Diary Entry: Day 5

By: Chong Jinn Wei

13 July 2009

The day started at 9am. We the students of Monash University, Sunway Campus comprising of 19 students from 5 different countries (Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and China) began Day 5 of our study trip In Search of Yogyakarta 2009. Our first session for today was the women's group Rifka Annisa.

Rifka Annisa is an action group catered for Indonesian women who've had encountered social problems like domestic violence and discrimination. The Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) was formed on 26 August 1993 in the name of Rifka Annisa Women's Crisis Center. It became the very first Women Crisis Center (WCC) to be formed in Indonesia to cater the needs of women that were facing all sorts of trouble pertaining to their rights. The NGO had compounded a list of ecological factors that dictate the ways in which women's rights abuse are perpetuated.

Rifka Annisa WCC

Rifka Annisa is concerned about how the strong patriarchal culture in Indonesia that place women at a disadvantage position accentuate many abuses like domestic violence, rape and sexual harassment. The NGO holds activities such as counseling sessions,support groups as well as provide shelter for abused women. Rifka Annisa seem to present themselves as an open NGO that is willing to help women in trouble.

After leaving Rifka Annisa we set out again for lunch at Jambon Resto. The restaurant had a very unique setting as the 'gubungs' (huts) we were sitting on were on stilts over a small pond in which fishes were swimming around. Our pre-arranged menu had served us the spicy 'nila' fish, 'tempe' (fried soya beans), fried tofu,oily kangkung, some sweet 'trancan' (diced vegetables with santan) and lastly, fried 'gurumeh' (fried pieces of golden fish meat) . Also, the sambal that was served along with the dishes was extremely spicy, which made the food extremely rich in flavour.

Lunch at Jambon Restaurant

Interestingly, it was amusing to see how the food was disposed off as it was literally thrown into the very pond we were sitting on for the fishes to eat. It was a very ecological and environmental-friendly way of disposing food as it was used to feed the fishes.

Later, everyone went to our last session for the day at Taring Padi, whereby we were privilege enough to meet artists that produce creative works that delve into political issues. A group of artists gathered together to make art that criticized Suharto's regime until 1998. After Suharto had stepped down, these group of artists felt that they needed to continue producing art on political and social issues because they had expected new problems to arise.

Today, they explore issues like the recent 2009 presidential elections by producing 22 pieces of socio-political works to spread messages. They believe that people are free to vote only if they wanted to, as there were some criticisms on the candidates involved during the elections. Some of the other activities that they do include participating in rallies and drawing murals in public spaces to voice out opinions.

Session at Taring Padi

The members of Taring Padi make it a point to take no sides in their surreal and beautiful works of art. The pieces that were shown to us were delving into issues fighting for an uncorrupted government and providing a balanced view as well as fighting for the rights of farmers.

In their works of art there's always a big picture about the primary issue concerned, and along the sides and everywhere else will be filled with smaller details that correlates with the highlighted issues. Hence, the end product is this picture with many minute details that truly goes to show that a picture can paint a thousand words.

After that session has ended we all went back to our hotel to write our stories and rest up for the remainder of our study trip. This marks the end of day 5 of our trip In Search of Yogyakarta 2009.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album


WRITER'S PROFILE: Jinn Wei is a Writing & Communication major from Malaysia. Intrigued when he read books and saw videos of the various street murals in Yogyakarta, Jinn Wei wondered whether there was a deeper meaning behind those murals other than being colourful and fancily designed. The fact that these murals which would have been labelled 'graffiti' in other places served the positive purpose of creating a colourful street atmosphere unique in Yogyakarta drew him to investigate more about them.

Where the Streets Have No Name (The Nightlife In Yogyakarta)

By: Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

13 July 2009

Okay, that's not exactly true about the streets of Yogyakarta. The streets and roads here are a traveller's pipe dream-take one turn and you'll find yourself in another area of town where there are five other possible alleys to get yourself lost in. Bono's words echo steadily in my head like a mantra whenever I think of Yogyakarta's many intricate streets because its difficult not to be drawn and taken in by its mysteries-they all look similar but with each turning, each sharp turn to the left or the right unfolds many new secrets and surprises.

