indonesian brands all these times give me some inspiration on how to name my daughter ( I dunno when yet…but still); and Djenara, I would say would be one strong candidate. :p

Ok, Back to Djenara Bags!

Lania Rakhma, the founder, is by coincidence also the wife of a friend back in college (I now must admit I admire my guy friends’ taste in choosing wives :p ). She found her passion only after finishing her undergraduate study in Environmental Engineering…She participated in several fashion design competition and having convinced of her new passion, she  took fashion classes at Studio Intermodel Bandung. And now—supported by her husband along the way—she has established several fashion lines (clothings, Djenara Bags, and hopefully soon, shoe lines!).

Lania admitted that she always has a particularly ‘high‘ taste in fashion, “it’s hard to find something that is really me in the market”. This is the base that she takes when she designs her products. At the mean time, she’s into batik and tenun ikat—and found herself loving and treasuring it even more as she gets mesmerized towards the rich variety of traditional patterns she found along the process. “Why not mix my hobby in designing, exploring own culture…and business..?” –she said.

Djenara comes from ‘Jenar’ (Javanese root) that means ‘Red’. Red, for her symbolizes courage, to try new things, to go beyond one’s comfort zone—“Like I did when I swerved from engineering to design, for instance”, Lania said. Djenara is still new  though, and Lania expects that it will  still develop in its slogan as well as its style. It may as well remain as it is now, ”Simple, chic, eclectic”.

Every Djenara design is made a la boutique : each made unique, meticulously taken care by skillful bag artisans.

For fellow designers, it’s worthwhile to hear what she says on her design and business  philosophy:

Actually, when the idea of starting business suddenly pop up in your head, don’t wait till the right time come, bcoz it will never come. Just do it already and i believe when you keep on the right track & keep believing in yourself, the ‘supporting factors’ will come along the way. Amin.

As usual, I asked her some personal questions –for you to know more about Lania, the lady behind.

1. What inspires you?

What inspires me in designing bags in batik fabric is simply the fabrics itselves. They are so beautiful and I only have to mix and match the character of colours, the patterns, with my style.

2. When you’re having a really bad day, what are some of the things that will definitely cheer you up? Craves?

Taking with someone or people you love : husband, family, friends, and fellow workers…simple but warm chat would definitely boost my mood instantly

3. What makes a good design, according to you?

Originality, strong character, but not egoistic—in the sense that it can be appreciated easily by other people / customer. Design for me is more commercialized, unlike art. Art you can make however you like, but design has its commercial side. (Well, maybe I don’t know that much…hehehe)

4. Favorite designers (local and intl) you look up to?

I like more with young people who devoutly follow their passion and do their business according to it—without having to have large name or certain organization’s support..They’re more original.

My favourite international designer is Tsumori Chisato (Great imagination he has. WAW!)

5. What’s the hardest part of making your own design and running your own business. How do you cope?

Time problem. As I’m also tacking production and running clothing line also, it’s hard to find relaxing timeto design. In the end, usually I give last minute design to be produced. The source may be also Human resources problem.  I cannot yet delegate much of the works and I’m still handling things across the value chain. The only best way to tackle it is just to accept it gladly, “Insya Allah everything finished at time and everything goes well”.  It’s cliché maybe, but true…

At this moment, Djenara bags can be found  in Shajna Store @ Kompleks Kue Soes Merdeka Jl. merdeka No. 29 Bandung, or at Djenara Facebook account here. Happy Shopping, and Good Luck Djenara!!!

Songs from the archipelago

Not once that I’d been stuck in multicultural gathering and people would start to exchange national songs. First, I cannot sing, that’s already something. But the fact that I’m not really aware of indonesian songs and would stuck in some songs that I know from West Java such as Manuk Dadali, Es Lilin, and Colenak. It is really embarassing. A Serbian even once sang an Indonesian song from Sumatera in his choir and I don’t even know the song he mentioned. He knows better than I do! How ignorant I was. So now I’d try to furnish myself with some knowledge. And share to you too.

Indonesia is vast, so is its musical tones. From east to west, we can witness how 500 ethnics in Indonesia express their traditional cognitive when they outhear their songs, enjoying aesthetic tone contour of sounded notes. Each tone represent each ethnic’s identity in the midst of other tunes in the world. Songs from Ambon, would differ uniquely with songs from Java, Dayak, Madura, Batak and else ethnic groups. But together, we can see it’s resemblence, a package of masse culture as globalization pattern in this era.

