Hans Ras - Enthusiastic Teacher, Gripping and Graphic Lecturer

Enthusiastic Teacher, Gripping and Graphic Lecturer

In addition, Ras was an enthusiastic teacher, whose lectures were absorbing and graphic – a real performer. This doubtless had something to do with the fact that, as opposed to most of his colleagues, he took a strong interest in folk theatre and popular culture – in what one might call, in the Latin meaning of the word – the vulgar aspects of Javanese culture.

Although he was a scholar of the old stamp and kept his students at a certain distance, he did try to get them actively involved with the subject. This he did by organizing a lecture in the form of a seminar with papers and talks by and discussion among the participants – quite an unusual approach in the department at the time – and by occasionally organizing lectures for students at his home.

He was able to inspire others with his own love for the culture and people of Java, in an academic as well as other respects. He took a deep interest in others who were interested in Indonesian, and particularly Javanese culture. Such as, for instance, the puppeteer from Haarlem, Rien Baartmans – who died far too young – who performed not only Dutch puppet plays but also Javanese wayang plays and was famous, especially among children, for his wonderful performances of Wayang Kancil stories about the mouse deer. And his good friend Ger van Wengen, who devoted his time as curator at the Leiden ethnological museum to popularizing ethnology, with Ger using data provided by Hans, such as his book De schending van Soebadra (The abduction of Subadra), and Hans learning from Ger.