One cannot claim to be a full-fledged traveler if one has not unraveled the various locales of a place, trying out different foods whilst exploring and understanding varying cultures and ideologies. And that was precisely what Rashaad and I set ourselves out here to do in Yogyakarta, starting from the humble comforts of our hotel-behind-another-big hotel, Hotel Puspo Nugroho. Within two days of living in the city and after a guilty meal of Mcdonald's which was situated next to a river community, we both decided: We wanted to see the real Yogyakarta, living and breathing in all its glory with the pengamens (Street musicians) and street vendors. Flush out all the McDonalds, sterilize the KFCs, and get to the soul of the city.
The socialist in me was screaming silently to be let out.

The (over) commercialized Malioboro street

The streets tonight had so much to offer-it was teeming with activity, buzzing alive with the bright lights guiding the way all across Malioboro street, But that was not where I was headed tonight in search for my story. No, we had seen and heard plenty of what Malioboro street had to offer us, with its delectable nasi uduk (coconut rice) to the interesting eating arrangements of the lesehan. No, I had decided that tonight would be another adventure, fresh in perspective and uncertain in its outcome. After a satisfying meal of nasi goreng istimewa, Rashaad and I left the comforts of the city lights and ventured into the welcoming darkness of Jalan Pasar Kembang.

The nightlife. Where your every need and desire would be taken care of. With a price, of course.

The thirst for adventure beckoned to us like a hungry tiger playing games with its prey. We took the bait- hook, line and sinker walking steadily into the unknown. We had no idea what to expect of the 'red light district' that is Pasar Kembang. We heard stories of it being the central place for illegal transactions and the ever-elusive trading of the flesh. The first thing that caught my eye as we walked down the street was that it was much more quieter than its neighboring roads. Silence seemed to be the noisiest sound around, screaming at us, hovering around us as we continued our walk. Buildings seemed bigger and yet colder than the familiar petite ones of Malioboro. The first shop that we went into was a Rasta shop, specializing in Jamaican Bob Marley-ish clothing and paraphernalia. The owner of the shop was dressed in the traditional Jamaican way; thick corn-rows with a green and yellow t-shirt. We asked him a couple of questions about the shop and about Reggae culture, but after a few short and curt answers, we realized that he wasn't too comfortable with us asking too many questions.

As we left the shop, Rashaad had spotted an alley that looked 'dodgy' enough to contain activities of the night worth writing about. The little alley was dimly lit at first, but eventually led to another path whichhad two forked little roads at the end. Left or Right? What road should we take tonight?

The 'dodgy' alley... what can we find here?

Left. Funny how things work, because left gave us the right stuff to talk about. The next road was bursting with activity, there was a comfy-looking backpackers hotel where foreign tourists were enjoying dinner. The place had WIRELESS internet. Along with wine, western food and fine dining. I don't know what confused me more, the fact that there were so many people living in what was considered to be the most dangerous part of town; or the fact that the hotels here were full of tourists and were quite well-maintained. Apparently, European and American tourists prefer the Pasar Kembang area as opposed to Malioboro Central.

Pasar Kembang area- the new 'it' place for foreign travelers?

I also noticed that the Malioboro area tend to be more Islamic in nature, with the azan (Muslim call for prayer) emanating from all corners, whilst Pasar Kembang was considerably more westernized, with pubs, restaurants and foreigners flocking the place.

I wish I could say that after that we found what we were looking for, that is we witnessed illegal transactions and girls/guys offering us 'services.' We didn't. Nothing happened. The night called out to us and we dived right into the stereotypes of perceptions of a city, that it had its dirty secrets and sins lying around at every corner.

I'm sure that Pasar Kembang had more to offer than a dazed-looking Rastafarian owner, and swanky western hotels. The night was surely as dangerous as we thought it would be.
We just didn't find it


WRITER'S PROFILE: Shazwan is a Malaysian student at Monash University Malaysia originally from Penang.He has hopefully made it through his final semester with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Communications and minoring in Writing. He tries to study social sciences when he can, but in truth he thinks life is a big lesson itself. Usually mistaken for an Arab, Indian or Chindian, Shazwan has grown comfortable with the androgyny of his identity.

