Spiritual caretaker of Indonesian volcano dies

Spiritual caretaker of Indonesian volcano dies

Slamet Riyadi

MOUNT MERAPI, Indonesia — He was the keeper of Mount Merapi – an 83-year-old man entrusted to watch over the volcano's spirits, believing it could be appeased by tossing offerings of rice, chickens and flowers into the gaping crater.

And when the eruption came, Maridjan was among those who died, along with dozens of villagers who believed him, not seismologists or government officials, about the danger.

As Merapi began spewing 1,800-degree gases and thousands of panicked people streamed down the mountain's slopes, Maridjan refused to budge from his home deep in the evacuation zone, just four miles from the crater.

His rigid body was found Wednesday, prostrate in the Islamic prayer position and caked in heavy white soot. Nearby was an Indonesian Red Cross volunteer who had been trying to persuade him to leave.

"I never thought he was going to leave us in such a way," said Prabukusumo, whose brother, the sultan in the nearby court city of Yogyakarta, is now tasked with choosing Maridjan's successor.

"He's lived through so many, much bigger eruptions. I'm still in shock."

On Thursday, politicians, soap opera stars and singers were among hundreds of people who flocked to Maridjan's funeral on the fertile slopes of the mountain entrusted to his care by a late king. Televisions crews and reporters jostled for position with family and friends, who reached to touch the white silk-covered coffin as it was carried to the grave.

Mourners knelt to pray as the body, wrapped in a simple white cloth, was lowered into the ground. Led by his weeping wife, they tossed pink and white flower petals, then covered it with soil and piled cut orchids on the mound.

One of the world's most active volcanos, Merapi is located on the so-called "Ring of Fire," a series of fault lines prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity stretching from the Western Hemisphere through Japan and Southeast Asia.

When he was 50, Maridjan was named "key holder" of the mountain, inheriting the position from his father.

For 33 years, the diminutive man with an impish smile led ceremonies meant to hold back Merapi's lava flows and quiet the spirits he and other villagers believe live over the mountain that rises from the heart of the Indonesian island of Java.

The mystical practice persists in Indonesia, even though most of the country's 237 million people – like Maridjan himself – are Muslims. Islam is a relatively new arrival to the country and coexists with older traditions that have their roots in animist, Hindu or Buddhist beliefs.

Maridjan was believed by many to have the ability to speak directly to the volcano, and fellow villagers considered him a hero, trusting his word over local authorities when it came to determining danger levels – with deadly consequences on Tuesday.

"Maridjan was very conscientious in performing his duties. But because he was a role model, many other victims died when the explosion happened because they still stayed in the village," said his brother, Wignyo Suprapto.

"They thought that everything would be safe because Maridjan did not leave."

He enjoyed a kind of celebrity and just days before the deadly explosion, Maridjan joked with camera crews following him from his mosque in the village of Kinahrejo to his thatched-roof home. Walking barefoot on a dirt road, he teasingly covered his face with his hands.

He was said to have predicted his end, telling a friend who urged him to evacuate: "My time to die in this place has almost come."

But far from serving as a cautionary tale, Maridjan's death has made many villagers only yearn for his quick replacement.

"I'm more afraid than ever," said Prapto Wiyono, a 60-year-old farmer who was among thousands of people crammed in emergency shelters. "Who's going to tell us now what's going on with Merapi?"

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Associated Press reporters Andi Jatmiko and Elisabeth Oktofani contributed to this report from Mount Merapi.

Piece of Mind: When Money Talks, Unity Takes a Walk

Piece of Mind: When Money Talks, Unity Takes a Walk

When I was in elementary school in the mid-1990s, my teachers went out of their way to emphasize the national motto, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, which translates as “Unity in Diversity.”

The motto — taken from a famous Javanese poem penned during the Majapahit kingdom in the 14th century — pertains to the fact that Indonesia is an archipelago that is rich with different cultures, tribes, religions and languages.

The motto is intended to draw on the country’s diversity as a unifying strength instead of allowing it to become divisive.

It’s a nice idea, but one that seems to be showing more and more cracks these days.

