AUSTRALIAN INDONESIAN ASSOCIATION NEWS - April 2021, ISN 2206-1037
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AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ASSOCIATION VICTORIA 2021-#03 APRIL
AUSTRALIAN
INDONESIAN
ASSOCIATION NEWS
April 2021, ISN 2206-1037
The Nusa Tenggara Association
• Nusa Tenggara Association
• From the Committee
• Poetry by Seno Gumira AIA Victoria supports critical teacher
Ajidarma training in West Timor, implemented by
• Stories by Justin Wejak, and NTA
Jenny Debney Joyce
• Goddess Kitchen – Part II The Nusa Tenggara Association (NTA) is an Australian
• Column by Dewi Anggraeni aid organization which has been working in the poor
• Crossword farming communities of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT)
Province of eastern Indonesia for over 30 years. NTT is
one of the poorest areas in Indonesia and the world and
is located right on Australia’s doorstep. Food
production and access to clean water is hampered by the
7 to 8month dry season each year. There are very high
rates of malnutrition, child mortality, diarrhea and other
illnesses.
NTA is focused on helping those in greatest need and
through strong volunteer support is able to keep its
administration costs to a bare minimum. This means
that most of the funds including the full donation
amounts from AIA are forwarded direct to our activities
in Indonesia.
[continued page 3]
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AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ASSOCIATION VICTORIA 2021-#03 APRIL
AIAV The AIAV Newsletter invites contributions on all
Australian Indonesian Association of aspects of Indonesia-Australia relations.
Victoria Contributions are encouraged from AIAV members.
“To foster and promote friendship,
understanding and good relations We would be thrilled to receive AIAV members’
between the peoples of Indonesia
perspectives on subjects relevant to Indonesian
and Australia.”
PO Box 527, Carlton South VIC culture, the Australia-Indonesia relationship and
3053 members’ interesting experiences in Indonesia.
Ideally, we would like to include a member
Patron contribution in every edition. If you would like to
The Consul-General of the Republic of contribute an article about these themes, please do
Indonesia
not hesitate to contact members of the
President Editorial Committee
Nani Pollard
president@aiav.org.au
Dr John L McBride j.mcbride@internode.on.net
Carly Norman carlynorman97@gmail.com
Vice President Edan Runge erunge98@gmail.com
Bea Awiati
Lucky Kalonta kalonta@hotmail.com
Vice President
Ken Da Costa
Secretary
Nina Michaelides
secretary@aiav.org.au
Treasurer
Siska Wijayanti
treasurer@aiav.org.au
Newsletter language consultant
Justin Wejak
Social Events
Nina Lohanatha, Yahya Zakaria
social@aiav.org.au
IndoAUSTAY
Nusy Magdalena, managing director AIAV is excited to offer a revised edition of our very
0403 358 195 nusy.magdalena@gmail.com
popular Indonesian cookbook, written by Ailsa
Russell Ogden, Northbound coordinator Zainu’ddin and first published in 1965! It contains more
0427 349 323 than 140 recipes including classics such as gado-gado,
northbound@dcsi.net.au
rendang and nasi goreng, plus lots more for those
Sisca Wijayanti, Southbound coordinator, wanting to explore Indonesian cuisine. Only $20 plus
0420 825 527 postage, it’s available through our online store at:
sisca.wijayanti@gmail.com
www.aiav.org.au/Shop
Nina Lohanatha, Secretary
0432 072 805
Nina.lohanatha@gmail.com
Selamat Bergabung
Statements made or opinions expressed in To our newest members. Welcome to AIAV
the AIAV News do not necessarily reflect
the views of the Australian
Richard Harding Kelly Davies
Indonesian Association of Victoria, its Jasmin Pilbrow Jeff Sutherland
committee or sub-committees.
Eloise Welsh
2
AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ASSOCIATION VICTORIA 2021-#03 APRIL
The Nusa Tenggara effective educators including learning about the
Association (continued from curriculum and some basic teaching skills.
