Saat arus pasang hempaskan pintu jiwamu, apa yang sedang terjadi? Mengapa saudaraku terhempaskan tsunami? Apakah kau mengerti Tuhan telah menciptakan hukum di alam ini?

(When ocean waves slam the door of your soul, what is going on? Why did a tsunami knock my brother down? Do you know God has created laws of nature?)

These are some of the lyrics of a song performed by MGM, a music group that will contribute to a compilation album with the theme of disaster preparedness, sponsored by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).

Along with 11 other bands, including Naif, Samson, Netral and Mocca, which are well-known especially among young people, MGM will help LIPI call for the public to be prepared for disasters.

The album will contain 12 songs, all with themes related to disaster mitigation efforts, and is due for release in June.

LIPI has had difficulties in conveying the results of its disaster research to the public, director of LIPI's Oceanography Research Center, Harsono, told the press here Tuesday.

Deputy of the geography division, Hery Harjono, said LIPI scientists expected the partnership with the musicians would make their language "easily understood" by the wider community.

"We hope to build public awareness about disaster preparedness through songs," Hery said, adding the music project was only one of LIPI's efforts to build public awareness about disasters.

He said the benefits of such awareness were demonstrated by the inhabitants of Simeleu Island in South Aceh, who saved themselves from the 2004 Aceh tsunami -- which claimed more than 150,000 lives -- even though the island was only eight minutes from the epicenter.

Hery said people on the island had been familiar with tsunamis through folk songs and poetry, so they immediately ran to the nearest hills when the 2004 tsunami hit.

According to Harsono, Indonesia is prone to many kinds of disasters and so everyone across the archipelago must understand they could experience a catastrophe anywhere and anytime without an early warning.

"We need to be prepared. Natural disasters are inevitably our 'friends' and we must prevent them from becoming deadly catastrophes. I hope Naif and other musicians will be able to embrace their own communities, their fans," Harsono said.

Fajar Indra "Jarwo" Taruna, member of Naif and director of recording company PT Naif Citra Kreasi, said writing a song about disaster preparedness was "not as bad as it seems".

"What is difficult is making songs that are not sad," he said.

"We don't want to make sad songs, although the disaster itself must be a very sad situation."

PT Naif Citra Kreasi will produce the LIPI-sponsored "disaster preparedness" compilation album. Jarwo said the initiative for making the album came from members of Naif, who then asked other musicians to take part.

LIPI held a "Science in Music" workshop for the participating musicians Tuesday to give them an understanding about disaster preparedness and hence help them compose their songs.

During the workshop, LIPI and PT Naif Citra Kreasi signed a memorandum of understanding.

Popular

Cambodia and Thailand agree to ASEAN observers to ensure ceasefire holds

'Kebaya': Living history, modern elegance

Two Chinese nationals die in Bali boat accident