Born in 1932 during the final decade of Dutch colonial rule in Indonesia, Sudirman Pratama dedicated his life to mastering the art of single string atonal rubber band music.

Celebrated by fewer than half of the inhabitants of his native village of Watanlamuru (population 32), as well as three strangers he met in 1972 during a drinking bout, Pratama never sought the spotlight or the big stage.

The highpoint of his rubber band career came in 1986 when he performed the song "Pulseh Wavevati" at a local wedding.

With his passing, we lose not just a gifted musician, but also a friend and one of the last masters of his art.

 

As with all geniuses, in a few years we will realize the extent of his influence on the world of music—particularly on sugarcane culture.