• provide library training in Flores as part of efforts to
page 1)
promote reading and learning through providing books
The NTA, through its peak partner
and promoting sound library management and reading
NTA Indonesia, currently employs
services.
12 extension officers and 3 technical
specialists in Indonesia. We work
closely with the communities, using
a self-help approach where
beneficiaries are expected to provide
a high level of participation during
planning, implementation and
evaluation of all activities. This Left: Teacher Training in Kupang, 18-20 March 2021
creates a high level of ownership and Right: Classroom in the SMPN V Kupang Barat, in
contributes to sustainable impact of Sumlilli Village West Timor
NTAs projects.
Other activities within NTAs education Program
NTA is proud to be accredited by the Education is a cornerstone effort for helping to lift
Department of Foreign Affairs and people from the poverty cycle. But the rural schools of
Trade, and to be a member of the the NTT have difficulty attracting good teachers and
Australian Council for International adequate funding. Many schools have earth floors,
Development. To maintain this status thatched walls and rooves, no or inadequate toilets, little
NTA must consistently demonstrate furniture, no or very small libraries.
that it meets Australian expectations NTA helps to develop the standards in schools and aims
including for financial management, to get them to a standard where they are better able to
fraud control and protection of apply for increased government funding. NTA provides
vulnerable people. For more detailed training for the “Guru Honor” or unqualified teachers.
information including our Annual This training provides basic skills and starts them on the
reports newsletters and policies, path for seeking formal training and qualification.
please visit our website: Training is provided to librarians to improve
www.nta.org.au management and to promote a culture of valuing and
using books. NTA also provides water tanks, toilets,
AIA Victoria members have hygiene training, library books, shelving, fencing, desks
supported NTAs Education program and chairs. NTAs is very careful assessing the local
for quite some time. Five years ago governments activities and obligations, in order to avoid
Steve and Sue Dobney joined the overlapping but fill the open gaps.
NTA on a field visit to evaluate our
operations. Ever since AIAV has Water and Sanitation:
provided invaluable annual Access to clean water is a major challenge in Eastern
donations focused on improving Indonesia, with annual dry season of up to 8 months.
education. Water often has to be carted every day for several
kilometers taking up valuable time and meaning
AIAV donated $2500 to the NTA for families use as little as possible for washing. The time
2020-21. These funds were used to: and effort carting water can then be spent attending
• co fund with AIA ACT teacher school or in income production. Some also use this
training in West Timor. Guru honor reliable water to grow their own seedlings or produce
(recruited from local communities vegetables.
with no qualifications) make up
some 55% of the teaching staff and NTA has now provided support to families for over 1500
need all the help they can get to be water tanks. Most are 15000 litre ferro-cement tanks which
fill from the roof. NTA has also supported the construction
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AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ASSOCIATION VICTORIA 2021-#03 APRIL
of 3000 toilet/wash facilities. These their crops from roaming cattle, pigs and goats. Selected
directly and significantly improve health small farmers are trained in best practice agricultural
within the communities. techniques who help spread these skills into their local
communities. These farmers are provided with ongoing
guidance and support in implementing best practices in the
manner that suits their local environment and community
needs. This helps to ensure the longer-term sustainability of
projects.
Ikat Weaving
Traditional ikat weaving is still practiced by many
women in Flores. NTA is working with women’s
groups to improve income from this activity through
training to provide higher quality and and more
diversified product and improved marketing.
Groups are provided with thread, dye, particularly the
use of natural dyes, community sewing machines and a
range of training. Based on early success NTA is now
expanding this
program.
