I Wayan Apridian Susila, known by his nickname Dian, was
born in 1980 into a religious family, his father being a village
priest (pemangku). He spent most of his childhood with his
grandparents in Kuta. He remembers going out fishing with
his grandfather and seeing his mother, who was a popular dancer
at the time, in village dance shows. Dian finished high school
in Denpasar and moved to Surabaya when he was 18 to attend
the University 17 Agustus 1945 where he studied computer science.
Dian’s present job is with the technical support team
at Channel 11, an internet services provider.
What was Kuta like when you were growing up?
Kuta still had traditions and customs that you don’t
see anymore. We used to be able to see performances of the
Kecak and religious dances such as Barong in the open air.
At the time backpackers were easier to find and there were
cockfights held in Kuta’s back lanes. At that time in
the 1980s I helped my grandmother who had an art shop in the
Kuta Art Market, close to Kuta Square. I sold T-shirts and
beach pants to the tourists after I got out of school and
used the money I earned to pay for my school fees.
Who was the first tourist you ever met and when?
When I was five years old I remember meeting a Dutch couple
who took a dance course with my mother. In those days tourists
came here more to experience Balinese art and culture and
to buy handicrafts. Now many of these “tourists”
are coming here to live and to work and are even starting
to take jobs away from locals. They also own businesses in
many of the retail sectors like selling sculptures, antique
furniture and traditional souvenirs, businesses that used
to provide incomes for the local people.
How did you first get interested in computers and IT?
When I was a kid, I was crazy about computer games. Playing
these games made me excited to learn more about what else
computers could do.
Do you have your own business?
Besides my job at Channel 11, I’m also involved in Portal
Kuta, a non-profit organization which educates and encourages
networking among Kuta and Bali residents. We provide free
internet services at a few hotspots in the Kuta area like
Tiara Kuta Galeri, Planet Hollywood and Bali Bale Seminyak,
as well as offer free computer training for Kuta residents
and government organizations. LPM (Lembaga Pemberdayaan Masyarakat),
a local organization empowered to help Kuta residents, pays
for these services. I feel we must all learn to live with
the rapid development of new technology, media and communications
so we can build better lives for ourselves and provide us
with useful sources of information.
What is important about your work at Kuta Portal?
Kuta Portal is where I and other activists work together to
make Kuta a better place to live and work. I personally contribute
in different types of community activities such as training
people to use computers, holding workshops on using the internet
as well as getting involved in religious activities.
How has your work at Kuta Portal actually helped people?
Kuta Portal provides information readily such as schedules
of events, classes offering free computer training, and information
about job vacancies. Through our website, we also are able
to promote Kuta Beach and our island to the world in a fast,
cheap, and efficient way. We used to communicate with our
customers abroad by making difficult and expensive international
telephone calls, faxing or by sending hard copy samples.
Who takes advantage of Kuta Portal?
While we are promoting ourselves and communicating with others
outside our country, we also can follow what is happening
around the world. The site is a forum in which the Kuta community
– individuals, groups, private and government businesses
and organizations can speak their minds and opinions about
village policies and practices. However, the portal is not
just for local people. Anyone, including tourists and people
who live outside Indonesia, are invited to join in. The one
requirement is that all topics must be related to the Kuta
area or Bali in some way. We accept input in English and in
any other language which we then try our best to translate.
What are your future plans?
In only a relatively short time, development in the Kuta area
has exploded. My dream is to be able to contribute my knowledge
and skills so that the people of Kuta will be able to help
themselves. I would like to see Kuta residents become more
involved in controlling the growth of their own community
so that the benefits go to them and not to people outside
Bali. It’s my belief that if Kuta residents master information
technologies, they will be better able to control their own
destinies.
Where can we learn more about your work?
People can read about my work at the Indonesian-language Kuta
Portal (www.kuta.or.id) and Channel 11 (www.channel-11.net)
websites, or email me directly at dian@cakralintas.net.id
For anyone interested in being considered for Siapa, please
contact : <pakbill2003@yahoo.com>
Copyright@2006 Al Hickey
You can read all past articles of Siapa
at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz
