LIST OF NARRATIVE DIALOGUES/MONOLOGUES
1. Rapid Movement of Physical and Emotional Interaction
We used to play this game, throwing a ball up high and calling out the names of countries and continents. Then we would chase each other. Our borders were words of chalk on the concrete pavement, that would wash away by the next day. We would remake them and spin the ball again. And we would invent languages for each of our territories. Then we learned how to draw our country’s borders. Then we were taught how to move inside it. Like when you get your first color book and you are told not to cross the margins so it won’t look ugly. We would watch cartoons on TV and learn that we don't have to invent languages, they are already there. But also the borders and the concretes. 2. High Degree Distance, Isolation and Community A foggy Sunday morning ... We dressed up, wearing our white fresh clothes. You can feel the humidity and the morning freshness all together. The morning prayer from the mosque invites us all to gather and pray to the All Mighty for the fortune that he has given us. And still I think, why is the all mighty a”he” and not a she.. Taking off our shoe and entering the holy house of God with respect and dignity. Dad went in another direction, I went with mom. A green semi Transparent curtain divides the males in the front row with females and children in the back row. I don't really like this concept of males always having a leader position and the females are followers that praises them. This is not at all a proof of modern society. Equality does not exist. Most of Indonesian families are still very conservative, valuing religions beliefs and force them in the “nowadays lifestyle”. They believe in taboos and say things in the name the great leader. Female and children were always the unpleasant beings in a discussion. We should listen and obey. I remember when I was a teenager, I would always want to be involved in the grownup discussion, they would really not listen to my thoughts and keep telling me that I was too young and should help the ladies in the kitchen. But I didn't go to the kitchen and decides to stay where I wanted to be. |
3. Alienation. Interpretation of Common Values
There is a Romanian custom, a few days after the New Year’s Eve, where the young men of the village are challenged to swim in ice cold water in order to bring back the wooden cross thrown in the lake by an orthodox priest. There is of course a winner and there are also the ones who choose not to take part; they are considered weak and unfaithful. It is like in our upbringing we have been always pushed to prove something. To whom? To our our neighbors to society, to God? Even now we are trapped in a sort of a virtual terminal, waiting for people to like and comment our activities, our instagrams, our check-ins. However, it is now easier to avoid swimming in the cold water and looking away, but the irony is that movement becomes in this way a matter of running. 4. Adapting and Acknowledging the Present Situation Nearly once a year there would be a big family gathering. Since my father is the 8th child from 18 brothers and sisters, it's always an interesting point of the year. To reintroduce yourself again to your own family. Sometimes I even forget the name of my nieces. It is for an Indonesian also not common to have 18 children from one father and mother. The youngest brother from my father just came back from the states. He just finishes his PhD. Everyone was proud of him. His wife is also the first female Professor in mechanical engineering. It's a high profile family. Such a contrast to the eldest brother of my father. He used to be the head of the family as grandpa was slowly getting sick the whole time. He was a proud bother able to finance all of his younger sisters and brothers to school for a decent education, but now he is the poorest in the family and all of his sons and daughters failed to have a higher education. But it was never a topic for us to discuss the economical status in this family gathering. We do not longer see this big gap. We are just one big family. |