Students in front of the new Water Tank Members of the
at the primary school SDI Moko in Weaving Group
Hoder Village, Flores
Bida Mitan
working on a
Income generation and Food piece of “ikat in
security:
Flores
Improved agriculture is the flagship
activity for NTA. NTA uses its
extension officers and other support to
increase farmers income and food
security through advanced agriculture NTAs response to Covid-19
practice. NTA helps farmers improve NTA responded quickly to restrict travel and movement.
the qualities and yields of crops such as Information was disseminated through social media such as
maize, cocoa and cashew nut through Whatsapp. Large educational Banners and Posters along with
training, extension and supply of soap and handwash stations were placed in strategic
modern inputs. NTA provides cattle, locations (e.g. cross roads, markets, village-head-office,
pigs and goats for breeding and churches). Schools were provided with soap, handwashing
fattening, combined with essential stations and hygiene posters. Two schools had no water
storage and were provided with water tanks.
Technical Advisor in Flores provides
training for Cashew Nut farmers
training in livestock health. It finances
the supply of water-pumps for irrigation
and supports building irrigation tanks. It
provides barbed wire for fencing, so that Article by Stephanie Heighes
vegetable and crop farmers can protect Operations Manager, NTA
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AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ASSOCIATION VICTORIA 2021-#03 APRIL
From the Committee
Salam kompak
Kebudayaan
Negara
The teaching of Indonesian language
term 1 finished on the 1st April 2021,
Indonesia
and the students are very keen to go
back for term 2. We have celebrated Memories of Travel to Bali
Easter and the 13th April is the first day – the daily offerings (banten)
of Ramadan, “Selamat menunaikan Travellers to Bali will see the ever-present Hindu offering, the
ibadah puasa dalam bulan Ramadan”. Canang. Outside every shop, outside every warung, before the
small temple in the corner of the hotel reception room, along the
Stephanie Heighes, the Operation street, is the ever-present offering (banten) the canang. It
Manager of NTA (Nusa Tenggara consists of a small frame or basket of leaves from either the
Association), came to Melbourne on the coconut palm or the lontar palm, filled with a slice of banana or
way back to Sydney. I met her and she sugar cane and flowers of various colours, and topped by
handed the NTA Annual Report shredded pandanas leaves.
2019/2020. We discussed the Education
program run by NTA, which is
supported by AIAV.
This current edition of the Newsletter
includes a cover article on the important
capacity-building work carried out by
NTA in the farming communities of
Nusa Tenggara.
Nina Lohanata and Pak Petrus from
RADIO KITA proposed that AIAV
could host the broadcasting every Friday
the 5th week of the month. Pojok Berita
It is our deepest sadness that many • The international magazine Balungan Gamelan has
locations in Nusa Tenggara Timur have devoted an entire issue to gamelan and related
been impacted by Cyclone Seroja: performing arts and the impact of COVID on groups
Flores, Adonara and Lembata. AIAV inside and outside of Indonesia (including those from
has donated $1000 to “Indonesian Australia). It is freely available online at
Diaspora Network Victoria” who foster http://www.gamelan.org/balungan/balungan14/balungan
Desa Nelelamadike in Ile Boleng 14covid.pdf
District, East Flores. We have also • Pak Anton Amin, well known to AIAV members and
donated $1000 to “Solidaritas Korban Newsletter readers has published an e-book on his
Banjir Siklon Dan Banjir Bandang, perspectives on life and on world events from the
Kabupaten Lembata” in Lembata. viewpoint of a member of the Indonesia Diaspora. The
e-book titled “Catatan Perjalanan Diaspora
Last but not least congratulations to Indonesia” can be downloaded at
Peter Dart on becoming a new member www.quickstart.co.id/books
of our committee. • We are saddened by the news of the high death toll due
to flooding fron tropical cyclone rainfall in East Nusa
Salam Kompak Tenggara and neighbouring East Timor. At the time of
Nani Pollard. writing there are reports of 150 deaths. A report on the
flooding can be found at
http://floodlist.com/asia/floods-landslides-
indonesia-easttimor-april-2021
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AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ASSOCIATION VICTORIA 2021-#03 APRIL
HORISON: MAJALAH SASTRA (Tahun XXXII, No
POJOK 7/1997 : Juli 1997
BAHASA
SENO GUMIRA
AJIDARMA
We are fortunate to be able to publish
another poem by Seno Gumira
Ajidarma, one of Indonesia’s most
prominent authors of short stories,
novels and poetry.
