Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Spoken and sung word cabaret for Ubud

The count down is on, we are in the home run, the final corrections done, the book goes to print, the singer does her warm ups, checks to see if the venue is finalised, cranks up the publicity machine..

Tadaaaa...

Celebrating 10 years of the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, Bali, Jan Cornall presents a new book and cabaret of songs, poems and stories, penned during her travels in Indonesia in the past decade. Jan will perform her spoken and sung word cabaret at Bar Luna, during the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, October 11-15 (date and time of the cabaret to be confirmed soon)!
You can also catch Jan speaking at:

Jalan Jalan:14/10/13
Come Jalan Jalan with some of the Festival’s adventurous storytellers & intrepid travellers. Jalan Jalan means ‘to wander’ in Indonesian & this event is now an annual UWRF tradition. Join Claire Scobie, Jan Cornall & Jon Doust as they take you through the heart of Ubud, & then on a gentle stroll through the rice paddies as you head to the gorgeous Sari Organik. Over a delicious organic brunch & while looking out over Ubud’s stunning rice terraces you’ll hear stories from both near & far.

Writing On The Road 14/10/13
Backpack (suitcase), notebook, laptop, mobile, camera, research, desire, courage… Hear from these travel writers about their experience writing from the road — is it always so easy to find an original angle & what lengths do you go to to find the story? With Laura Jean Mackay, Claire Scobie, Tom Doig, Jan Cornall.

Check out the rest of the Ubud Writers Festival Program here.

Ok, back to the book.
Archipelagogo is lovingly edited, designed and published by Sarita Newson and team at Saritaksu Editions, Bali.  Jan's first book to be published by Saritaksu, Take Me To Paradise  was launched at UWRF in 2006.  

Here is the front cover, I hope you like it...






and a sneak peek inside..







The thrill of this book is having the chance to work with Jumaadi's paintings. Jumaadi is an Indonesian born artist who graduated with his Master of Fine Arts at the  National Art School in Sydney. He has exhibited his work in Australia, Indonesia, China, Europe, USA and performs his unique puppetry events as well. Jumaadi was the puppeteer in Jan's stage show Take Me To Paradise at OzAsia Festival in 2008.

You can read and view some of the works for the book in earlier posts.

(c) Jan Cornall 2013

Monday, March 18, 2013

Little Mother

Where are you now little mother
where have you gone
are you floating about in the ether
are you feeling happy and strong?
where are you now my best mum
where can you be
When will you be sending a message to me?

Are you up in the clouds looking down
are you drifting on an airstream
just wandering around
are you waving at me madly
only I can't see
that you're already standing
right in front of me
Where are you now little mother?

Did you see me in the my kost room
getting the call
that you'd finally decided to leave us all
when my watch stopped dead in the middle of the night
was that you telling me you'd be alright
did you see my tears, my disbelief
knew you had to go
but did you have to leave
Where are you now little mother?

Did you watch me jump into a taxi to Glodok next day
to go to a Chinese temple to pray
in a klenteng full of smoke and incense
litte mother, did it make any sense
to pray to ceramic buddhas in that way
Where are you now litte mother?

And with some friends we prayed to Allah
and others back home doing mantra
did it make any difference
or was it just for us
to feel we were making some kind of fuss
'cos little mother you didn't care for religious stuff
like heavens and hells and all that guff
your life was a hell
you told us often enough
Have you left that hell behind now little mother?

And did you see me smsing my kids on the day
they waved your coffin slowly away
did you follow the hearse to the crematorium
or were you already far
far away, gone
But where to little mother?

And do you watch me in this Jakarta town
is that you following me around
as I ride in taxis, walk in the street
greeted by everyone I meet
hello mrs, hello mister
dari mana, where you from
please sit down, have a drink
you like our country, what you think?
Were you sitting with me then, little mother
as we compared notes with one another
and were you touched little mother, just like me
by their warmth and generousity?