The most blatant recent examples pertain to religion and sexual orientation.

But there are other, more subtle examples that have increasingly come to my attention, mostly having to do with status and money.

Take the artists’ enclave of Ubud.

With its starring role in the best-selling book “Eat Pray Love” and the film adaptation starring Julia Roberts, it seems like everyone has been talking about Bali and how perfect it is as a tourist destination.

I lived there, among the lush rice fields of Ubud, for more than a year.

And while I love the beauty and culture of the place, I couldn’t help but get the feeling that while it was welcoming to foreigners from all over the world, this same welcome doesn’t always seem to be as warmly extended to fellow Indonesians.

As a Javanese woman dating a Western man, I sometimes felt that I was discriminated against in terms of race and gender while living there.

When I went to a restaurant or shop with my fiance, he was greeted with a warm smile and friendly words.

I, on the other hand, was largely ignored.

I found myself asking if there was something wrong with me.

Was it because my fiance was a Western man and people assumed that he had more money than me?

Or was it maybe because of the stereotype that Indonesian women who date Western men are morally compromised and are just out to squeeze some money from the man’s pockets?

If I only felt this way once or twice about the way I was treated, I could probably just brush it off.

But it happened again and again, almost anywhere we went.

I also saw it happen to other Indonesian women, even men, and it never failed to test my patience.

I eventually decided to channel my anger in a creative manner by blogging about my experiences.

I ended up getting a lot of responses and comments from readers who had experienced the same thing.

There were also some people who were surprised that this would happen, given that there are so many Indonesian tourists who visit Bali.

I have two theories about why this happens.

The first is that Bali has become spoiled by tourism money.

It seems to me as if a lot of people there have forgotten basic manners in their quest to take a bite out of the tourism pie.

My second theory is that some Balinese may simply not feel kind towards other Indonesians.

This feeling may have increased since the 2002 terrorist bombings, from which the island is still recovering today.

But it’s not just Bali. I have found that things like this happen in other parts of the country as well.

Before I moved to Jakarta, I called the owner of an apartment in Central Jakarta and tried to rent his place.

He was friendly and organized as he went over the details with me.

I agreed to all the rules and was ready to pay.

Then, oddly enough, he asked if the apartment was for me or a foreigner.

I told him it would be for me, a young Indonesian woman.

I never heard back from him until my Western friend contacted him and he responded immediately with a rental agreement.

It is quite sad that this sort of thing happens in Indonesia, especially when we are taught Bhinneka Tunggal Ika growing up.

It seems that our motto of equality and tolerance is not always reality.

Tourists from Jakarta who visit Bali may be quoted higher room rates than others.

Foreigners are usually given more friendly treatment in tourist shops and restaurants there.

They also get easy access to apartments in Jakarta.

Bhinneka Tunggal Ika is a great idea, it’s just one that doesn’t always translate into real life — especially when the equality and unity in question stem from one’s wallet.

Elisabeth Oktofani is a freelance writer.

Debt Deal Helps Mend Quake-Damaged Schools

Debt Deal Helps Mend Quake-Damaged Schools

Elisabeth Oktofani & Putri Prameshwari

Jakarta. In the wake of the May 2006 earthquake that damaged more than 3,300 schools in Yogyakarta and Central Java, a debt-restructuring deal effectively channeled funds toward rebuilding some of them, National Education Ministry officials said after the debt-swap certificate was handed over recently.

Given the extent of the damage, the ministry prioritized primary and junior high schools for rehabilitation.

“The nine-year education program covering primary and junior high school is a compulsory one that plays a fundamental role in helping develop children’s potential and assisting them to be successful at the next level of education,” Suyanto, the ministry’s director general for primary and secondary schools, said on Monday.

Under the deal, worked up in the aftermath of the quake and running until 2008, the German government agreed to waive 20 million euros (Rp 250 billion at the time) of official development assistance owed to it by the Indonesian government, in exchange for the latter investing half that amount in education development activities.

The initiative, called Debt Swap IV, targeted 193 primary schools and 34 junior high schools in Yogyakarta and Central Java.