Guerilla Art

By: Rashaad Ali

13 July 2009

Bus rides have an almost hypnotic quality. Pulling one self onto the vehicle, fighting the seats for extra space, hearing the groan of the engine and the ensuing bumpy ride all meld together into an insipid, mechanical yet endearing performance where attendance is compulsory. Most of us take the time to unpack our thoughts with fellow travelers, to stare wistfully at the passing landscape, whether residing in thoughts of magnanimity or releasing the mind to nothingness, or to catch up on sleep, lost somewhere in an internet cafe. I chose to get some shut-eye, but before I could drift off to a place anywhere close to sleep we had already arrived.

It was a sunny afternoon when we stepped off our bus into a small village settlement. A short walk further in revealed the meeting place of Taring Padi, an informal organisation bent on press freedom. Straight out of a Socialist textbook, the building was minimalist indesign and simplistic in nature. Home to Ucup and other drifters who come from all around the world, Taring Padi was established on the 21st of December 1998 and their main aim is social awareness as well as to give voice to the marginalised through art. 'Taring Padi' means "small but itchy", and this ideal is represented in their art work, bearing drawings of local politics much to the annoyance of the government. Their guerrilla art also takes the form of street sketches and musical performances, each loaded with a message of social change.

a statue found in Taring Padi's yard

Taring Padi HQ from outside

Taring Padi's studio

The organisation is largely informal and most of its members are fluid volunteers who come and go, the only formal meetings are those held on Mondays and Fridays which include brainstorming and ping-pong. They are painted as outcasts of society because of their unwillingness to conform to the status quo, and this allows the organisation to progress and develop through independence and autonomy. The only rule that exist within Taring Padi is the law of commitment and dedication; to live is to love with passion.

Ucup helped illustrate the creation process of their art, whereby the members come together to discuss ideas until a general consensus is reached, a sketch of the art and text is drawn and a final vetting process confirms the work. The modus operandi with their art revolves around free distribution for social progress, which includes stamping them along the streets and walls of Yogyakarta, and selling their work for profit to those who wish to collect and display their art, inclusive of private collectors and art galleries. They utilise their networks with farmers and labour unions as well as local and foreign NGO's to disseminate information. Ucup's personal philosophy of "semangat baik" or in his words, "good spirit", propels him to work in areas such as the local red light districts where he aims to help prostitutes to find alternative means of income. He does not play the saviour or discriminate against this section of society, he merely wishes to help alleviate their poverty-stricken situation by empowering them with knowledge and skills.

Ucup with several of his artworks

Initially consisting of discarded activists from the downfall of Suharto in 1998, Taring Padi has expanded to include various artists and students as well as spreading out to other places such as Jakarta, Australia, America, and even Malaysia. All their artwork is relative to the social context, such as the recent 2009 election poster series. Taring Padi is also active in demonstrations and rallies, exemplified by their physical opposition to the Bill of Pornography.

'Buruh Bersatu' or 'labour workers unite'

The peaceful serenity of the surrounding lends to an inspiring Romantic environment for envisioning and creating, a place that was built in the village by Ucup and his friends. Walking amidst the greenery it becomes evident how art is only as beautiful as the context of its creation, despite the contrast between the minimalist architecture versus the potency of their work. "The struggle must be consistent, even if it is slow it has to be maintained", says Ucup, as the work for him never ends. Whether it is myopic hippie wisdom or the patient recollections of a weathered activist, there will always be avoid to be filled with the passion of benevolence. Taring Padi takes a seat in that void, comfortable in their little enclave away from the city yet fervent at the forefront of society.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album


WRITER'S PROFILE: Rashaad is from Malaysia and loves exploring strange places at odd hours, looking for different, eccentric things to do. According to Rashaad, roaming around Yogyakarta at night helps to bring out the inner socialist while the isolation leaves room to think.

