ABSTRACT

C. O’Hara describes do-it-yourself (DIY) punk as an anti-authoritarian philosophy of independence and self-expression, and this corresponds closely with the DIY value of autonomy as understood by the anak DIY in Bandung. The etika DIY of autonomy and community constitutes an emergent value system enacted through the practices and social relations of DIY production. This chapter examines the value politics of anak DIY hardcore in the Indonesian scene, describing their attempts to realize the DIY punk values of autonomy and community through the social organization of DIY production, while critically assessing the political significance of DIY hardcore in the context of the Indonesian scene. While the organizational structure of Indonesian DIY hardcore is quite fluid, for much of the 2000s the DIY community in Bandung was based around BalKot, named after its regular meeting place on a flight of steps in front of Bandung’s City Hall.