The schools were selected based on the severity of the damage they suffered as a result of the magnitude-6.3 earthquake, and were spread across Yogyakarta municipality, Sleman, Kulon Progo and Bantul districts in Yogyakarta, plus Klaten, Sukoharjo and Boyolali districts in Central Java.

During its two years of operation, the program’s funds were managed by the two provincial administrations, district-level education offices and the National Education Ministry.

In its final report to German development bank KfW, which bankrolled the program, the government showed it had surpassed the targeted investment in education called for under the debt swap, having spent a total of Rp 132 billion, or 5 percent more than it was obliged to.

Last week, National Education Minister Muhammad Nuh received a debt swap certificate for the 20 million euros from the KfW, signaling the project’s successful conclusion.

This marks the second debt swap between Germany and Indonesia in the field of education.

In 2002, Germany waived Indonesia’s 25.6 million euro overseas development assistance debt on condition that Indonesia invested at least half that much in basic education.

The government decided to invest the money in a project to construct over 500 training centers for biology teachers, complete with teaching materials and equipment, in 17 provinces across the country.

More than 30,000 primary schools and four million students were believed to have benefited from the program.

“This time, it’s for increasing the quality of education in primary and junior high schools across Yogyakarta and Central Java,” Nuh said.

Suyanto said the success of the latest debt swap suggested it was a feasible model for funding the rebuilding of schools in other disaster-hit areas

Priceless Loyalty To the Sultan

Priceless Loyalty to the Sultan

Elisabeth Oktofani & Florencia Margaretha Taruli Toruan

Yogyakarta Palace is a symbol of Javanese culture. It is also the home of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X and his family.

About 3,000 abdi dalem — which loosely translates as royal servants — serve the sultan and his extended family. In return, they receive a minimal monthly salary ranging from Rp 8,000 to Rp 62,500 (90 cents to $7).

But for these royal servants, their work is not about money, but about upholding and honoring ancient Javanese traditions.

The royal guards, who are among the abdi dalem, dedicate their time to Ngarso Dalem, a term they use to refer to the Yogyakarta sultan.

Aji Triman, 43, who is dressed in kain pranakan — a dark blue fabric with a pattern of three vertical lines typically worn by the royal guards — said he was inspired to become an abdi dalem after having recurring dreams.

“One night, I dreamed about GKR Hemas,” Aji said, referring to the current sultaness of Yogyakarta. “In my dream, I helped her catch a very big fish in the pond.

“After I gave her the fish, she said, ‘Would you like to help me find one more fish?’ I said yes and left to find another fish. But when I left, I suddenly woke up. The dream was a sign for me to dedicate myself to the sultan’s palace and his family.”

Bekel Djoko Tjermo, 57, has been working as an abdi dalem since 1985 and believes that his path in life has nothing to do with how much money he earns.

“I can feel the blessing from Ngarso Dalem, which makes my life easier,” Djoko said. “That is what I earn, actually.

“Every month, I get paid Rp 8,000 by the sultanate. I work twice a week, in two three-hour shifts,” he said.

Along with his Rp 8,000, Djoko added that the money he earned from his small business and from presiding over traditional Javanese weddings was sufficient to cover his family’s needs.

“In fact, it is a lot. I can send my children to university, I own a house and I can also feed my family three times a day.”

Ngabehi Margowikarto, 78, has been registered as an abdi dalem since 1990, when he retired as a civil servant for the railway company.

Margowikarto, who is also known as Djumakir, said he enjoyed his duties as an abdi dalem more that his previous job with the railway company.

“Actually, I cannot really sit still at home and do nothing. I want to dedicate myself to Ngarso Dalem, find new activities to do and make new friends,” said Djumakir, adding that one of his favorite duties is to help tourists who visit the palace.

Gusti Bendoro Pangeran Haryo Joyokusumo, who is in charge of paying the abdi dalem, said the Yogyakarta Sultanate is currently working on a new salary scheme for the servants.

“The salary of the abdi dalem actually cannot really be called a salary, but rather it is an ucah dalem [the term for salary or stipend in the palace] because it does not reach the regional minimum wage rate for Yogyakarta, which is Rp 745,694 per month,” Joyokusumo said.