A study represents this resemblence in between archipelago tunes, categorized based on memethic structure. The study itself can be seen here.   This study shows 10 groups of songs, from which we can dive into who are Indonesian melodically.

1. O INA NI KEKE – from Minahasa

This is  game song between boys and girls, it’s lyrics :
B (Boys) : O Ina ni keke, mange wisa ko
G (Girls ) : Mangewa aki wenang tumeles baleko 
B (Boys) : weane, weane, weane toyo
G (Girls ) : daimo siapa ko tare makiwe…  

B (Boys) : O girl where are you going ?
G (Girls ) : I want to go to wenang, to buy baleko (traditional cake)
B (Boys) : Give me one, Give me a little bit
G (Girls ) : It’s too late, its all finished…  O INA NI KEKE – from Minahasa

2. PADANG WULAN – Central Java

This song’s about Javanese kids who are happy playing under the full moon. 
Yo pra kanca dolanan ing jaba, Padhang wulan padhange kaya rina 
Rembulane e sing awe awe, Ngilangake aja padha turu sore 
Yo pra kanca dolanan ing jaba, Rame-rame kene akeh kancane 
Langite pancen sumebyar rina, Yo padha dolanan sinambi guyonan 

Let’s friends go play outside, together with a lot of friends
The sky is clear like daytime, let’s play with full of laughter 

3. SARINANDE - Ambon 

This is  a song about Ambonese girl who seems to be sad, but it’s actually due to smokes that gets into her eyes (showing her hardworking attitude at home:
Sarinande, putri Sarinande, mangapa tangis, matamu bangkak?
Aduh mama, aduh lah papa, La asap api masuk di mata

Sarinade, Why are you crying with swollen eyes?
No Papa, No amama, it’s the smoke that gets into my eyes… 

4. ATI RAJA - South Sulawesi

This is a really spectacular song about great gratefulness and one’s submission to the creator (One God, Monotheistic). This song is in legato mode, rich in lyrical content as well as instrumental.
Se’re se’re ji batara baule
Ati raja, naki jai pa’nganroi baule Rajale alla kereaminjo
Ati ati ati raja Nitarima pappala’na baule
Mannamo ki minasai baule Ati raja, kipanai’ ri palatta’ baule
Rajale alla taballetommi Ati ati ati raja Na batara angkellai baule

There’s only One God
God’s heart, only to You we ask
To the deepest of our heart
God’s Heart, accepts all wishes even only as-ifs
God’s Heart, make a wish, and He will  fulfill them all

5. DEK SANGKE - South Sumatera

This song’s about disapointment in inter human relationship (not everybody’s like what they’re seen). This song rhymes really nicely.

Dek sangke, aku dek sangke, awak tunak ngaku juare, 
Alamat badan ‘kan sare akkhirnye masuk penjare.
Dek sangke, aku dek sangke, ujiku bujang tak batanye tua bangke, 
Anaknye ‘lah gadis gale.
Dek sangke, aku dek sangke, ujiku gadis tak batanye jende mude.
Anaknye ‘lah ade tige.
Dek sangke ture sangke,
cempedak babuah nangke…

I didn’t imagine, I cannot imagine
weak people says they’re strong, just to find difficulties in the end
I didn’t imagine, I thought unmarried,
actually an old guy, with young women as daughters
I didn’t imagine, I thought a virgin but a widow
with three children!
I didn’t imagine,
cempedak berbuah nangka! (it’s a proverb for the unexpected)

6. KAMBANGLAH BUNGO - MInangkabau

This is about Minang’s romance that cannot be pulled out of its cultural rute. It’s rich of methaporical poetic messages, masculin and yet feminin. 

7. HUHATEE - Malacca

The song’s about relationship within young people

8. TANDUK MAJENG - Madura

About coastline life in the archipelago. With legato mode to describe those who lives in the sea and their heroism

9. MAK INANG - Riau & West Sumatera

The song is about one’s longing for home.

10. SIGULEMPONG - Tapanuli

This poetic song is about a man who longs for the woman of his dream

*This is to be continued*