And little mother, do you hear the morning call to prayer
as it  through the cool morning air
and the morning sellers as they come
loudly proclaiming to everyone
roti, roti, roti, roti, roti
dong dong dong, dong dong dong, dong dong, dong dong dong dong
dong dong dong, dong dong dong, dong dong, dong dong dong dong
ding ding ding, de ding ding ding
tok tok tok te tok tok tok
and still it's only 6 o'clock
the bubur man on his motorbike
like a frog croaking in the night
bubur ayam bubur, bubur ayam, bubur.
then all the women coming out
like Mary Magdelenes, so devout
their beauty framed by colours strong
as gracefully they glide along
and men on motos taking kids to school
can you see it little mother
Can you see it all?

And out into the macet, macet
to be carried away
on the sea of moving metal
as they do every day
working so hard for their meagre pay
and under the tall freeway pylons
tired mothers, sick babes in arms
tap at car windows, hopefully
to move someone with their mournful plea
can you help them little mother
Can you help them?

And so on and on, into the day
and everyone still finds time to pray
on and on, to the mall
where ibu ibu meet to tell all
as they swish about in luxury
safe from the seething human sea
do you see it little mother
Do you see?

Can you see the buses full
can you see the bajais spluttering
in the sky, tiny kites a-fluttering
litte boys hold tight the string
way down in the crowded kampung
as if to say, one day I will fly
fly away from this place
into a sky so free and spacious
just like you little mother
Just like you?

And when the sky turns a blazing red
and all good children are in bed
and when the night begins to fall
do you see them, do you see them all
all the night workers waking up
just in time for evening prayer
before they go to make a dollar in a crowded bar
entertaining bule flown in from afar
as they ride the sex world underground
where you can taste anything you please
Russian, Korean, Japanese
and satisfaction will be yours for sure
just leave your wallet at the door
did you watch them little mother
Did you watch them all?

Did you see the musos trundling home
from their late night hotel gigs
artists, writers, talking late
in crowded cafes on the street
pece lele, soto ayam
all night in the roadside warung
and catching my bluebird taxi home
were you with me little mother
as we took the tol again
how many miles have I travelled alone
speeding into a night that stretches so far
apartment buildings rising tall
from low tin house swamps with kerosene lamp
where breathing bodies find rest in a corner of damp
and the glittering lights of the mall never go out
promising, one day we can have it all
do you think so litte mother
Do you think so?

And did you see me shaking in my bed
when I thought the roof would come crashing on my head
as the sky cracked and groaned in an angry roar
and the wrath of the heavens started to pour
washing the sins of the city away
into drains and canals, like a glacier flow
taking with it every bit of plastic that will go
where does it all go little mother
Do you now know?

And did you come with me across the strait
arriving at the tinkling gate of the favorite Bali isle
did you fly above the crowded street
as the cremation procession wound its way
at the temple did you see, two bodies wrapped in white
elderly women of royalty, placed in majestic sarcophagi
the proud black bulls standing tall, as fires lit around their feet
began to lick and leap up high into the cloudy Ubud sky
and through the flames did you see their bodies appear
blackened skin and stringy hair
tough and stubborn, strong as leather
is this how they lived their lives together
and little mother, did your body burn like this
or was it over all to quick
with just a workman standing there
adjusting his crotch and scratching his hair
and in a jiffy you were done
into the grinder, here comes another one

I'm sorry little mother I wasn't there
to carry you all the way to the end
but never one for ceremony
I know you would have said
'heavens don't bother with any of that
for christsakes I'll be dead'

But that's the trick I can't quite get
'cos now you're gone
your presence seems stronger
is it true, little mother
is that you little mother?
the tiny kitten at my door
the finches on the window pane
who come to visit again and again
the butterflies in the sawa
I've never noticed them before
but I met a man who opened my eyes
just like you, to all the kupu kupu
are you that man?
how can that be?
but perhaps you sent this man to me
because he is enthralled, just like you
by birds and butterflies and all wild flowers
he can talk for hours and hours
and never misses a single beat
as he strides the paddies in gnarled bare feet
and as we walked
and as we talked
I started to see you everywhere
I realised you'd come back to earth
as quickly as you'd left us here
flitting about on every flower
as always was your wont
there you were in brilliant colours
patterns on your wings
dancing, prancing, in front of me
then disappearing on a whim
and I feel you mother
everywhere
flapping on the wind
on every little puff of breeze that lands upon my skin 
your arms around me, little mother
your arms around me tight
I know you are a butterfly
flapping in the night
I know your life is over
just when it's begun
but then you roll back into your cocoon
and come back as another one
and you fill the air with butterflies of every single shade
and I feel you all around me
like the moment I was made
by you little mother
by you


