Who Is Your Bet ? by A.Anzieb

The hysteria of World Cup 'Football Mania'

On 15 May 2010, a voting in a meeting of FIFA Executive Committe in Zurich, Swiss, has select and assign South Africa as the host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. FIFA's decisionto appoint South Africa as host of the biggest football party in the world is considered strange by many people, becouse the country with a population of 44 million people is not a football mania. South Africans prefer to play rugby and cricket than football. However, South African president Thabo Mbeki who was then inevitably have to convince others than South Africa capable in organizing this big party. One of his convincing efforts was delivered in an event "Africa Calling" which was also attended by the General Secretary of the United Nations and the president of FIFA Sepp Blatter. In his statement Mr. Mbeki declared: "Football is hope, hope for the world and a better future. We come from a place who believes that football not just a game, but also desire to live, Africa is ready, the time has come, Africa, Africa calling. Come to Africa in 2010".

The four-yearly sports party that undoubted by many people and long-awaited by millions of people around the world has come. As the host, South Africa published its offical slogan "Ke Nako-Celebrate Africa's Humanity". And, South Africa also use their istorical background mascot, named Zakumi, the leopard who born on June 16, 1994 the year when South African citizens are freed from all races, both white and black, cast their ballots for the first time in democratic elections on the Post-Apartheid govermance. So, Zakumi is an ambassador of all hopes, dreams, and even all aspirations of the South Africans citizens. Zakumi with its green dreadlocks, has a wide smile, full of spirit, vitality, love to socialize, confident, ambitious, and definitely loves football.

Now the 2010 World Cup has held and officially opened. The current President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma obtained an honor to open the World Cup which carried out on June 11 to July 11, 2010, In his speech, Mr. Zuma as South African President said "The time for Africa has came, I am proud and honored to open this World Cup". With full of splendor this opening ceremony livened by a kind of dance while waving a colorful batik cloth, accompanied by the beating of the drums, African songs, and an attraction of giant beetle who leads the World Cup ball in the middle of the field or called Jabulani was immediately greeted by tens thouisands hysterical spectators who crowded the Soccer City Stadium.

Football, the sport that has found its fame across the world in different classes of society, race, religion, gender, and so forth. All the people of the various classes those are already familiar with the football. Starting from children, old / young, poor / rich, male or female, no one never knew about this sport. Certainly, football is no longer just a game that risked winning and losing, or for its supporter not merely an entertaining show, but has become a lifestyle of various classes of the world community. From the League competitions in eachh country, inter-Club / Copa on every continent (Copa Cup Europe, Asia, Africa, America), between countries in each continent (the European Cup, Asian, Africa, America). Especially the World Cup, if we do not follow the football competition involving all countries in the world, we would probably be identified as being "uncultured", rube, outdated, and many others. The reason is, football has become the machines of mass culture. Besides football has become a part of the political and economic power, and even become a globalization tool of capitalism culture values.

This is an acknowledgement of the idea of the exhibition entitled "Corner Kick" of ten artists: I Made Wiradana, I Made Arya Dwita (Dedok), I Wayan Danu, Ngurah Paramartha, Wayan Sadu, I Made Susila (Kaek), I Made Bakti Wiyasa, Teja Astawa, I Gede Surya Darma, amd Pande Nyoman Alit Wijaya Suta in Tanah Tho Gallery, Pengosekan, Ubud Bali on World Cup "fever". Those artists mentioned above try to represent the momentum of the World Cup which currently going on even if only from a "corner kick". From a corner kick then could turn out into a goal. A beautiful and meaningful goal. Yes, some of their works are carefully highlights the cultural context surroundings the community who celebrate it. Celebrating the football culture. And of course, there will be a lot of meaning that can be seen in their works as the mysteries and tragedies occured in the middle of the field during the two x 45 mimutes.

World Cup Football has extraordinary powers, such as expressed by I Made Wiradana. He noted that the World Cup is filled with meaning and mystery that makes people forget many things just for the sake of football. That is indeed that somebody can predict a football game, based on materials owned by each team; the players, game strategies, individual skills, coaches, history, achievements, and so forth, but people cannot figure out the surprises and tragedies occured during a macth. Who ever thought that Diego Maradona put the ball into England goalkeeper using his hands?

The world still hard to forget the tragedy of Football World Cup on 1986, the Maradona's right hand goal in quarter-final match against England at the Asteca Stadium, Mexico. Apparently referee had other decisions, a ball from Jorge Valdano was greeted with Maradona's hand and bounched into the England goal keeper Peter Shilton, which was declared as the winning goal for Argentina. A similar incident occured in the World Cup qualification 2010 a few months ago, when France faced Ireland. When captain Thierry Henry controls the ball with his hands, than the ball is fed to the William Gallas, and Gallas easily put the ball into the goal of Ireland. This goal was the one which afterwards pass French to South Africa. In fact, the mystery of surprises like that just happened in the opening match of World Cup 2010, when the host, South Africa faced Mexico. A right corner kick led to foot Carlos Vela and the ball shut directly into the goal of South Africa. It seems that the referee assumed it as an offside after a judge lifted a flag as a sign. Yet there is one South African player, Steven Pienaar who stands up right on the goal line, and line judges seemed not to notice it. Who will we protest?