Rifka Annisa: Striving for Women's Rights since 1993

By: Kemi Harahap

13 July 2009

Indonesia might not be the same as every other Asian or Islamic nations. In the past 10 years, we have seen a tremendous change in the women's rights movement in this archipelago. A female women has once lead this nation, setting an example for many patriarchal nations. A domestic violence act was legalized in 2004, marking the 8 year collaboration between numerous Indonesian organizations as a huge success.

One of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which played a part in the creation of the domestic violence act is 'Rifka Annisa'. Founded in 1993 by a number of female activists, Rifka Annisa, or translated as “Woman's Friend”, aims to provide a number of services for women who are victims of violence.

Rifka Annisa Women's Crisis Centre

Located in the outskirts of Yogyakarta, Rifka Annisa is not just an office, but a shelter for many women who are victims of abuse. It's bright and airy interior, with its balanced 'feng shui', creates an area that promotes both tranquility and warmth.

Although there have been major changes in women's rights in Indonesia, cases of abuse and violence are still reported. In fact, throughout 2008 there has been more than 300 cases of violence, which included domestic, dating, child abuse, sexual harassment and rape. These
cases show that there is still a grass-root problem within the mindset of the Indonesian community. Many factors, which include religion and culture, influences the mindset and practices of most Indonesians.

In Yogyakarta, the interpretation of Islam perceive cases such as polygamy and 'mahram' (where men must accompany women when they go out of the house) as righteous, whereby men's status is perceived to be higher. Men often use religious texts as justifications to their violent acts. Cultural contexts, such as the patriarchal nature of Javanese culture, also makes way for abuse and violence to happen. Generally, women are taught to be patient and to be obedient to their husbands.

It is because of this that the management of women crises is a very intricate procedure. Rifka Annisa provides an array of services which include counseling for female victims, counseling for abusive men, and shelters for victims and survivors. In addition to that, they also seek to promote and create awareness of women's rights through community service and advocacy.

Rifka Annisa places a major emphasis on the role of men in violence. Since 2007, they have established a counseling service especially for abusive men. At the same time, creating awareness on women's rights should not only happen on the individual level- as it is also
important to create awareness on the family, community level, and in the state system.

“To achieve gender equality, we need to include men!” Elli Nur Hayati, the director for Rifka Annisa stated. She said,“Men are not biologically violent, they are constructed to be violent. We seek to enlighten them with a new concept of masculinity”.

Elli Nur Hayati taking the floor

With support from large modern Islamic groups such as Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI-Indonesian Ulama Council), Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Rifka Annisa does not seek to challenge or debate the society's interpretation of Islam, yet they seek to enlighten the society on the fact that women suffer from polygamy, 'mahram' and forced
marriages, and that often cases such like these cannot be brought into current times. In fact, many texts in the Quran has supported this understanding of the religion. In addition, Rifka Annisa believes that counselling should be made obligatory for men who are guilty of domestic violence under the National Domestic Violence Act, as men play a significant role in preventing abuses and sustaining gender equality.

“Women jihad in the household, while men jihad in the community”, Mei Sofia Romas, a counsellor for Rifka Annisa said.

Mei Sofia Romas, the counsellor for Rifka Annisa

Victims of abuse can approach Rifka Annisa by contacting either the hotline service, email service or coming straight to the office. They can also contact the integrated service center, which is linked to the crisis center, hospital and also police.

Real Boys care for others: the campaign

“From there, both women and men alike are provided access to counseling that can help manage their crisis and hopefully, this sets a pathway to a happy and enlightened, religious family”.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album


WRITER'S PROFILE: Kemi is pursuing her last semester as a Communication major and International Studies minor. She is among one of the Indonesian students in this trip and is of Javanese descendant (as well as Bataknese, Sundanese and Bugis) which justifies her fondness for sweets. She is in charge of the management of the In Search of Yogyakarta blog as well as the resident tweeter.