Stay close, little mother
I'm here, little mother
be near, little mother
my strong little mother

kupu kupu



(c) Jan Cornall Jakarta 2006

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Indonesian Handbag

Please help me, will you help me
I don't know what to do
please help me, will you save me
from falling in love with you
There would be no problem
if the singular were in use
but in your case it's the plural
that is causing me my mind to lose!

Please help me, will you help me
I don't know what to do
it's not just one Indonesian
but the whole bang lot of you
Every hand I shake, every smile I see
every laugh I share, everyone I greet
I stagger, I swoon, I crumple, I fall
into a jelly heap.

Please help me, will you help me
Can you tell me what to do
I fall in love on every corner
every day, anew
You're so sexy and delicious
passionate, outrageous
intelligent, good looking and good cooks too!
I want the world to share in my discovery
at the same time I want to keep you all just for me!


(Chorus)
And my friends think I've gone crazy
my friends think I've gone mad
'cos I'm always getting on a plane
for that Indonesia land
And my friends they can call me names
I don't care; indogroupy, indohag, indonesian handbag
And my government is scared of a terrorist attack
but the only terror that I have is of never coming back!

Please help me, will you help me
I don't know what to do
I've fallen, really fallen
for the whole bang lot of you
so when you see me standing in the street
with tears in my eyes
I'm not sad, I'm just happy
my dreams to realise
To finally meet a people so generous and kind
who stimulate my body and excite my mind
and there's only one question, now I have to ask;
dear Allah, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, God, Buddha

Am I dreaming?
If so, please let this dream last.

(c) Jan Cornall   Jakarta 2005

Jogja Cowboy

I fell in love with a Jogja cowboy
no I cannot have him 
no I cannot keep him
I fell in love with a real Java man
oh why can't I have him?
oh why can't I keep him?

He was so tender
he was so gentle
he took me riding
he took me to his temple
he was so sexy
he was so tough
of those Jogja boys, you can't get enough

I fell in love with a Jogja cowboy
no, I cannot have him 
no, I cannot keep him
I fell in love with a real Java Man
oh, why can't I have him?
oh, why can't I keep him?

He has a life there, probably a wife there
I am passing through now on another journey
And even though at times, it can get lonely
I know you can't hold on to a Jogja dream

He was so tender
he was so gentle
he took me riding
he took me to his temple
he was so sexy
he was so tough
of those Jogja boys
you can't get enough


I'm dreaming of my Jogja cowboy and 
why I cannot have him
why I cannot keep him
anticipating time with my real Java man
why can't I have him?
why can't I keep him?

He has a life there, not only a wife there
then there is his lover and then there is another
he finds his loving where he can
for after all he's a real Java man 

He was so tender
he was so gentle
he took me riding
he took me to his temple
he was so sexy
he was so tough
of those Jogja boys
you can't get enough

So I'm not going to think of my Jogja cowboy and
why I cannot have him
why I cannot keep him
'til next I visit my Jogja town
Oh, why can't I have him?
why can't I keep him?
I'll say hello if I see him
I'll say hello if he's still around

He was so tender
he was so gentle
he took me riding
he took me to his temple
he was so sexy
he was so tough
of those Jogja boys
you can't get enough



Monday, February 25, 2013

Married men



Married men invite you in
to meet their wives before they sin

Wanting you to play the game
of secrets kept outside the frame 

Secret meetings, rendevous
in hotel rooms built just for you

For furtive sex on sheetless beds
without a pillow to lay your head

Sweat, desire, burning hot
and in the moment you’ve forgotten

Stains on walls of previous lovers
who came searching for paradise in one another




Married men invite you in
they think their wives will never sin

But secrets thrive here, secrets abound
even though there are thousands of eyes all around

