Jayapura, Jubi – Here is one unpopular fact: the reggae music in Indonesia was first popularized by Papuan musicians. Papuan musician Ian Chris Gebze, frontman and guitarist of Airmood, founded Kasuari Enterprise to perform reggae music every three months dubbed “Reggae Night” at Ancol Beach, Jakarta.
“We were the first to start reggae music, especially on the prestigious stages in the capital of Jakarta in the early 1980s,” Gebze told Jubi in a WhatsApp message on Monday, May 1, 2023.
Gebze specifically said he brought reggae music to Papua in the early 1990s.
Indonesian Reggae musician Tony Waluyo Sukmoasih, popularly known as Tony Q Rastfara, also admitted that reggae music was performed by Papuan bands Abresso and Black Company. Abresso had debuted before the Asian Roots.
At that time, Abresso played reggae, jazz, and blues at Night Club or Café Chicago in Blok M, South Jakarta. Abresso’s vocalist and bassist, the late Akon Bonay, was familiar with reggae and jazz. Akon Bonay and another Papuan reggae figure, Sandy Betay, often duetted in Chicago Pub in South Jakarta at that time.
Similar sentiment was told by Edi Mangun Mardjuki, former vocalist of Emergency, a student band from Bandung in the 1990s, who also performed at Reggae Night in the 1990s to 2000. Also performing during that period were the Delta Lima-Lima led by Paulus Gebze, Abresso with the frontman of Airmood, Rio Grime VG and Asian Roots led by Seno Sugiarto.
“Yes, in the early days we helped to promote reggae music,” Mardjuki wrote in a short message to Jubi on Monday.
Seno Sugiarto founded Abresso in 1985 with Akon Bonay (bass player), Boyke Phu (drummer), Dicky Mamoribo (keyboard), Ian Gebze (guitar), Robby Wambrauw (keyboard), and Sandy Betay (vocals). The word Abresso itself comes from the language of the Atam (Arfak) tribe in Manokwari Regency, which means greeting. The band has a unique feature of reggae pop mixed with beats with Papuan characteristics.
After Abresso, Seno formed the Asian Roots and Black Company groups, which also had reggae nuances in the 1987. At that time, Asian Roots members were Iskandar (Drummer), Morgan Sigarlaki (Guitar), Ade Hamsah (Bass), Robby Maste (Keyboard), Hendro (Trumpet), Ahir (Trombone), and Jimmy Ignatio (Vocal). Their popular album titled Reggae Top Pop in 1990.
Interestingly, Jimmy Ignatio, the vocalist from Jamaica was given the Randongkir clan name so in every gig, he was always called Jimmy Ignatio Randongkir.
To Jubi, Asia Roots’ former manager Seno Sugiarto admitted lately he was hanging out with Ian Gebze and Dicky Mamoribo, talking about reggae music.
“We are currently gathering with the remaining musicians. Some are former Abresso members like Ian Gebze, Dicky Mamoribo, as well as Asian Roots members. We are reuniting and for that we are preparing a new song from Asian Roots,” said Seno.
He hopes that their music is still accepted by reggae music lovers in Indonesia. (*)