HAMBURGER 2
Sebetulnya mulutmu tak cukup Translation
untuk hamburger itu, tapi kau HAMBURGER II
memaksanya. Kau lupa,
hamburger itu lebih besar dari Actually, your mouth is not big enough for that
tempe, lebih besar dari tahu, dan hamburger. But you forced it in. You forgot
lebih besar pula dari wingko babat the hamburger is bigger than tempe and bigger than
stasiun tawang semarang. tofu. And of course, it is bigger than the wingko babat
Sebetulnya mulutmu tidak cukup from the Tawang Train Station in Semarang. Actually,
untuk hamburger itu, kau sudah your mouth is not big enough for the hamburger even
menganga selebar-lebarnya though you’ve already opened your mouth. But
mendorong masuk sekeras- whatever, your mouth is Indonesian, but you just keep
kerasnya tapi apa daya mulutmu on trying, even calling a bulldozer, but, in fact
cuma mulut Indonesia namun kau hamburger is bigger than the American continent. Your
tetap saja memaksa sampai mouth is not big enough, so, why do you keep on trying
memanggil bulldozer segala, padahal to force it in? You’ve eaten a chunk of tempe; you’ve
hamburger itu lebih besar dari benua eaten a bucketload of pearls; you’ve swallowed hectres
Amerika. Sebetulnya mulutmu tidak of rice fields and the land has swallowed up
cukup untuk hamburger itu, tapi neighborhoods which swallowed supermarkets which
mengapa kau tetap saja have swallowed buildings which have swallowed toll
memaksanya? Kau telah menelan roads which have swallowed mountains which have
sepotong tempe, telah menelan swallowed islands which have swallowed the sky and
sebakul intan, telah menelan sea and burnt down forests. Actually, truly, your
berhektar-hektar sawah dan tanah mouth, truly, is not big enough for that hamburger.
telah menelan perkampungan telah It’s not big enough for the hamburger ……….
menelan supermarket telah menelan
gedung-gedung telah menelan jalan Translated by: Andy Fuller
tol telah menelan gunung telah
menelan pulau telah menelan langit
laut dan hutan-hutan yang terbakar. Previous AIAV
Sebetulnya sungguh mati, mulutmu
tidak cukup untuk hamburger itu, Newsletters
tidak cukup untuk hamburger Reminder – These are available to
itu…….. members after logging in to the
AIAV website.
Located under the menu tab
Resources and Shop
6
AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ASSOCIATION VICTORIA 2021-#03 APRIL
mencari kawan-kawan parasutisnya. Matias tak bisa berbahasa
Kebudayaan Indonesia, dan parasutis pun tak bisa berbahasa daerah Matias.
Maka komunikasi di antara keduanya terjalin menggunakan
Negara bahasa isyarat. Matias pun segera diobati alakadarnya oleh
parasutis, dan seketika pula ia sembuh dari sakitnya. Dipandu
Matias yang paham medan, keduanya bergegas keluar
Indonesia meninggalkan hutan rimba yang berbahaya.
KI POEDIJONO Matias kemudian diajak ke Jakarta oleh parasutis. Di Jakarta
Matias mengalami banyak hal serba baru; ia terkesima dengan
Intisari Cerpen Matias lampu-lampu kota dan gedung-gedung besar nan modern. Tak
seperti di Papua dengan banyak hutan rimbanya. Tampilan fisik
Akankari orang-orang yang dijumpainya di ibu kota Jakarta pun berbeda.
Justin L Wejak Jenis hiburan, kendaraan, lalulintas, semuanya membuat si anak
kampung Papua itu terbelalak mata. Ia heran dan kagum.