And there’s plenty of time in a woman’s day
for stealing pleasure in many ways 

Pleasure alone, pleasure together
why shouldn’t a wife have her own taste of heav-e-e-a-a-a-a-e-e-e-e-e-e-n




Married men invite you in
to meet their wives before they sin

But they miss the secret signalling
as wife takes her chance to slip away

To meet her lover for the day
Husband tells you with a wink and a grin

She’ll be off shopping all day long
And the sisterhood's still going str-o-o-o-o-o-ong




Married men you can invite me in
and I’ll tell you I’m more than happy to sin

As long as your wife has the same chance
to play the secret rendevous, forbidden pleasure dance

And if you do I’ll guarantee 
you’ll have a happy marriage and you won’t need me

And I’ll smile as I remember the pleasure you gave
in hotel rooms whose dirty walls held the secrets of us all 

Husbands, wives and their lovers
who came searching for paradise in one an-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-t-h-e-e-e-e-e-r-r-r-r-r-r.






(c) Poemsong Jan Cornall Ubud 2007

(c) Paintings  Jumaadi, courtesy of the artist and Watters Gallery.
http://www.wattersgallery.com/artists/JUMAADI/Jumaadi.html

Money honey

 

I don’t need your body honey
I just want your money honey
You can keep your body honey
All for yourself

But I will love your body honey
I will make you feel so sunny
You will feel so happy
To be sharing your wealth

You’ll feel like a million dollars
Everywhere you go I’ll follow
Never will you ever have to
Be all alone

I will make you feel so happy
You won’t let my clothes stay shabby
You won’t ever worry
When I ask for a loan

(Chorus )
You want my body
I want your money

You’ll be my honey

We’ll feel so sunny

Even if I’m much much younger
We will always share the hunger
You for me and me for you
It never will die

You can be as old as leather
We will vow to stay together
People always shake their heads
And wonder why

You want my body
I want your money

You’ll be my honey

We’ll feel so sunny


As time goes by and we’ve forgotten
What it was that got us started
What it was that stirred in our heart and soul

As we settle in domestic bliss
We wonder how it came to this
How our mismatched love
Became to be so strong


You want my body
I want your money
You’ll be my honey
We’ll feel so sunny
I’ll never leave you
When you die I’ll grieve you
I’ll have your money but
Then I’ll miss you
Don’t ever leave me
Please believe me
When I say I love you
I really love you
You really helped me
How can I repay you
Now I ‘m older
But where’s your shoulder
Who can I turn to
When I get lonely
There must be someone
A little younger 
Who’ll make me feel
Like I’m getting stronger
Who can I help now
With your money
Who can I take now
For my honey
But they’ll just want me
For my money
And I’ll be thinking
Ain’t it funny
But they cant compare
With you my honey
And I just don’t care now for the money
Cos more than ever I miss your body
I want your body not your money
But your body’s gone now
In the ground now
While I remember
Our days so sunny
Where have you gone now
Why did you leave me
Forever long now
I'll always grieve you
In our love now
I’ll never leave you
All your money
I’d give to see you
In my arms now
With all your charms now
I miss you so much

My sugaaaaar mommy



(c) Jan Cornall Lovina 2007 
Paintings (c) Jumaadi, courtesy of the artist and Watters Gallery.
http://www.wattersgallery.com/artists/JUMAADI/Jumaadi.html

Pleasure and Pain




Pleasure and pain
Pain and pleasure
Funny how they come together

Pain and pleasure
Pleasure and pain
Just when you thought you were safe again




Pleasure and pain
Pain and pleasure
Like a glue they stick together
Without the pain there is no gain
Without the pleasure
Only one kind of weather
But when you get a taste of pleasure
You want it to go for ever and ever
And when it doesn’t you get mad
And crave the pleasure that you had
But pleasure’s gone
You to wait to see
What new taste is gonna be
When it takes so long you wonder why
Pleasure seems pass you by
And that is when you feel the pain
Of living in the everyday
Where’s the pleasure
Where’s it gone
Why did it only last so long?


