A tribute to women and mothers everywhere

Marianne Katoppo, Jakarta

It's December again. Today is the 78th anniversary of the first Indonesian Women's Congress in Yogyakarta. For some curious reason, it is now commemorated as Women's Day, to the great joy of the manufacturers of cosmetics, soap, perfume, detergents, and all those other items that mothers live for. And to the sorrow of feminists and those persons concerned about the correct interpretation of history.

The Women's Congress came less than two months after the famous Youth Congress, which was the keystone of Indonesian nationalism. As you may recall, on Oct. 28, 1928, these youths vowed to "have one motherland, one nation, one language."

Aha! The alert reader will comment: Why motherland? Because, in the original text it says as tumpah darah, literally meaning a land where blood was spilled. Meaning: the mother's blood, in the process of giving birth. With all due respect, it is definitely not the blood of the soldiers or heroes slain in the many wars waged on this soil -- as some of the more militaristic among us like to think.

Another expression for "native country" (country of birth) is tanah air, "land where the water was spilled." What water? The amniotic fluid, of course. Not rivers, lakes, nor oceans. Just the water that precedes the baby's birth.

So in the Indonesian language we are really talking about motherland, aren't we? It is easy to get carried away now and gush that in the Indonesian culture, women or mothers are highly regarded. Witness the fact that the word perempuan literally means "the sovereign, the exalted, the wise."

Empu was a title given to monarchs, ministers and masters. Empu Sindok is one of the first kings recorded in Javanese history. Empu Mada, or Gajah Mada, was the prime minister of Majapahit Kingdom in Java several centuries ago. Empu Gandring was the smithy who forged the infamous kris for Ken Arok, and cursed it when Ken Arok killed him with it.

Empu Tantular wrote the classic Sutasoma, from which we have derived the immortal phrase "Bhinneka tunggal ika, tan hana darma mangrua," ("Diverse, but one; God is not divided"). The first half has become the Indonesian national slogan. Unfortunately, people have been led to think that the diversity refers to ethnic groups and cultures, whereas it is clearly a call for religious harmony and tolerance, for the next line says, "There is no Buddha, no Shiva; though bearing different names, God is one."

We know all about religious harmony and tolerance in Indonesia. As Christmas approaches, it is such a relief to know that security is being heightened at churches. The police are deploying thousands of personnel to ensure that Christians can carol in peace. Of course there still are some craven enough to forego the traditional midnight service for fear of bombs. Especially expatriates, who claim they have been warned by their embassies to stay away.

To return to the subject of women or mothers. Although language-wise the female of the species may have an exalted position, in real life we have a very different picture. The Women's Congress of 1928 was fighting for or against some things which are unresolved to this day. Against: Trafficking in women and children, child marriages, domestic violence. For: Better health, especially the reproductive sector; access to education, equal employment.

Trafficking in women is worse than ever, now. Last year, Manado had the highest rate.

And do you know what the maternal mortality rate is in Indonesia today? I stopped checking a few years ago. It was too upsetting to find out that it is still incredibly high: about 700 times that of Norway, and only slightly less than Nepal. There is no money to provide better prenatal care, better health centers, better nutrition, and so on. Better meaning "affordable" or "free".

However, there is plenty of money to raise the salaries and expenses of the CEOs and their vicepersons, to raise the salaries of the illustrious members of parliament who are well-known for their somnolence in sessions, and to underwrite the "See the Pyramids" fancy of some "studious" MPs. The latter said that they were invited by the Egyptian legislature, but our zealous TV journalists reported that the visit to the Egyptian confreres took just over an hour.

Besides, there was only one Egyptian MP present to receive them, and he was busy answering the phone for about 15 minutes. He also presented them with a book about the Egyptian Parliament, which in my opinion should make the Guinness Book of Records, since it cost the Indonesian taxpayers Rp 750 million (US$ 75,000).

As for education, same as above. Schools keep collapsing, and if that is not bad enough, tuition and other sundry expenses usually drive parents and even children to despair. Some have even taken their own lives.

Let us bear in mind that the women who convened in Yogyakarta 78 years ago were very privileged. Many of them had a college education -- at a time when, for example, in Germany less than 2 percent of the women had that privilege. They were certainly not scrambling for political positions, nor were they fighting for their own interests. Perhaps one could say that they were "living for the sisterhood" -- i.e. empowering the weaker ones, making room for the unprivileged, defending the rights of all.

In Greek, the word for power is exousia, which may be translated as "outside one's being." True power is to be able to stand outside one's own being, empathize with the condition of others -- and then do something about it.

Remember that Mahatma Gandhi chose to go through life half naked to remind the world of the millions of Indians who lived in abject poverty. It isn't as if he couldn't afford a proper suit.

Why is it that we seem to have lost track of such models of leadership, of power? Why do people strive for high positions to inflate their egos and their bank accounts?

Nearly 1000 years ago, there was a Javanese princess whose name is not recorded and is only known to us as Dharmaprasada Uttunggadewi, a title bestowed upon her by her father, King Erlangga. She was his eldest child, therefore he wanted her to succeed him. From an early age he trained her to be a ruler. She was Mahamatri i Hino (second only to the King) for a while and even signed several prasasti (monuments) with him.

But she begged him to release her, to let her follow her heart's desire, which was to become a hermit. She retired to the cave of Selomangleng at Kediri in Eastern Java where she meditated for many years until her death, and became known as Dewi Kilisuci.

Feminists and other gender-concerned persons, take note of that young princess of 1000 years ago! Not many of us may be inclined to follow her option for the eternal since we are quite comfortable in the temporal. But let us honor her, and the women of 1928 by striving to make this world a better place. Let us ask ourselves how we can best celebrate Women's Day and continue the agenda of 1928.

If it must be called Mother's Day, then let this day be a tribute to all women who are mothers because they are givers of life, whether through physical childbirth or through spiritual ideals.

The writer is a women's rights activist.