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A little about obedient Asian women and a lot of Anouk
Living in Denmark this Indonesian ex journalist, now engineer, wondered why on earth a number of her female compatriots in Copenhagen seemed to be so subservient to their western partners:
“I discovered that most of them (at least five out of six) gave me the same answer when I called / sent them sms / email asking when they could be available for a meet up downtown. The answer that (almost) all of them gave me was:
“I have to ask permission from my husband first and then I will let you know…….”
I can’t give an explanation for this kind of attitude. Or rather lack of attitude. I think however that by chance “the writer” -which is her blogger alias- did hit upon an almost improbable number of exceptions to the rule. No woman in her right mind – white, black or brown- should choose for obedience. No man either, for that matter. If it happens obedience turns you on, you should join the army in stead of entering into a marriage. Of course there are a few of these nasty pathetic men who sort of buy a subservient wife or mistress. A restricted number of suitable cases for treatment, if you ask me.
But Independent minds, that’s what we want, that’s the fashion. If in doubt, I strongly advise all wannebe emigrants to this hemisphere, to check on our national Queen of Rock ‘n Roll, Anouk. She is grrrrrl power in the flesh. And a terrific performer. That she is world famous in the Netherlands only, means shame on the rest of the world.
Jakarta at the Seaside
Wilma van der Maten is an anthropologist and journalist. Well, actually a professional journalist. She was “our women in Jakarta†from 1999 up to 2007 for Dutch public radio and TV. Usually she provided for reports which took 60 seconds or three minutes max, and were about bomb blasts, tsunami’s and human interest.
She left Indonesia this year and is correspondent in Delhi now. If we believe what she says she already misses the Indonesian capital. And is longing for the moment she can get back with her family to the place they bought near Pelabuhanratu. Read More
The Mochtar Lubis Awards
It’s not unusual a nation pays honour to great sons and daughters. So I can’t quite explain why these footprints in cement in Jakarta astonished me at the time. There they were: the small toes of Megawati. And the feet of other presidents, starting with those of the real hero, the father, the founder of the nation, Soekarno. The prints of his sturdy feet convinced me they could carry the weight of a major country. And because Bung Karno loved a show of entertainment, this Hollywood style of being immortalized fitted him perfectly well.
But I think there should be a hall of fame for Indonesian journalists as well. For those who carried the banner of the independent, daring, brave, “free floating intelligence†(a concept Karl Mannheim coined long ago in ’22, by the way). Actually Indonesian history shows a tradition of critical, investigative journalists. Some of them I know by their publications ( in translation) which are on my bookshelves. In that way they are friends. Pals who, in my opinion, deserve to be remembered – at least no less then some of the politicians.
It’s about time for Mochtar Lubis Awards. A prize for outstanding Indonesian journalists. Talented writers with independent, inquisitive minds.