Last night I watched this comedy show in Trans TV, an Indonesian local station. This show is called Extravaganza, and it mostly is funny. There was this segment, a parody on Indonesian traditional singers called Sinden. One of the guest stars was this Caucasian girl, dressing in a traditional clothing called Kebaya from one of Indonesian ethnic groups, Javanese. And amazingly, this Caucasian girl behaved exactly like a Javanese girl, talked like a Javanese girl, and even sang Javanese song in just perfect Javanese accent. People were amazed and cheered.
I was too amazed and cheered. But then my cheers stopped in mid air. Then I walked rather unconsciously to a mirror. Then staring at my own reflection. I looked at, unmistakably, a Javanese girl. The black mid-size eyes, the mid-size nose, the cheekbone, the eyebrows, the brownish skin. And then why there are not any Javanese word in my mind? Why when people talk to me in Javanese, although I generally understand, I just smile weakly then speak in Bahasa, telling them that I don’t speak Javanese?
Many conveyed that tradition, including the traditional language, is so last century. If you want to keep up with the today’s world, then popular culture it is. Which in my case, it is Western. I adopt the language, food, lifestyle, even to some extent, way of thinking. Which is not completely wrong, because many are indeed good. I was raised in a multicultural surroundings and indeed was prepared to be the citizen of the world. But I feel like nudged by that Caucasian girl in the comedy show. That wherever edge of this world I had gone to, whatever gazillion things I had done, whoever all kind of people I had met, I am, every drop of my blood, every tidbit of my bones, every breath, is an Indonesian girl, from the ethnic group of Javanese.
Speaking of my ethnicity, if you’re familiar with Indonesian people ethnicity, you can’t mistake me that I, by large, by far, is Javanese. And it is this very typical Javanese look, so if you say I look like someone, you will be the 17,821st person who said it to me, hahaha. But then, there this funny thing about it. It is that whenever I travel abroad, people who make a pass on me is, almost every time, Blacks or Indians. Well can’t blame me for looking like Aishwarya Rai or Beyonce… or Rihanna… hahaha…
But I digress. The thing is, there’s this calling inside me to start digging and getting in touch with my root. Of the long line of people descended their blood to me. To understand the language, the tradition, the culture, the music, the way of life, the way of thinking. I believe there are many ingenious acumen, old but wise way to do stuff, which will be still applicable even for today. It will be like I seek advice from this great people, my predecessor, whose wisdom endures time.
It will be an exciting journey.
I was too amazed and cheered. But then my cheers stopped in mid air. Then I walked rather unconsciously to a mirror. Then staring at my own reflection. I looked at, unmistakably, a Javanese girl. The black mid-size eyes, the mid-size nose, the cheekbone, the eyebrows, the brownish skin. And then why there are not any Javanese word in my mind? Why when people talk to me in Javanese, although I generally understand, I just smile weakly then speak in Bahasa, telling them that I don’t speak Javanese?
Many conveyed that tradition, including the traditional language, is so last century. If you want to keep up with the today’s world, then popular culture it is. Which in my case, it is Western. I adopt the language, food, lifestyle, even to some extent, way of thinking. Which is not completely wrong, because many are indeed good. I was raised in a multicultural surroundings and indeed was prepared to be the citizen of the world. But I feel like nudged by that Caucasian girl in the comedy show. That wherever edge of this world I had gone to, whatever gazillion things I had done, whoever all kind of people I had met, I am, every drop of my blood, every tidbit of my bones, every breath, is an Indonesian girl, from the ethnic group of Javanese.
Speaking of my ethnicity, if you’re familiar with Indonesian people ethnicity, you can’t mistake me that I, by large, by far, is Javanese. And it is this very typical Javanese look, so if you say I look like someone, you will be the 17,821st person who said it to me, hahaha. But then, there this funny thing about it. It is that whenever I travel abroad, people who make a pass on me is, almost every time, Blacks or Indians. Well can’t blame me for looking like Aishwarya Rai or Beyonce… or Rihanna… hahaha…
But I digress. The thing is, there’s this calling inside me to start digging and getting in touch with my root. Of the long line of people descended their blood to me. To understand the language, the tradition, the culture, the music, the way of life, the way of thinking. I believe there are many ingenious acumen, old but wise way to do stuff, which will be still applicable even for today. It will be like I seek advice from this great people, my predecessor, whose wisdom endures time.
It will be an exciting journey.
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