‘What unites us and what devides us, what path are we willing to walk herein’

that is the question from which Juul Sadée, Catoke Kramer and Lucas Kramer leave. With ‘Ikatan’, together with their performers, they tell the universal story of populations being uprooted, yet find the strength and the faith that somewhere else is good or even better. The story about man who is looking for a better future in the promised land. Man searching for connection and identity and who reflects on his own life and society.
Solidarity and interconnection are words that linger after ‘Kejutan “the polyphonic performance and sculpture were presented at Musica Sacra 2013.
Literally wonder, in Malay ‘Kejutan’, was what the creators and performers from the Moluccan community Maastricht bond. A logical step was to put the interconnectedness into a new joint project; ‘Ikatan’ Malay translation of ‘connection’ was born.

‘IKATAN’, silent sound performance,
shows the beauty and necessity of connection between people, the title is obtained from the Asian designation and technique of the woven fabric Ikat.

‘Silent Sound’ performance is a deliberate contradiction in terms, because it is exactly the silence that is perceptible and made audible. Silence can be heard as they last long enough, or perhaps because there is noise. Silence as a symbol of muteness because the ballast of personal (own) history is too heavy to share with others. Silence in order to refuse to come in contact with the other. Silence can also be evoked because there is nothing to see.
The performers literally come from far away, in their way there are ‘moments of’, ‘ in between moments, ‘one possible point of beginning’ and ‘a possible moment of the end’, a moment of connection’ or ‘a moment of separation’.

Things are carried of which we can understand the meaning of ‘wearing during life’. The image of the wearer and the one that is carried, or ‘wear it’ on itself. The continued wear and transfer, sharing. Sharing a tale according to an ancient tradition which literally Moluccan people are connected to each other and as a group to make a way to convey a message to another community.

People and things can be a barière, their rhythms and voices repel and attract. There is staccato, andante and fortissimo.
Excerpts from ‘Dido’s Lament’ by Purcell about fate, sin and compassion can be heard as well the Moluccan lagu (song) ‘UPU Latu e’, about people, origins and identity. Sound-instruments that pierce the silence. A poly rhythmic whole of sound, color and motion that shows the spring force of man. The peace gong in Ambon installed after the end of the war in 2004, sounds like an echo after.

Concept and execution: Juul Sadée, Catoke Kramer, Lucas Kramer
Director: Catoke Kramer
Sound: Lucas Kramer
Objects: Juul Sadée
Singing coach: Cecile Schouten

Performers:
Sam Abraham, Sonja Abraham-Tatipatta, Max Hehalatu, Stefanie Hehalatu,
Betty Hover-Schutte, Ann Leatemia, William Makatita, Ria Makatita-Hendrix,
Margriet Nikijuluw, Netty Paays-Hoche, Frans Pattiwael, Elly Pattiwael-Theunisz,
Nora Pelletimu-Hahury, Thara Saya, Nella Saya-Pattipeilohy, Naomi Waelauruw-Matulessy, Elvira Sahetapy-Tatipatta, Sandra Saya-Tatipatta, Leny Tatipatta-Sinaï, Anita Titahena-Janssen, Sandra Titahena
Producer: Juul Sadée
In coöperation with: Stichting Moetiara Maloekoe
Financial support: Musica Sacra, Tout Maastricht, Stichting Moetiara Maloekoe, Huis voor de Kunsten Limburg
Thanks to: Stichting SoAP, Theater a/h Vrijthof, Toneelacademie Maastricht, Kumulus Maastricht, Winfried Kramer, Sanne Assendorp, the performers

‘Ikatan’is part of the ‘Archipelago’ program.
‘Archipelago’ is a ‘social sculpture’ and contains sculptures, multi-media installations and performances.
There is close collaboration with the Foundation Moetiara Maloekoe.

Archipelago shows questions about inter-human relations and uses the Moluccan history and their story, the history of the 12 000 Moluccan that are brought to the Netherlands with the promise of a good future on a free and independant Ambon, as tool to display the universal story about the effects of colonisation, clashing cultures and intolerance in addition to the reconciliation efforts.
An extremely complicated situation which is comparable with the many other, real-time conflicts and problems, spread all over the world. "Archipelago" puts its focus on people and habitat and shares this with her audience.

Symultaneous, the sculpture Jiwa was shown at Theatre a/h Vrijthof, and the video installation ‘Ub-O’, shown at Bonnefanten Museum Maastricht.