“Some abdi dalem, do not spend the ucah dalem from the sultan’s palace, but keep it as a talisman for luck.”

Joyokusumo explained that under the new structure of ucah dalem, the sultanate is planning to hand out allowances based on each abdi dalem’s duties and length of service, which will affect how much they received for transportation, for their families, as well as for their daily fees.

But in order to implement the new system, the sultanate has to determine the rank of each of the 3,000 abdi dalem.

“The only problem that we have right now is that we need to register all the abdi dalem electronically. [Currently], the manual registration logbook is still being used,” Joyokusumo said.

“Once we have them computerized, we can give them the new ucah dalem based on their individual professional levels. As guardians of Javanese tradition, the abdi dalem receive a quality education in Javanese culture,” he added.

Joyokusumo said the sultanate recruited new abdi dalem twice a year and all Indonesians could apply, as long as they were willing to learn, understand and implement Javanese culture and tradition.

“We have two grades of education for abdi dalem. First grade is an introduction of general knowledge about the Yogyakarta Sultanate and Javanese tradition, while the second grade concerns leadership,” he said.

According to Joyokusumo, each grade consists of eight training sessions and the abdi dalem receive career advancement as well as additional ucah dalem after successfully passing each level.

However, it can be difficult to sell a job that pays Rp 8,000 month, especially to young people.

Heirwid Benny Sulistriono, 23, a student at Gadjah Mada University, said that while he would like to be an abdi dalem, the low salary was an issue.

“To be realistic, how can you live on less than $10 a month? Let me say that I have priorities in my life,” he said.

“My priority at the moment is once I graduate, I want to get an enjoyable job that provides a good salary, enough for meals, to have a house to live in and also to enjoy myself,” Heirwid said.

“This doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t want to be an abdi dalem if I was asked to be one. I could be an abdi dalem if the work hours were flexible. Perhaps, if I only had to work on the weekends, then I would not be bothered by the low salary.”

Febrianto Valentinus Situmeang, 22, a recent graduate from Atma Jaya University in Yogyakarta, said he had lived and studied in Yogyakarta for the last four years, and had absolutely no interest in becoming an abdi dalem.

“Yogyakarta has a special character due to it being a cultural center. But I am Batak, not Javanese,” he said.

“Even if I were Javanese, I don’t think that I would want to be an abdi dalem because it requires a high level of personal dedication.”

Joyokusumo is not worried, however, that the palace will run out of willing abdi dalem anytime soon. He said there was no lack of applications from young people who wanted to preserve Javanese tradition by becoming abdi dalem despite the low remuneration.

“It might appear that most of the abdi dalem are old,” he said. “But fortunately, every time we open recruitment, we always have young applicants between the ages of 24 and 30.”

Nation’s Gay, Transgender Community Searches for a Voice in the Mass Media

Nation’s Gay, Transgender Community Searches for a Voice in the Mass Media

Yogyakarta. The media wield enormous influence in informing public opinion, and in Indonesia this power has often been used to discriminate against marginalized social groups such as the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Homosexuality is often portrayed in local media as a sexual aberration or deviant behavior. These and similar other labels are used to denounce the LGBT community through the media, both directly and indirectly.

“When was the last time you read a news report about a crime committed by a heterosexual person, in which the headline made reference to their sexual orientation, like ‘Heterosexual man kills girlfriend,’ for instance?” said Mira, an activist with the Yogyakarta-based LGBT group People Like Us One Heart.

“So why is it the media insist on trumpeting the suspect’s sexual preference if they are homosexual, as in the case of Ryan, the serial killer from Jombang [East Java]? And another thing: why don’t media report on the achievements of LGBT individuals?”

Mira was speaking at the LGBT in the Mass Media forum on Tuesday, held by PLU One Heart and Yogyakarta-based Atma Jaya University’s School of Political and Social Sciences.

The skewed reporting can be traced to journalists’ lack of formal training on the topics of sexuality and gender studies, said Ashadi Siregar, the executive director of the Yogyakarta Research, Education and Publishing Institute.

