Post Covid19, Australians have started travelling again. Some of our Irish speakers and learners have appreciated the opportunity to stock up on new Irish language books in Dublin, attend daonscoileanna in Donegal and Waterford, and even to write as Gaeilge. Andrew Hogg provides this account of his recent travels in Bali looking for gamelan music, and an unexpected invitation to a wedding feast (English translation follows).
Bainis i Bali
Nuair a bhí mé ar saoire i Bali d’fhiafraigh mé den óstán an raibh aon cheol gamelan sa cheantar. Dúirt siad “níl” ach ina dhiaidh sin tháinig duine éigin go dtí mo sheomra dúirt sé liom go raibh ceolchoirm áit éigin amuigh sa tír. Mar sin, chuaigh mé ar mo ghluaisrothar trasna na bpáirceanna ríse go teach, áit ina raibh slua daoine ag seasamh amuigh.
Bainis a bhí ann, i ndáiríre, agus ní ceolchoirm a bhí ann.
Tugadh cuireadh isteach dom agus tairgeadh bia. Níl siad saibhir ach is daoine an-fhlaithiúla iad.
Tar éis an bhéile bhí ceol agus damhsa ann. Thug damhsóir na háite léiriú agus cuireadh dom damhsa léi. Náire ar an eachtrannach! Nios deanai bhuail me leis an lánúin nuaphósta.
Gamelan jegog an t-ainm a bhí ar an gceol agus rinneadh na huirlisí móra go léir déanta as bambú. Lig siad dom triail a bhaint as an ionstraim. Fuair siad go léir m’iarrachtaí an-ghreannmhar!
Ar ndóigh ba í an bhainis seo buaicphointe mo thurais.
A Wedding in Bali
When I was on holiday in Bali I asked at the hotel if there was any gamelan music in the area. They said no but later someone came to my room and said that there was a concert somewhere out in the country. So I went on my motor-bike through the rice-fields to a house where there was a crowd of people standing outside.
In fact it was a wedding and not a concert.
I was invited in and offered something to eat. They are not a rich people but they are very generous.
After the meal there was music and dancing. A local dancer gave a performance and I was invited to dance with her. Embarrass the foreigner! Afterwards I met the bride and groom.
The music was called gamelan jegog (jegog = bass) and it was performed on large instruments all made from bamboo. They let me try an instrument and all found my efforts very amusing!
This wedding was of course the highlight of my trip.
Is múinteoir Gearmáinise agus Fraincise mé atá ar scor agus tá mé i mo chónaí in Adelaide le dhá bhliain. Chuir mé suim i bhfoghlaim na Gaeilge tar éis saoire a chaitheamh sa teachín inar phleanáil an tAthair Ó Murchú agus muintir na háite Éirí Amach Loch Garman i 1798. Is féidir liom a rá, gan amhras, gurb í an teanga is deacra agus is sleamhain dá bhfaca mé riamh ach go sona is dóigh liom go bhfuil mé gafa ag a draíocht!
I am a retired teacher of German and French and have been living in Adelaide for two years. I became interested in Irish after spending a holiday living in the house where Father Murphy and the local people planned the 1798 rebellion in Wexford. I can say without doubt that it is the most difficult and slipperiest language I have ever encountered but happily I think I have been captured by its magic!
Andrew Hogg
Tinteán 