Yes, welcome to the South Africa World Cup!

Millions of people around the world have been crowded into stadiums in South Africa where the game played to give support to their favorite team. Millions of people around the world also watch it live through the television screen. According to Teja Astawa, this event is an event which is deliberately awaited by people. Millions people affected by its fever as if dazzled by such a clamorous atmosphere. Why did it happen? I Made Bakti Wiyasa already interpret that football just like a religion. In the modern life, presumably the World Cup has been competences that utilize as self-actualization and the nations in the world - football as a "lifestyle". That is the important representation which can be seen from the works of I Made Wiyasa Bakti.

"Who is your bet?, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Argentina, or...? For those whose country is participating in this World Cup is almost certainly did not feel the need the above to question. Automatically they will support their country team. In contrast with us, becouse Indonesia is not one of the 32 teams that are fighting for a victory in South Africa. Nevertheless, it seems we still connot be avoided by the above questions because there is such "necessity" to defend one of the competing team. Whether asked by others or ask those who fond of football too or those who does not car, but, we must have a champion, defend, support, and shouted for them to become champions. "Because we bet for different teams, you are my opponent." "I bet for the team which flag shown on my BlackBerry status". "This team is my bet because they had a history in World Cup, achievements, skilled players and a good game," that are some short chat with students who defend his'her favorite team. A support can be determined by the shinning of the players, their skill or even their appearances.

Yes, here we have become the subject of the "Football World Cup." They and us become a target who identifying themselves into "teams" as I identify my self into the Brazil that always presents a wonderful game. Therefore, in certain intensity we are willing to stay up until morning to see our loved team to shoot the ball into the opposing goal. Follows the rituals that are presented, watch it with family at home, at the post watchmen, with our lover at the cafe, hotel or at the mall. Mingling in the cheering, celebrating the victory, disappointed in the defeat, dissolve in bliss, until swayed by resentment. We can see that things in the work of I Wayan Danu, which states that, win or lose as a major gamble on football. If a team wins the game, of course no new problems that arise but happiness itself. On the contrary for the losers, a result that emerged from that situation that is specifically expressed in the work of Wayan Danu.

Made Arya Dwita (Dedok) and Ngurah Paramartha have another way to examine this World Cup event.. Dedok using metaphor of Barong which has the shape of pig (Barong Bangkal) and tiger (Tiger Barong) to describe the spirit of togetherness that needs to be inculcated from ourself in playing ball. Away from violence or anarchism which shown by the football supporters in our country. The football game should not in violence behavior, but vice versa, in love, peace, and tenderness. That way was the Ngurah metamorphose it on the female figures to interpret the game of football in his works. Gentle, loving and of course with high sportmanship.

The din of people towards "the rounded ball" of World Cup is truly extraordinary. We can see that entire din in the works od Wayan Sadu, I Made Kaek, I Gede Surya Darma, and Pande Nyoman Alit Wijayasuta. Perhaps we had never realized that we had become and being hysteria. There are intention that formed into Hysteria upon the World Cup, because there is a certain consciousness that stir it; organization, management, ideology, collective identity, political and economic power. In this filed, the media such as newspapers, radio, internet and television are most responsible for forming people into hysteria. We are disturbed emotionally, our minds focused, we are seduced by curiosity, provoked, and provoked to such a way, even from far-away days we are always bothered to concentrate on it. By means of media, what is happening in other continent can be seen in other parts of the continent at the same time. By the acceleration of communications and such information is very helpful for the process of globalization of mass culture in international consumenrism. Through the representation of sign, here the position of media shall be assumed as the "master" to anyone. All aspects concerning about football or related to the World Cup, the teams and stars from other countries in the world are presented dramatically and blindly to head us all. There is no doubt if media, such as television that compete each other to acquire the offcial broadcast rights even have to pay expensive beacuse of the high economc value. Yet by acquiring the broadcast rights, television stations that broadcast the live broadcast has been ascertained packaging can accumulate economic benefits from the acquisition doubled ads that fill these impressions. In addition, the television station could still pack a 'nonton bareng' which is managed in collaboration with a variety of venues (cafes, restaurants, malls) have reached out over 2000 venue members.

Yes, that's the "Fascination of World Cup ".... !!!!
We're just a "corner kick" which tries scored from narrow angle. Trying to take part in a football party and hysteria in Africa.

Yogyakarta, June 15, 2010