Puluhan tahun silam seorang sastrawan Namun di balik itu ia justru mengalami kejutan budaya yang
asal Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) mendalam, culture shock. Matias yang tak pernah tersesat di
menerbitkan sebuah cerpen berjudul, dalam hutan rimba Papua, kini tersesat di kota metropolitan
Matias Akankari. Nama sastrawan itu Jakarta ketika sengaja ditinggal-pergi oleh si parasutis saat
Gerson Poyk. Ia lahir pada 16 Juni 1931 menonton film di sebuah bioskop. Ia tak tahu jalan pulang ke
di Namodele, Rote. Sang sastrawan yang rumah tuannya, si parasutis.
dikenal produktif semasa hidupnya
meninggal dunia di Depok pada 24 Usai ditinggalkan, Matias benar-benar memulai
Februari 2017. Menurut Yohanes Sehandi pertualangannya seorang diri. Parasutis, penjamin rasa aman
(2018), Gerson Poyk dikenang sebagai dan nyamannya, telah pergi meninggalkannya. Ia tak tahu ke
perintis sastra NTT. Ia orang pertama asal mana dan bagaimana harus mencarinya. Ia tak bisa berbahasa
NTT yang menulis dan mempublikasikan Indonesia. Lebih dari itu, ia buta huruf. Kebutaannya
karya-karya fiksinya secara nasional membuatnya tersesat. Ia berjalan kaki berjam-jam mencoba
dalam bahasa Indonesia sejak 1955. mencari parasutis, satu-satunya sandaran hidupnya di Jakarta.
Dalam perjalanan berkeliling kota tanpa tahu medan ia
Matias Akankari, cerpen terbitan Balai berpapasan dengan banyak orang berbeda termasuk seorang
Pustaka tahun 1972, adalah salah satu dari wanita yang diduga kupu-kupu malam, seorang pemuda
karya-karya Gerson Poyk yang sudah penganggur lulusan perguruan tinggi, dan seorang ibu yang
diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa-bahasa bersalin di atas rerumputan.
asing khususnya Bahasa Rusia. Cerpen itu
merupakan cerita pendek pertama Perjumpaan tak terlupakan yang membuat si anak kampung
mengenai Papua, wilayah budaya Matias sekejap tersohor di ibu kota adalah ketika tanpa sengaja
Melanesia dengan aneka bahasa daerah. ia memasuki ruang remang di sebuah gedung besar bertingkat.
Menurut Badan Bahasa (2018), Di ruang ber-AC dengan lampu sorot kelap kelip itu terdapat
masyarakat Papua memiliki 384 bahasa panggung dipenuhi perempuan-perempuan penari setengah
daerah, atau 57 persen dari 668 bahasa bugil. Tanpa berpikir panjang Matias pun melompat ke atas
daerah di seluruh Nusantara. Bahkan, panggung dan ikut menari mengenakan koteka. Mungkin
menurut peneliti Balai Bahasa Papua dikiranya para penari itu orang-orang seasalnya karena mereka
Yohanis Sanjoko (2019), jumlah 384 itu cuma memakai cawat.
mungkin masih kurang tergantung pada
metodologi penelitian dan kriteria bahasa Keesokan harinya koran-koran ibu kota menurunkan berita
daerah. Menurut perincian Balai Bahasa tentang Matias yang berkoteka menari di tengah para penari
Papua (2019), di Provinsi Papua tercatat perempuan bercawat. Dari berita-berita media Matias berhasil
ada 294 bahasa daerah, dan 90 bahasa kembali menemui tuannya, si parasutis, yang lama dicarinya.
daerah lain ditemukan di Provinsi Papua Matias lantas menjadi orang beruang, lumayan kaya.