“Media workers are not trained to understand LGBT issues correctly,” he said. “Their reference paradigm is one that has been molded by prevailing religious and cultural values, so what they need is more education on this topic.”

Atma Jaya journalism lecturer D Danarka Sasangka blamed the poor standard of LGBT news coverage on the fact that the media were catering to viewer tastes in a largely conservative country.

“The media cannot be separated from business and political interests,” he said. “Their level of objectivity in terms of homosexuality should therefore be seen from the point of view of industry.”

Danarka cited the reality-based television show “Be a man,” in which male transvestite contestants undergo a series of tasks ostensibly designed to make them renounce their lifestyle choice.

“Unfortunately, there are many transgender people who want to take part in the show,” he said. “It paints an often very negative picture of the transgender community. This is how the mass media shape our reality.”

Ashadi said there were steps the LGBT community could take to rectify the situation.

“They can help end the stigma in two ways,” he said. “First, by establishing a media-monitoring institute to combat the negative stereotypes, and second, by developing alternative media for advocacy purposes, which will help the LGBT community raise public awareness about the issues it faces.”

My Jakarta: Sri Asih, Entrepreneur and Grandmother

My Jakarta: Sri Asih, Entrepreneur and Grandmother

When Sri Asih isn’t celebrating the birthday of one of her 14 grandchildren with her husband, Mohammad Mupriyanto, she’s flexing her entrepreneurial muscles. Asih, 60, who moved from Sragen, Central Java, to Jakarta in 1968, has done everything from making gado-gado (salad with peanut sauce) and mopping floors to sewing buttons and serving food. Today, she explains how one of her businesses, Badut Mupri, has been bringing joy to the kids of Jakarta for 35 years, why being a clown sure beats being a criminal and how, if you can turn a frown upside down, she’s hiring.

Why did you come to Jakarta?

Most of my friends’ parents were asking them to get married at a young age. That was my worst nightmare because I wasn’t ready to get married at that stage. So I decided to leave Sragen to seek a better future in Jakarta.

How did you meet your husband?

It was one week before Idul Fitri in 1969. He had been coming to the warung [food stall] I worked at for some time and one day we had a conversation. We were both alone in Jakarta so we decided to live together and get married.

And what do the two of you do now?

My husband and I run an entertainment business, Badut Mupri [Mupri the Clown]. Actually, we started by selling handmade cardboard masks at an art bazaar in Ancol in 1975. My husband wore a mask while I stood next to him selling similar masks. He didn’t do anything funny, he just wore the mask, but people laughed anyway. It was obvious that people were hungry for entertainment. So that same day we decided to start our own entertainment business.

What was the first day of business like for Badut Mupri?

We earned Rp 70,000 in three days. And that was in 1975.

What role do you play in the business?

I’m the wife of Badut Mupri, a maker of clown costumes and also the owner of the business. I do whatever the business requires, be it acting, sewing or booking parties.

How do you promote your business?

We never really went out and advertised until my youngest son, Eko, helped us make a brochure and created a Web site for us [http://badut-mupri.com/]. But basically, the business operates by word of mouth.

Why clowns?

Clowning is a great form of entertainment. It makes people happy and puts smiles on kids’ faces. But it makes me sad when I see people dressed up like clowns just to beg for money on the street. I mean, it’s better than going out and robbing people, but it can ruin the image of clowns for kids.

Have you ever painted your face and worked alongside your husband?

Yes! One day in 1978, we had overbooked and we didn’t have enough performers to fulfill all the bookings, so I had to dress up. If I’m not mistaken, we had 19 performances scheduled for 19 different places that day. So I had to go and work at a birthday party hosted by Gen. Tjokropranolo [a former governor of Jakarta]. I went there as a duck.

How did it feel performing for everyone?

It was very strange and everybody was laughing and making fun of me. They grabbed my tail and pulled me here and there. But then again, nobody could see that it was a grown woman in the suit.

How does it feel being the wife of a clown?

Wonderful. I’m proud of it! Not only has my husband made work for himself, but he has also created jobs for others. Many people mocked my husband when he said he wanted to be a clown. They said he was crazy, but which is worse, being a clown or a criminal?

