After about a 45 minute drive from Tapak Tuan, we arrived inMeuke, stopping at an intersection in the road to ask which way to go, to findthe house where we would stay. Although the town appeared small, the roads werepaved and there were power lines visible.
We entered a very large home of the friend of one of ourresearchers, who is also the elected government representative for thisdistrict. Despite the fact that he is in Medan for work currently, his wifereceived us warmly, offering coffee and a drink made from raspberry syrup.Trying the coffee, it was incredibly sweet, if it had been cold and had haddairy in it, it could have been coffee ice cream. The researchers explained tome that not only to Acenese prefer things to be very sweet, but also if ahostess serves a drink that is not very sweet people will think she is stingy,because offering very sweet drinks is equated with being generous and also withshowing that you have the money to give lots of sugar.
We then settled into our rooms, I am sharing a room and abed downstairs with the other female researcher. Our room is windowless and contains a bed, a small vanityand a large armoire, full of clothes and other things. The lady of the housemoved a fan into our room to help cool us during the coming night (for the parts when the electricity was on).
We then decided to go for a walk around the community to tryto get to know people. As we walked around we were greeted by many people ofall ages, with a few children wandering along behind us. I saw coffee, nutmeg,and beetlenut laid out on cloths to dry in the sun. The other female researcherand I were soon invited into the home a woman we were chatting with. Sheinvited us into her formal living room where she served us something thattasted like Tang with extra sugar. We chatted and found out she was a teacheras well as a bit of a leader for the women in the community. She offered tohelp us organize a gathering of women so we could discuss some of our researchwith them and conduct a focus group.
Our new friend then walked us the Gacheik’s (village leader)house, where we greeted him and let him know about our plans for the 4 days wewill be here. He agreed to help us organize a gathering of men so we could alsoconduct a focus group with them, and ask for their help finding informants forinterviews.
The family we are staying with is providing us three meals aday, as is customary here, so we returned for lunch and were served two kindsof fish (as the village is close to the ocean), green beans, shrimp chips, andwhite rice. That afternoon I watched as the researchers conducted the focusgroup with women from the village, asking them to brainstorm ideas aboutchildren who do not live with their biological parents, but instead with someother family, often relatives. The group was made up of women of various ages,most of whom were eager to participate in the conversation and also seemed usedto participating in group activites.
Once we had finished the focus group I had plans to go for arun, but was happy to walk along with the other female researcher, and ourfriend who was a teacher to see a bit more of the community. We walked pastrice paddies that were in bloom, which left the scent of flowers along theroad. This village is very near large mountains, where coffee is grown, butwhere (I’ve been assured) there are no tigers. As we walked many people greetedus, curious about what we were doing and where we were going. Children shouted“Bule!” or foreigner as we passed. We reached the edge of the village, markedby a small bridge, and while my two companions turned around and started back,as it was 6:30 pm and the sun was setting, I picked up my pace to a jog. Icontinued on through the next village, greeting people and smiling or waving asthey tried to speak to be in Indonesian or Acehnese. I turned around and mademy way back, passing my former walking partners, and continuing on. At onepoint a man and woman on a motorcycle who spoke a bit of English drove alongbeside me asking where I was from, if I spoke Indonesian, where I was from, andwhere I was staying. I arrived back at the house where I was staying, andquickly bought two bottles of water from the small stand in front of the housenext door, as it was still at least in the 80s, despite it being dusk.
As I was stretching and the other female researcherreturned, the village leader arrived at the house, looking for either of themale/Acehnese researchers, who were currently out dropping our driver off athis house. We called them, and the village leader informed them that the policewould need copies of our identification and permission letter from theorganization and university sponsoring us, however, this was only necessarybecause I was with them. Later we all met up at the village leader’s house,where we made photocopies and met with a member of the police, who are obligedto report the arrival of a foreigner within 24 hours of his/her arrival.
As we went back to the house where we were staying, Icommented to the female researcher that I was glad I’d chosen to put on a scarfand wrapped it around myself like a shawl or pashmina before going, consideringthat both the police and the village leader were there. I also mentioned againthat if I was ever wearing something where she thought I should be coveredmore, she should tell me. “Well actually,” she said slowly “As you wererunning, someone told me to tell my friend to cover her head. I didn’t knowwhat to make of it, but the woman we were with said it was very rude to havesaid it.” I explained that I was happy to cover my head if it would be morepolite or respectful. Our walking companion had suggested we ask the wife ofthe house where we were staying. When we returned from the village chief’shouse, the wife and several women appeared to be balancing the finances forsomething, and we politely interrupted, to see what they thought about themcovering my head. The female researcher translated the response as “It’sbetter. If you want to.” But I realize that the mean of that sentence changes,depending on where the pause is placed: “It’s better if you want to.”Regardless, I decided that I should follow their suggestion.
At breakfast the next morning, the two male researchersapproved of my head covering, although it does not look Indonesian. They said Ilooked like I was from Turkey.
One then said “From now on I will introduce you as Turkish;this will get you more respect, I think.”
No comments:
Post a Comment