Barat. Berbekalkan uang Matias pulang kampung. Orang-orang
sekampungnya di Papua memang merindukan ceritanya tentang
Cerpen Matias Akankari berkisah tentang Jakarta. Matias pun bercerita pendek: “apa yang dinamakan
seorang pria asli Papua bernama Matias. high class di Jakarta samalah dengan keadaan di Irian Jaya:
Ia ditemukan sedang menderita sakit Sama-sama pakai cawat”. Kutipan kalimat ini menjadi akhir
seorang diri di tengah hutan rimba oleh dari cerpen Matias Akankari. Kesimpulan Matias tentang high
seorang parasutis. Saat itu sang parasutis class dan keadaan di Papua memang terdengar lucu dan seolah
tengah berjalan kaki di hutan belantara iseng. ***
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AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ASSOCIATION VICTORIA 2021-#03 APRIL
charity initiative to support their outreach program.
Bakti Sosial Another plan is to repurpose rice bags. Some of our
beneficiaries are tailors and we give them some work to
Goddess Kitchen in Bali - turn rice bags into shopping bags. This way they get
Part 2 some income and we are keeping the environment free
of plastic. This work is being done continuously, with
Continued from March our tailors doing the work in turn about every fortnight.
Newletter
Joyce Oei is the funder and manager Another income-earning project for our tailors is the
of the Goddess Kitchen in Bali. making of face masks. We received a donation of batik
fabrics and gave some of our tailors the job. Some of
Some of the mothers we help are the masks are donated to people and nearly 100 pieces
cooks or are a cook’s helper. They were sold at a fundraising market day in August.
either have a small eatery (warung)
or take meal orders. On Tuesdays we We also try to support our vegetable farmers.
sponsor one mother to cook 50 Vegetables are included in our weekly care packs and
portions of nasi bungkus (packed what’s a better way to support our farmers than buying
meals of rice, veggies, egg, etc.) and directly from them! When transports allow, we order
distribute these to different our veggies from a village in Baturiti near Bedugul,
communities with families that need about 1.30 hours from us.
a bit of help. We give our mothers
this order in turn every week to keep Our team members did a 2-day training by Yayasan
their small business running. We Emas Hitam Indonesia in Petulu, Ubud on principles of
also order crisps from one woman Permaculture, soil testing and building, compost
weekly to accompany the meals. The making, and growing. We want to create a ripple effect
meals are for everyone that our team of sustainable living practices to as many people
meets who are working on the streets involved in this program, for them to create living
or living in a community. With so environments that are harmonious, sustainable and
many people unemployed they only productive. Our team members are applying their new
eat once or twice a day, knowledge and skills in the retreat facilities, building
so this gives a bit extra. their confidence in working with the nature, and later
pass on their experience to our beneficiaries.
Our aim is to (re)introduce sustainable living concept to
our ladies to be applied in their home and community,
and what’s equally important is also for everyone
involved in the training program to reconnect to the
earth, to learn from the wisdom of the nature, and
regain confidence and develop their full potential.
Sustainable living practices are applied in our work,
where we are always mindful about using
environmentally friendly material and reduce, reuse,
recycle for our packaging. Our team make rice and egg
bags from old newspaper that we buy with low cost,
50 meals and we try to minimize the use of plastic as much as we
can. We have recently banned single-use plastic bags
Recently we have been giving the from our retreat facilities. Outside material help and
meals to our friends from another jobs, we also give our ladies our time and lend our ears
when they need someone to talk to. Through social
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AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ASSOCIATION VICTORIA 2021-#03 APRIL
media and word of mouth, they can Renon, Kesiman Kertalangu, Biaung.
contact us for help. Sometimes they In Gianyar in Desa Bitera, Desa Pacung and Desa
do not know how and where to get Pejeng. In south Kuta: Jimbaran, Tanjung Benoa, Nusa
help but caring people reach out to Dua. We have one community in Kuta and two
us about their neighbors. Our team communities in Tuban with a high population of elderly
members also reach out to their ladies.
neighbors and people they meet that
are seen to need help and offer help, In terms of transport our resources have allowed us to
too. To those who reach out to us via cover these areas. Our team delivers the food packets on
social-media, we collect their the company’s van, sometimes they do that on their
information and pay a visit to have a scooters to the area nearby their houses. We are also
more understanding of what they grateful for our volunteer friends who do not just
need and how we can help them. volunteer but also donate their resources for the
distributions. We will continue to help but we have
long term goals. Now we are on survival mode, but for
the long term our mission is to provide our ladies with
the necessary support and trainings for sustainable
living. This way we can stop the poverty cycle and their
children can hopefully have a better future.