Do you have any dreams you haven’t fulfilled?

I want to build a park or a playground for children so they can expand their imaginations. I want it to be a place where kids can play and have fun, but also a place to learn.

Do you ever think about retiring?

As long as we are still able to work, we have no plans to stop making kids smile. But I expect that one of my children will take over so that the business, which started from zero, doesn’t just disappear when we retire.

Where do you find your clowns and acrobats?

We welcome anyone who is willing to work and never says I can’t do this or that, because people can accomplish anything as long as they have the will to do so. We have a place for them to stay and we have jobs for them.

Sri Asih was talking to Elisabeth Oktofani.

Tune Your Radios to a Greener Jakarta

Tune Your Radios to a Greener Jakarta

For those stuck twirling the dial during smoggy commutes, Green Radio is a breath of fresh air for those who like their news mixed with a daily dose of environmental responsibility.

Broadcasting on 89.2-FM, Green Radio is the only news station in Jakarta whose main focus is educating listeners about the big and small changes they can make to benefit the environment.

“Green Radio was inspired by the floods in 2007 that left more than 70 percent of the Jakarta area drowned,” said Santosa, the station’s managing director. “There must be something wrong with the environment, so one day I came up with an idea to change our previous station, Radio Utan Kayu, which focused on more general issues, to Green Radio.”

The station’s tag line is “The eco-lifestyle of Jakarta,” and Santosa said more than 200,000 people tune in daily across Greater Jakarta to listen to news, environmental reports and discussions.

And the small station’s influence extends beyond the reach of its radio transmitters. Besides broadcasting a message urging environmental consciousness, Green Radio has also spearheaded programs aimed at getting their audience actively involved. “Green Radio has on-air activities and also off-air activities because we want to encourage the public, through our listeners, to get involved to save the planet and help to avoid floods in Jakarta such as the 2007 flood,” Santosa said.

And it isn’t all just talk. From day one, Green Radio has used solar panels to power its 18-hour broadcast day.

“I decided to use solar panels because they are very environmentally friendly and use an unlimited natural resource: the sun,” Santosa said.

So far, Green Radio has organized three initiatives: the Friends of the Forest tree adoption campaign at Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park, a clean-up of the area around Monas in June and a biopore creation workshop. Biopores are small holes drilled in the ground to decrease flooding.

Green Radio collaborates with private sector and government organizations as well as members of its audience, Santosa said, adding that the station has had more than 2000 individual participants take part in its greening programs.

Through its Friends of the Forest adoption program, individuals and organizations donate Rp 108,000 ($12) to have a tree planted in a deforested area in Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park in West Java. Green Radio has collected enough money to plant 7,031 trees in a 10-hectare area over the last 18 months, decreasing soil erosion at the farms that line the park’s borders.

“We’ve already got 15 big organizations and 300 individual adopters,” Santosa said. The program was created in partnership with the park and Conservation International Indonesia.

He added that the program was also helping reclaim parts of the forest from local farmers who use the park to plant crops, and trains those farmers for new careers in eco-tourism. At a cost of Rp 290,000 per person for two days and one night, the tour provides lodgings in a campground or tree house, five meals, guides, porters and the planting of a tree.

“The income goes to local farmers who help us organize the eco-tours. They prepare the food and act as forest guides and porters.” Santosa said, adding that some farmers were also given goats, rabbits and honeybees to breed.

In addition to Friends of the Forest, Green Radio has also developed a biopore program, active since July 2009.

“The biopore program is a regular training program that teaches people how to make small holes [in the ground] for water absorption. They can absorb more water in the rainy season and also can be used to produce compost.” Santosa said.

Each biopore is designed with a 10-centimeter opening and with a depth of one meter.

Through partnership with the Body Shop retail chain and Mall Ciputra, Green Radio’s program has been responsible for the creation of 1,500 biopores across Jakarta.

“We are working together with these caring communities to help reach the government’s goal of creating one million biopores,” Santosa said. “Hopefully, these biopores will help us to avoid another big flood like the Jakarta flood in 2007.”