In Oxford, England, as the powerful melodies of a heartfelt song ebbed away, Rara Sekar closed her eyes, deep in meditation. Her performance had just conveyed the essence of a song that brings to life the struggle of a political prisoner facing death over sixty years ago. This song, echoing a time of political upheaval in Indonesia, has now become a beacon for Sekar. She focuses on inspiring creativity in tackling the climate crisis back home in Indonesia.
Sekar expressed to her audience at the Skoll World Forum on Thursday that the song serves as a vital source of healing. The annual forum is dedicated to pioneering change across a spectrum of crucial issues, including climate change, healthcare, and human rights. “When hope seems elusive during climate activism or other forms of advocacy, I find solace in singing,” she reflected.
Her efforts in advocating for environmental sustainability in Indonesia emphasize embracing a “low-waste life.” This lifestyle includes exploring the forest for wild edibles and hosting community potlucks. Over the past couple of years, she organized bike tours on Java Island to immerse locals in the joys of nature, particularly in areas reeling from erosion and flooding.
“I strive to give back to nature in all aspects of my existence,” Sekar asserted. “It’s not solely about the music I create but also about the life I lead.”
Indonesia, a sprawling tropical nation sitting on the equator, boasts the third-largest rainforest in the world. Its biodiversity is remarkable, home to creatures like orangutans and elephants. Yet, the country has been grappling with intense environmental degradation, facing natural disasters such as floods and landslides increasingly in recent years.
The country frequently ranks among the top contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, primarily due to the combustion of fossil fuels like coal, coupled with deforestation and peatland fires. Since 1950, development for palm oil, paper, rubber plantations, mining, and other industries has devastated over 74 million hectares of Indonesian rainforest—an area surpassing twice the size of Germany—according to Global Forest Watch.
At the Skoll forum in Oxford, Sekar performed “Kabut Putih,” collaborating with Found Sound Nation, an organization from New York that uses music to engage communities.
The song, “Kabut Putih” or “White Fog,” was penned in 1971 by Zubaidah Nuntjik, an Indonesian woman who perished following her release from a prison camp filled with detainees like her. In 2024, Sekar revitalized the song through a recording project with relatives of victims and survivors from the 1965 mass killings of the Communist Party of Indonesia members.
Performing under the alias ‘hara,’ Sekar mentioned the song’s enduring spirit offers her strength and hope in her climate advocacy endeavors. “Nature serves as my muse,” she remarked. “Incorporating educational elements about the climate crisis into my tours has been crucial.”