In the new year of 2021 we plan to be more focused on
empowerment programs and upskilling training
programs for our single mothers who are in the working
age group. There is the possibility for a monthly
Support Group Meetings for single mothers who are our
beneficiaries, collaborating with another initiative that
has had the experience of running a similar group and
who are experts in mental health. This will also help us
get more ideas of how to implement empowerment
programs for the women.
Permaculture and Sustainable Living Practices will be
included in our training programs. For example,
Sustainable Menstrual Kits - Set of Prototype 1 has
been tested. A few sets of Prototype 2 with some
Ibu Pineh harvesting our spinach adjustments will be produced by the second week of
order in her farm January for the second test drive. The next stage is
production of 100 sets to be distributed to our sembako
As we focus on specific recipients. This project is initiated by Cat Wheeler.
demographics, our beneficiaries live As for our elderly ladies, on our wish list is to have a
in different areas. At the moment we Retirement Village for the likes of Ibu Pin and Mbah
cover the following areas of: Darmo who have no family members to look after them,
so they will always have a roof above their head and
In south Bali: Kerobokan, Legian, food on the table, and full-time carers and a doctor to
Kuta, Tuban, Canggu, Buduk, check on them regularly.
Pererenan, Dalung.
West Denpasar: Ubung, We have been able to do our work because of the
Mahendradata, Padang Sambian, generous support from our donors. Thank you for your
Pemecutan Kelod and around south compassion and support to the women of Bali who need
Denpasar: Pemogan, Sesetan, Sanur, help.
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AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ASSOCIATION VICTORIA 2021-#03 APRIL
Indonesian background here. They were sitting behind me,
POJOK BAHASA so I couldn’t see them. And I don’t think they were aware I
heard and understood every word they were saying. From
their voices, their language and the expressions they used, I
guessed they were in their mid-thirties.
DEWI One of the women, let’s call her A, were confiding to her
friend, we’ll call her B, that she was cross with her husband,
ANGGRAENI who had promised to pick her up from work so they could
then have dinner out together, but at the last minute he called
her to say that he was unable to do so, because his friend, C,
had called, needing his help.
Woman, know thy place.
‘A colleague offered to drop me off at a station nearer to my
Many years ago, in my late teens, I house, but I declined her offer because I thought I had a date
overheard a conversation between my with my husband. He didn’t tell me what his friend needed
mother and a close friend of hers. This him for, and I didn’t feel like asking then. It wasn’t
friend had a daughter my age. My important. What was important was, why was it so difficult
mother mentioned that she and my to say that he’d already had a date, with his wife no less?’
father were pleased that I had expressed
desire for further studies - serious B said, ‘I know that’s annoying. But what’s the use of being
studies, after graduating from secondary so angry?’
school.
Then A, with a more elevated tone, said, ‘That was not the
‘You mean, go to university?’ the friend first time he did that. I don’t know why I still believed him. I
asked, to which my mother replied, am never important, I am just convenient. I do all the work in
‘Yes. To university.’ the house, as well as working to earn an income. I’ll tell you
an incident, which still riles me now. Last Saturday
After a moment’s silence, the friend said afternoon, I’d just finished cleaning the floor, a friend of his
that she and her husband would not dropped in. Seeing the clean floor, this friend began to take
allow their daughter to go to university. off his shoes. But you know what my husband said? No,
‘Maybe to a secretarial academy,’ she keep your shoes on. His friend protested, saying that they
said. were dirty, and my husband continued to say, laughing, that
he’d easily clean the floor if his friend made a mess. I was so
My mother said, ‘Why?’ Her friend then angry! He had never cleaned the floor as far as I could
said that a young woman with a remember, yet he made out as if he did it all the time!