Aduh aduh aduh aduh
aduh aduh aduh aduh
aduh aduh
aduh aduh
aduh aduh aduh aduh

Aduh aduh aduh aduh
aduh aduh aduh aduh
aduh aduh
aduh aduh
aduh aduh aduh aduh



Pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure
pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain
pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain 
pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure


Pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure
pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain
pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain pleasure pain 
pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure pleasure



Pleasure and pain
Pain and pleasure
Funny how they come together

Pain and pleasure
Pleasure and pain
Just when you thought you were safe again

Pleasure and pain
Pain and pleasure
Like a glue they stick together
Enjoy your pleasure while you can...
But don’t forget to enjoy your pain.


(c) Paintings Jumaadi, courtesy of the artist and Watters Gallery.
http://www.wattersgallery.com/artists/JUMAADI/Jumaadi.html


(c)Poemsong Jan Cornall Lampung 2005, from Archipelagogo

Buy a signed copy of the book Archipelagogo HERE and support Jan's Indiegogo NY Launch Campaign

Archipelagogo is a new collection of poems, songs and stories, penned during my travels around the Indonesian Archipelago in the decade beginning 2004 (and a follow up to the novel I wrote during my Asia Link Residency in Jakarta in 2006). 

Many of these love-song-poems about people, places and the complexities of cross cultural relationships, have been spoken and sung (acapella - archipela) at different times to intimate audiences at literary festivals in the Asia Pacific: Ubud Writers Festival, Utan Kayu Literary Biennale, Darwin's Wordstorm, Braidwood's Two Fires Festival, St Kilda Writers Festival, Hong Kong International Literary Festival.

This beautifully presented book, published by Saritaksu Editions, is illustrated with paintings by Indonesian artist Jumaadi and had its first launch at a full house cabaret performance at Bar Luna, during Ubud Writers & Readers Festival in October 2013.

Take a sneak peek inside the book here. Read reviews here.


(c) Jan Cornall 2014

Pain and Misery

 
This song is played in a marching band style with marching band actions.(Like this one at Festival Mata Air In Salatiga, Central Java).
I can see the band twirling and turning in formation, performing complex combinations. It's a very upbeat feel with lots of percussion,  breaking into a battering samba band feel and rhythm.
The lively way the song is performed reverses the hopelessness of being in pain; the song becomes a celebratory release as the drums beat the hell out of the misery state.

(sung)
Pain and misery
Take your hands off me
Misery and pain
Here we go again
Pain and misery
Take your hands off me
Misery and pain
Here we go again

(spoken)
Misery misery misery and pain
Misery misery here we go again
Misery misery misery and pain
Misery misery here we go again

 (chanted in unison)
I want a pill that I can take
So misery I can shake
I wanna jamu just for me
To take away my misery
I wanna life I can live
So I don’t have to feel again
I wanna place I can go
That doesn’t play the misery show


Pain and misery
Take your hands off me
Misery and pain
Here we go again
Pain and misery
Take your hands off me
Misery and pain
Here we go again

Misery misery misery and pain
Misery misery here we go again
Misery misery misery and pain
Misery misery here we go again

 (chanted in unison)
Maybe I can  meditate
On my painful misery state
You think that will do the trick?
Help me to get rid of it?
Breath in pain, breath out light
Mm, not bad I feel alright
Let me try it once again
Now once more for everyone
We think our pain is our own
In misery no one’s alone
Your  pain is mine, my pain is yours
Lets breath in and out once more
I’ll  take your pain, you take mine
We breath out light to everyone
I feel the soft heart of me
Beating in a space so free

Pain and misery
Take your hands off me
Misery and pain
Here we go again
Pain and misery
Take your hands off me
Misery and pain
Here we go again

Misery misery misery and pain
Misery misery here we go again
Misery misery misery and pain
Misery misery here we go again
(continue as long as you like
until you fade into the distance)



Photos by Vanessa Hyde
Cardboard costume workshop by Rudi Ardianto
at Festival Mata Air 2008,09



(c)Poemsong Jan Cornall Lampung 2005

Lonely in Lampung

 

I’m lonely in Lampung
My boy has stayed away
He’s not picking up my sms today
His fone’s switched off
And he’s screening my calls
Seems he doesn’t want to speak to me at all

