I wanted to tell him:
“Pak Made, nanti kalau saya sudah punya banyak uang…buatin saya taman ya..?”
“Pak Made, one day when I have lots of money..could you please design a garden for me?”
I decided to postpone it..since I thought it is not appropriate, not polite or so. But then suddenly yesterday I saw his newsfeed full of people sending condolence messages. I was sooo sad.. 😥 In fact, I am so very sad now.
I admire him for his love to the island. How pure he was. Ah..can’t just describe it simply by words here. He is loved by so many. Not only Balinese, but the expats as well. He brought Bali wherever he went. He is a true Balinese lover. He brought home old documentations about Bali..that other Balinese did not pay attention on it. He made videos, books about the culture in order to preserve it and to pass it to the next generation. He spoke high level Balinese language very well, he knew how to dress like a Bali man, he knew how to tight Udeng..and..he always had time to document ceremonies in Bali even he was so busy. He maintained a website about Bali, life, culture whatever..for more than 20 years now.
My dream house since I was a child is I want to have beautiful gardens..with lots of flowers on the way to the house. And..I would like to have pets as well, like birds and dogs, Bali dogs. Not the grand house.. simple, yet..lovely. I sold flowers in the market that time..and I used to go to the house of the flower farmer and her house were full of flowers.
When I searched for Bali garden, I found him. Pak Made Wijaya, an Australian who then converted to Balinese and lived in Bali for more than 40 years. He designed beautiful Bali gardens..that fits my dream. But he passed away too soon…before I have better words to tell and before I have a chance to tell it to him 😦
Hopefully I can make one similar like this, the one that he owned in Ubud.
Another farewell for you “Suksma dan selamat jalan Pak Made, dumogi amor ring acintya..”
Tyang Luhtu 