Busy as a Bee!
I know I’ve been away from this blog for a while. Simply put: I’M HELL-A-BUSY!
More and more opportunities are falling into place for my aspiring photographic career. The last two weeks have been spent on holiday! The Indonesian government (and thus businesses) gave us a week off for Idul Fitri. For a week I was in Yogyakarta and in Semin. Of course many photos were taken, but one subproject came out of it: a reportage about a 70 year old lady named Mak Muga. She reminds me (and hopefully will remind you) that life is what we perceive it to be, regardless how difficult it is sometimes.
“Waiting for God”
Part of an eight photo series titled Waiting of God. The reportage is focused on the past and present life of 70 year old Mak Muga.
Mak Muga (“Mak” is Javanese for “old lady”) is a sweet, jovial, always-smiling, 70 years old woman. She lives alone in Sambisari, Kalasan, Yogyakarta where she carves out a meager living buying raw melinjo, pounding it into emping, then frying it to make emping chips to sell to travelers a few times a week. The tiny, feather weight, barely 5 feet tall lady with willow-like arms somehow finds the needed strength to perform this strenuous labor in inferno-like heat and humidity.
Mak Muga used to be married with one son. Her unmarried son was an aspiring artist who used colored pigments made from fruit, but died tragically and unexpectedly. Her husband passed away next. Mak Muga then took care of her parents until their eventual passing away.
Despite having to endure many heartbreaking tragedies she maintains a positive attitude. Through a proud, snaggle-toothed smile of dark brown stained teeth she laughs and says “I’m thankful for the life I have, even though I am alone. Now I’m just waiting for God.”
This reportage will be one of 3 photographic projects I want to complete by December 1. The second project focuses on sincere happiness and contentment despite poverty (you’ve seen photos from that series already). The third project will be based on Kalimantan (Sorry, I can’t go into deep details about this yet: it’s a secret! Shhhh!).
What’s next for me? I will go to Kalimantan for 8 days! It should be an amazing trip. I will try to stay alive! I will keep you informed.
*~ Special Note! ~*
Bahasa Indonesia Lesson for Today:
Masuk Angin: (literally wind enter) easy sickness, like get the sniffles or cough for no reason.
Take care!
Paradoxes and Parasites
Hello,
Yes, I’m still alive. Over the last few weeks I’ve survived fungus spores and parasites! I need to tell this country’s street vendors they need to try harder if they want to kill me!
*~ Dear Street Vendors: I’m bullet proof. Next time bring Kryptonite! — Superman ~*
I spent a good part of the last few weeks (and $) going to SOS clinic (a VERY good place ran by Western medical standards). I’m pretty much normal now.
I’m writing this blog from in the un-air conditioned lobby of a new hotel (just opened today!) in Yogyakarta, central Java.
The holiday is Lebaran (Idul Fitri). I am traveling in Yogakarta and Semin to explore the kampungs here, and to add to my current photographic projects. So far I’m off to a very slow start, but I think I will gain back some lost ground (sorry for all the American slang) starting Saturday morning. We lost a full day because of HUGE traffic jams. The driver has driven in past years during Idul Fitri, so he was aware of the traffic conditions, but this year (according to him) is the worst it has ever been. It took us 6 (YES SIX) hours to travel the distance normally requiring only one hour. We were to arrive in Yogyakarta at about 10AM Thursday (we left 10PM Wednesday night) to end a 12 hour journey. Instead, we arrive at about 1:45AM FRIDAYYYY.
So Friday is a lost day. We also had to change hotels to find better one with lower rate. I will go to Semin tomorrow, after an early morning of making photos in Yogyakarta kampungs. I do more photo creating in Semin on Sunday morning. Monday is pegged for Borobudur. Tuesday purely for making photos. We drive back to Jakarta Wednesday morning.
*~ Update: I won’t shoot Saturday. I injured my foot during the 27 (YES 27!) hour car ride. Pain Pain Pain. It hurts to bend the toes. I will use Sat to plan more for Semin. So, for 7 days, only shooting 2 cryyyyy. ~*
I’ve been to East Java (Malang and Lawang) and Jakarta is in the West. Now that I am in Central Java, I can say I have had a ‘taste’ of what Javanese people are like. There are some big differences, in my opinion, between the 3 regions’ peoples. I won’t go into it here, but I will tell some of you in private. *~ smile ~*
Anyway, I now need your help and advice:
I have two photos of two adorable little girls, I’m not sure which I like best. Please tell me what you like in each. The first is so innocent, and represent a vision of how I see kampungs: harsh environments with sweet, sometimes innocent people. The 2nd photo represents how innocence can cloud one’s judgment, leaving one vulnerable and at the mercy of others (as can be seen from that ominous hand reaching out of nowhere in picture #2).
*~ Anyway, which do you like more, and why ~*
The Kampung Paradox
Jakarta, Indonesia
Quite often kampungs (neighborhood villiages) are a paradox: Hard, unyielding rock walls,
old cracked brick and layered grounds of broken slate, razor sharp glass and sharp pebbles
Vs.
The soft, tender, innocent smiles of curious children
The Buddy System
Jakarta, Indonesia
Little children raised in the West are taught to always swim with a buddy because unseen, life threatening dangers can exist in even the most familiar places. If one buddy is in danger the other could provide help. The buddy system does not always work; sometimes both buddies will lose their lives.
The two innocent girls—the smaller one bravely leading her bigger, more apprehensive buddy—may know every corner of their kampung, but do not recognize the very real danger of following a stranger into a dark, isolated corner of jagged, sound-proofing rock and stone. Evil could strike like a hidden snake to grab one or both of them. The only frail evidence would be their unheard screams which would quickly disappear without a trace against uncaring stone.
Bahasa Indonesia Lesson For Today:
Macet: Traffic Jam!!!!
Ok, Take care and be good 