Formed by Melbourne-based artist Danius Kesminas in 2006, PUNKASILA is a fluid and collaborative project which includes graduates and current students from the Indonesian Art Institute (ISI) in Yogyakarta. PUNKASILA play custom-made, hand-crafted mahogany guitars simulating hybrid M-16s/AK-47s and wear camouflage-patterned hand-painted batik, tailored as military fatigues. PUNKASILA's debut album, "Acronym Wars" was released in Indonesia in 2006.
PUNKASILA give voice to the cacophony of acronyms representing the disparate political, military, religious, cultural and bureaucratic organisations that constitute the Indonesian body politic. Since Soekarno’s reign, acronyms have represented a real site of ideological struggle. Between 1950 and 1965 this phenomenon was defined as the period of “acronym wars”. PUNKASILA have set these acronyms to a frenetic, progressive-punk-rock idiom. Each song repetitively iterates a specific acronym, invoking its popular inversion using plesetan – a peculiar Indonesian word play or subversive double-speak.
The name, PUNKASILA, which literally means “punk principles”, derives from Pancasila, the five ideological tenets devised by Soekarno as propaganda to create a unitary basis of Indonesian nationhood. Although PUNKASILA’s repertoire and appearance as a cultural outlaw militia suggests provocative intent the project is more a celebration of new-dawn, post-reformasi openness than critique, ambiguously straddling the fault between taboo, parody and humour. By demonstration, on the basis of the song list the CD was prohibited to replicate in Indonesia and the band have been previously censured at gigs. PUNKASILA have performed throughout Java and their numerous fans are from a wide-ranging demographic that includes the Sultan of Yogyakarta, Hamengkubuwono X, who has purchased a copy of Acronym Wars (which is possibly on high rotation in the princesses quarters).
PUNKASILA’s abbreviated Repertoire (with accompanying plesetan inversion):
TNI: Tentara Nasional Indonesia (Indonesian National Military), Tikyan Ning Idab-Idabi (Poor but Adorable)
PNU: Partai Nahdlatul Ummat (Islamic Community Awakening Party), Partai Nunut Udud (Party for Taking Cigarettes from your Friends)
TURBA: a conflation of Turun ke Bawah and Turuk Babi (Down to Earth, Pig’s Vagina). Turun ke Bawah was a leftist ideology of the 1950’s and 60’s for the political and cultural mobilisation of the populous. It was later used by the Soeharto regime to spread New Order ideology to the villages.
KOPASSSUS: Komando Pasukan Khusus (Special Force Command), Komando Pasukan Suka Susu (Milk Lovers’ Force Command/Tit Lovers’ Force Command)
PKI: Partai Komunis Indonesia (Indonesian Communist Party), Penggemar Komik Indonesia (Indonesian Comic Fans), Penggemar Kaos Indonesia (Indonesian T-Shirt Fans), Partai Kaos Indonesia (Chaos Party of Indonesia), Penjahat Kelamin Indonesia (Indonesian Sex Offender)
RPKAD: Resimen Para Komando Angkatan Darat (Army Para-Commando Regiment Command), Rampung Kenthu Anake Duwekmu (We have Sex but the Child will be Yours)
PUNKASILA Cell Operatives:
Adhik Kristiantoro: hand-crafted mahogany gun guitars & garuda emblem carving relief
"Le'War" Warsito: metal tripod guitar stands
Pak Manto: hand-made, batik lined, embossed guitar cases
Drs. Muhajirin & Oct. Yoyok Suroso: hand-painted 5m x 3m PUNKASILA banner
Abdul Sy.: camouflage patterned, hand-painted batik & 5m x 3m batik banner
Nia-Nia: batik tailored military fatigues
Terra Bajraghosa: PUNKASILA video animations
"Iwank" Erwan Hersi Susanto: PUNKASILA comics
Pius Sigit Kuncoro: PUNKASILA wayang puppets
"Jiyot" Heri Sukowati: electronic noise machines
Antariksa: acronym consultant
Iwan Effendi: PUNKASILA dictionary of 28,000 Indonesian acronyms
Wok the Rock: posters
Gentong: logistics and arak supplies
Production and sound engineering: Dave Nelson
PUNKASILA WOULD LIKE THANKS TO :
all the people who help us ,TONY KASMINAS n family, gintas and allice, lithuanian house, melbourne city, DARRENKNIGHT GALLERY, nickolas champber,out loud studio, jackpot resto, queen street, GALLERY OF MODERN ART BRISBANE, DING DONG LOUNGE, THE HISTRIONICS, MELBOURNE BITTER, XXXX,and legendary PROFOST STREET 52 YEAH!!!!!!
hey punkasila! how are you boys going?? the interview was well taken here in the zine. punk no die! do you remember it?? was quite a while back. anyway thanks, it was a perfect thing for #1. i hope you guys are doing great, and that the band is still going strong. i want a punkasila cd!!! : ) xox take care guys
DIEDARKAN SECARA GRATIS DAN DIANJURKAN UNTUK DISEBARLUASKAN SECARA GRATIS, MEMBAJAK JOROK! SECARA KOMERSIL TANPA SEPENGETAHUAN SHOUTBOXBLUES DISUMPAHIN MANDUL DAN BUSUK SELANGKANGAN.
Hey guys Thanks for your support and for rehearsing with us in 2007. We hope you all a Happy Xmas and a fantastic New Year. Chyrse, Kat, Jerry and all the Crew at Out Loud Music Studios
>OI ADAKAH DI TEMPAT KALIAN STREET PUNK SEDANG ASIK TIDUR DI GREBEK SATPOL PP >LALU RAMBUT MOHAWK MEREKA DI CUKUR BOTAK >AKU YG MENYAKSIKAN KEJADIAN INI BENAR2 SAKIT HATI SAMA SATPOL PP >APA PENDAPAT KALIAN? >KEJADIANNYA DI PEKANBARU,AKU MENYAKSIKAN LEWAT TV LOKLAL!!
Online!