university degree would set ‘too high a Luckily his friend saw my face, and took off his shoes!’
price’ for herself in the ‘marriage
market’. ‘Believe me, even men with I was now very interested in the story, and was rather
university degrees will stay away from dismayed when B then said,
women they consider too clever. And ‘Aarh, A. You are too fussy and too demanding! Your
the women themselves feel superior, and husband is a good man. He doesn’t bash you up, doesn’t go
behave superior, scaring any suitors.’ gambling, or play around. What more could you want?’
After a moment’s pause, she continued, A was silent after that. But I could feel from where I sat, she
‘Just look around you, how many clever was seething. I had to control myself from turning around to
women ended up not married. They see their faces. I was very disappointed.
can’t find men who suit them.’ More than half a century later, the language, the expressions
That was mid last century. used, were different from those I’d heard from my mother
and her friend’s conversation, but was the message very
Last year, before Covid-19, I was on a different?
train (in Melbourne) and overheard
another conversation in Indonesian An age-old adage which had saturated your psyche, is not
between two women. This is not easy to extract. Woman, know thy place.
uncommon nowadays, there being a fair
number of Indonesians or Australian of Dewi Anggraeni, March 2021.
10AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ASSOCIATION VICTORIA 2021-#03 APRIL
Kebudayaan A handspun textile of these dimensions (107 cm by
197cm) denoted status and would
Negara have been worn by a noble man. Special motifs and
ornamentation were used to signify nobility. The motif
Indonesia in my blanket is Foot Makati which is a hook and
rhomb pattern believed to date back to the Dodgson
AKI POEDIJONO
Burial Cloth from culture which flourished in what is now Vietnam 2000
years ago. My blanket is made up of two pieces of
Timor and The Threads weaving which are joined together along the selvedge
of Life Gallery edges.
Jenny Debney-Joyce
In 2002 I wandered into the Threads After working with the weavers the team at Threads of
of Life Gallery in Jalan Kajeng 24 Life have established trust with the local weavers.
off the main street Jalan Raja in According to their website, Threads of Life works with
Ubud Bali. I came out of that over 1000 women in over 35 co-operative groups from
fascinating gallery the proud owner Kalimantan to Timor. The common question among
of a large burial cloth that cost me these cooperatives is, “How do we maintain our culture
$360AUD. It has hung since then in and identity and make a living at the same time?’
an upstairs landing in my home in
Victoria protected from direct The business model used by the Threads of Life uses
sunlight, dirt, dust and still looks real markets to reward cultural integrity, promote
magnificent as the day I purchased it. conservation of the environment, and empower families
The photo below is of the textile and in some of the world’s poorest places to lift themselves
the weaver. out of poverty.
I was fascinated to learn how western anthropologists
were working with these diverse communities in order
not only to assist them but also to preserve their ancient
and wonderful crafts. One story that I was told when I
made my purchase was this. The team chose to buy a
number of blankets from one village, but bought only
what they considered were the better ones. The
individual weavers refused payments and instead asked
that the total payment should be divided equally
amongst all the weavers of the village. As the weavers
were a cooperative, they all need to share equally in the
profits.
In this time of Covid 19 restrictions on travel to
Indonesia, Threads of Life are relying on their on-line
sales to keep the business going, that is, to pay their
Weaver: Angelina Taek Heti weavers on completion of important textiles and to pay
Village: Santiup, Biboki, Timor. their staff of 25. Any support would be appreciated by
Function: Burial cloth called a Beti them.
Naek (large blanket)
Warp ikat on traditional backstrap loom
Handspun thread, natural dyes
Dimensions 107 x 197cm
42” x 78.5 ‘
11AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ASSOCIATION VICTORIA 2021-#03 APRIL
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