Domestic helpers act out their own destiny<\/p>\n
Singgir Kartana, Contributor, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Domestic helpers are usually associated with menial jobs and
\nhousehold chores. You will have a different impression, however,
\nif you see a play by the Yogyakarta Domestic Helpers Association.<\/p>\n
In collaboration with Yogyakarta's Pendapa Literary Circle,
\nthey performed a play titled Sih at Purna Budaya Building,
\nYogyakarta, on Friday night.<\/p>\n
\"That was the first time such a performance has been staged in
\nYogyakarta,\" said Abror Y Prabowo, the director and playwright.<\/p>\n
The play was about a testimony of a female journalist,
\nZubaidah, who has witnessed how Sih, a housemaid, has been
\nunfairly treated before the law. She works for Mrs Tarlita and
\nhad been accused of murdering Tumirah, another housemaid in the
\nfamily.<\/p>\n
The play was a flashback that began with Zubaidah telling the
\naudience of the case involving Sih. This was followed by scenes
\ndepicting her story. The open-ended play concluded with a call
\nthat the audience also reflect upon this case.<\/p>\n
Despite the flashback narrative, Sih is a simple story. Sih
\nand Tumirah migrated to the city to help alleviate their
\nfamilies' burden. Sih also wants to see her father, who lives in
\nthe city and has not returned home for a long time. Both end up
\nworking for Mrs Tarlita.<\/p>\n
They have come at an inopportune time as Mrs Tarlita is having
\na sour relation with her husband. That's why Mrs Tarlita always
\nvents her anger on the new servants. The two girls have never
\nreceived their pay. They have been insulted and beaten. They have
\nalso been isolated in a closed room for many days. Finally,
\nTumirah dies at the hands of Mrs Tarlita, who got angry when she
\nfound the floor still dirty after Tumirah cleaned it. Mrs Tarlita
\nforces Sih to admit that she is the killer.<\/p>\n
Mrs Tarlita has also bribed the police and threatened Sih to
\nescape prison. Under Mrs Tarlita's threat, Sih falsely confessed
\nto the police that she was the killer. Zubaidah knows that Sih is
\ninnocent and tries to expose Mrs Tarlita's lies. She writes about
\nSih's sufferings but she is powerless against the law that has
\nset justice aside.<\/p>\n
Sih was inspired by the case of Sunarsih in Surabaya. On Feb.
\n15, 2001, Sunarsih, a housemaid from Pasuruan, was killed by her
\nemployer. The court passed a very light sentence on the killer.<\/p>\n
To lend life to the performance, the stage was divided into
\ntwo worlds. The upper part showed a city life, visualized through
\na room in a modern house plus the appliances usually found in a
\nluxury house. This is the world of Mrs Tarlita. The lower part
\nresembled a village area. You can see trees and equipment to
\npound rice in there. This represents the village life of Sih and
\nTumirah before they migrated.<\/p>\n
This performance was more than just a piece of entertainment
\nas it was also intended as a campaign for legal and social
\nprotection to domestic helpers. It was also part of a campaign
\nagainst violence against women. It was hoped that the play would
\nmake more people aware of cases involving domestic helpers.<\/p>\n
\"Our emphasis was not the artistic side but the message of the
\nplay,\" said Fathuddin Muchtar, the production manager and also
\nthe campaign staff of Rumpun Tjoet Njak Dien.<\/p>",
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