So I’m stuck in the hotel room with Asia  MTV
Watching all the cute boys and girls make their eyes at me
All alone in the hotel in a king size bed
And Dangdut Café playing in my head
And all I want to do is get up and dance
And let dangdut be the cure for my failed romance

I was lonely in Bandung
And I have to say
Its not the city or the people that make me stay away
It’s just the memory of a love so hard to find
That was taken from me on that day in room 109


When I was stuck in the hotel room with Asia MTV
Watching all the cute girls and boys make their eyes at me
All alone in the hotel in a king size bed
And Dangdut Café playing in my head
And all I want to do is get up and dance
And let Dangdut be the cure for my failed romance

I went down to Jogja
On a little spree
And I let my emotions get the better of me
Took a trip to Parangtritus and was walking along
I turned to watch the sunset
And in that minute he was gone

So I’m stuck in the hotel room with Asia MTV
Watching all the cute girls and boys make their eyes at me
All alone in the hotel in a king size bed
And Dangdut Café playing in my head
And all I want to do is get up and dance
And let dangdut be the cure for my failed romance

I wanna go to Surabaya but I’m a little scared
That Surabaya Johhny will leave me for dead
And I have heard that Solo is a lovely town
With a name like that
Don’t think I’ll be going down

Think I’ll head back to Jakarta
For a little rest
Being on the road Indo style has put me to the test
But please don’t go feeling sorry for me
Cos now I can dance all the way to the Arafura Sea

Cos I  was stuck in the hotel room with  Asia MTV
Watching all the cute girls and boys making eyes at me
All alone in the hotel in a king size bed
And Dangdut Café playing in my head
And all I had to do was get up and dance
And let music be the cure for my failed romance
Dangdut must be the best cure for any failed romance

Di kocok kocok
Di kocok kokok
Di kocok kokok






























Lampung Boy



  
  A Reggae lament

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Why did you have to be so charming?
With your big smile, so disarming?
Where did you get such pretty looks?
I thought that was just in picture books

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung boy, where did you learn the art
Of breaking all the ladies hearts
Lampung boy, who taught you the skill
Of going in for the Lampung kill


Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Watch out ladies, watch out girls
Don’t take Lampung boys for fools
Watch out boys, watch out men
Lampung boy is at it again
He’ll charm your wife, he’ll charm your daughter
He’ll even charm you when you oughta know better
Cos after all if you're a Lampung man
And once you were a boy of Lampung land


Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

I shoulda known better, shoulda been prepared
All that anguish I coulda been spared
But when you meet a Lampung boy, you’ll understand
They just aren't like any other kind of man 

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

I’ve been to your beaches
I been to your hills
Where butterflies flap in a garden so still
I’ve been to your expo
Seen an elephant or two
But that didn’t help me to get over you


Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
I’ve tasted your delicacies
I’ve drunk your wine
And while that made me feel more than fine
It didn’t kill the sweet memory
Of sitting in a kissing booth
Staring out at the sea with

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)

Lampung boy will make your heart stop still
You can never ever have your fill
When Lampung boy gives you a smile
You might pass out for a little while
Don’t worry they will pick you up
And carry you home in a Lampung truck
‘Cos Lampung people are used to it
Girls falling down in fainting fit
Over 

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)


This is my ode, this is my hymn
To a boy I once knew on a whim
Who showed me the sights of Lampung town
One of the friendliest places I’ve ever found
Home of 



Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Lets go back to Lampung town
See who is hanging around
Lets go down to Pasar Seni
Lampung boys you’ll find a plenty
Making music, making art
And doing all that Lampung craft

Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung boy  (waka ya wakaya)
Lampung Boy (waka ya wakaya)
Oh how I miss my
Lampung boy





Text(c) Jan Cornall Lampung 2006
Paintings (c) Jumaadi, courtesy of the artist and Watters Gallery.
http://www.wattersgallery.com/artists/JUMAADI/Jumaadi.html



Below: Lampung batik by X-co Ras Mohaq, one of the guys at Pasar Seni, a craft collective in Bandar Lampung, and one of the Lampung crew I travelled with in 2006.
See all the fabulous Lampung batik on his site:
http://batiktunu.blogspot.com.au/