FREDIE ARSI: (JP/Oyos Saroso H.N.) On the third-floor hall of the Lampung Provincial Linguistics Office, a silver-haired man with a pony-tail sat on the floor in front of dozens of high school students who were listening intently.

The students were taking part in a literary workshop held by the Linguistics Office -- and the man talking to them was Fredie Arsi.

Over three days, from the early morning until late in the evening, the students learned about poetry from Fredie.

Fredie was not alone. He was assisted by five of his six children: Dedies Putra Siregar, 38, Andrie Syahnila Putra Siregar, 37, Devie Komala Syahni Siregar, 34, Denie Syahnila Putra Siregar, 31, and Herie Syahnila Putra Siregar, 30. His other child, and also the youngest, Irma Komala Syahni Siregar, 26, however, was absent.

His children are all members of the Deavis Sanggar Matahari poetry musicalization group, which he established in Jakarta in the early 1990s.

"All six children of mine are in the Deavis group. But my youngest child couldn't come today because she is expecting her baby," said Fredie, who has eight grandchildren.

His wife, Rosnilla Fredie, spends most of her time at home, teaching dance to children while taking care of the couple's grandchildren.

The Deavis group is one of the best poetry musicalization groups in the country; thanks to Fredie's efforts in encouraging his children to play music and love poetry from a very young age.

"I now teach not only my own children, but hundreds, even thousands of high school students," he said.

Fredie teaches workshops in big cities such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Bandung, but also teaches in small towns in Java and Sumatra. He teaches upon invitation by schools or institutions, or if he is sent by the Language Training and Development Center.

Since 1992, Fredie and Deavis Sanggar Matahari have been running workshops for students and teachers under the Literary Workshop program.

Performing a poetry musicalization show is not easy, Fredie said, as people must love poetry first before they can bring it to the stage.

"It's better if you know the poet. Knowing the poet and understanding the work helps people appreciate the poems more," he said.

"First we have to read the poem. Then understand it. We can read it well only after we understand it. We should be able to read it well before we can catch the musical impression. Then we can imagine what kind of music to present," said the artist who performed before President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono recently.

Fredie likes to turn poems -- created by local and international poets, including his own creations -- into song.

"Our poems are the notes of sweetness and bitterness, including the sorrow of Acehnese due to the tsunami," he said.

"The tsunami left us with great losses. Four months before the disaster in 2004, we trained dozens of students and teachers in Banda Aceh about the musicalization of poetry. Many of them died, and so did the head of the Provincial Linguistics Office," said the man who was born in Binjai, North Sumatra, on July 20, 1944.

Poetry musicalization, according to Fredie, is more than just singing poems accompanied by music.

"Poetry musicalization is a form of expression using the elements of sound to express poems. It is a creative process. Poems are not merely lyrics accompanied by music. There should be an intensive interaction process between the people who perform the musicalization of poems and those who write the poems," said the artist who once joined the Kasuha (Art Campaigns for Aceh), touring Indonesia.

Fredie said that in the beginning, his group used simple musical instruments such as mineral water bottles, cooking pots and pans, tambourines and flutes. Now, the Deavis group uses modern instruments, like the guitar, pianica and harmonica.

Fredie and his children perform in collaboration -- Fredie usually arranges the music and narrates; Dedies sings, plays the guitar, traditional drums and violin and recites; Andrie sings, plays the guitar, harmonica, flute and pianica; Devie sings, plays maracas and recites; Denie plays the tambourine and bass; Herie sings, plays flute and percussion; and Irma sings, plays the flute and pianica and recites.

Fredie and his six children work well together, not only on stage, but in workshops when they train students and teachers.

Fredie said he was happy that all of his children had followed in his footsteps and were making a living from poetry.

"All my children make a living from poetry musicalization. Four of them are married. They enjoy working together with their father. We often debate working on the musicalization of the poems," he said.

"(Poet) WS Rendra once told me I was rich and happy. Meaning that we have a spiritual richness because we dare to walk down a lonely road by working in the world of poetry and teaching people, especially students," he said.

Fredie studied at the Maritime Academy, but did not pursue a career related to his education because poetry had touched his heart.

"I once worked as a civil servant in the maritime sector, and even became the principle of a maritime school. But I left it all for the sake of poetry. With poems, I feel that I am richer and I can spread the message of peace," he said.

Having dedicated his life to the musicalization of poetry for almost 20 years, Fredie has both sweet and bitter experiences. One of his most unforgettable encounters occurred in 2000, when he performed at the Ar-Raniry State Institute for Islamic Studies in Banda Aceh, despite the governor's disapproval.

"We were told not to perform in the evening because this would put us at risk. At that time, no artist dared to perform in the evening in Aceh (which was still a military zone). But we were not afraid because we only wanted to spread the message of peace. This had nothing to do with politics," he said.

He recalled his performance in another conflict area in Kabanjahe, North Sumatra.

"No spectators showed up. The regent panicked because he did not want to disappoint us. So, the regent, who was a Colonel, contacted the army unit chief. We ended up performing before hundreds of military members," he said.

"During the show, no one clapped their hands, because the regent had told the military officers to not clap until the show was over," he added.

Fredie said he had no intention to retire from the stage, as he got spiritual satisfaction from bringing poetry to life on the stage.

"I also enjoy teaching students. With poetry musicalization I can meet many people and spread the message of peace."

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