Exploring the Royal Dimension- The Spatial Allocation within Kraton, the Sultan's Palace of Yogyakarta

By: Siti Nur Farhanah

13 July 2009

Found in the heart of Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY) is the palace housing the Yogyakarta sultanate. It is designed with intricate thought and planning that begun in 1755 by Prince Mangkubumi who was also known as Sultan Hamengku Buwono I. Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, the official name of the Sultan's palace becomes a central point from where the rest of the city crawls out strategically in all directions from this royal residence. The grand display of Javanese architecture is enthralling and proved to have been crafted with careful allocation of different areas of the territory dedicated to different purposes. However, given the extensive compound covering approximately 14 000 metres square, it would be impossible to elaborate on every aspect of this structure.

Every section within the Kraton has its own name accompanied with significant meanings which convey crucial Javanese principles like the Sangkan Paraning Dumadi, the historical past and existential future of the human being. The palace stretches from north to south, both cornered with a front yard known as Alun-Alun Utara and a back yard known as Alun-Alun Selatan respectively. What is most unique about the design of this historical site is that it has been purposefully constructed so that the palace, the Tugu monument, an obelisk 2 kilometres north of the palace, and Mount Merapi is situated in a single file. It is believed that such a decision was deliberately made as this strategic position is essential for its spiritual status, bringing good luck and prosperity to the area.

Keraton is located in the middle of Alun-alun Utara, Alun-Alun Selatan, and Mount Merapi

Nestled on the west side on the north square of the Sultan palace is the Grand Mosque or what is locally known as Masjid Agung. The traditional outlook of the mosque is clearly illustrated via its special roof known as the “tajug”, a characteristic feature used specifically for the construction of an Islamic structure. This is where the weekly Friday prayers, religious ceremonies and activities popular amongst the Javanese Muslim population like 'Sekaten' (an annual event to commemorate the birth of Prophet Mohammad) and 'Grebeg' (an event held during the first of Muharram, to commemorate the Islamic new year) are held at.

The Purworetno, is the main area of the palace, an area that the Sultan frequently visits to perform his duties, made especially more relevant now as the current Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, is the elected governor of DIY. Beside the Purworetno, visitors are introduced to a two-storey building known as the Panti Sumbaga which houses the Sultan's private collection of texts from various eras. The Sultan takes his seat in the Manguntur Tangkil Hall within the area of Siti Hinggil which rests itself on a higher ground as compared to those surrounding it. The elevation of this particular area has been done in line with his status within the society, a figure well-respected by the rest of the community.

The Rahwana - one of the many symbols within the Kraton

A most unique feature within the vast space of this building is the section of the palace known as Regol Gapura. Not only do the various structures installed house great symbolic significance, the fine architecture of the building even takes pride in the type of plantation which exists within this compound. A number of 'waringin' (banyan) trees are grown to symbolize the human body, 'Asem' (sour) trees, grown mostly in the southern section, connote youthfulness and the 'pakel' (a type of mango) tree signifies the puberty stage. Such is the intricacy in the planning of this historical building as extra effort is put in, in order to ensure that the authentic Javanese architecture is showcased on the exterior walls complemented by the palace's interior composition.

Javanese architecture is heavily influenced by Hindu and Chinese culture

The multi-purpose hall

The exquisite design of the Kraton's ceiling

Kraton has been generally accepted by the Javanese community to be a physical symbol with the Sultan as its soul. Despite being an extremely old structure that has been damaged and restored, the philosophy behind its intricate architectural plan is still preserved. Replete with philosophical and symbolical connotations held firmly by the Javanese people, the Kraton is a manifestation of the forces of nature led by the enchanting structures put in place.


WRITER'S PROFILE: Farhanah Bagharib aka Nana is currently doing her Honours in Monash University Malaysia. She graduated the previous year with a degree in Bachelor of Communcations. Nana is a citizen of Singapore with immediate ancestry from Yemen in the state of Hadramawt. Being extremely interested in the workings of the feminist theory, Nana's Honours thesis revolves around the concept of feminism in Iranian cinema. Nana is SUPER picky with food but as long as there's fast food, she's all good.