Aiko: one hip abbess who really cares about young people
Hera Diani The Jakarta Post Jakarta
Quite petite even by Indonesian standards, she wears a black skirt and black thin brocade top which reveals glossy red lingerie.
Sporting short hair highlighted blonde streaks and with a fully made-up face, Herwindra Aiko Senosoenoto, or Aiko, is not your average run-of-the-mill Buddhist abbess.
Poised and a bit reserved, she endlessly puffs her menthol cigarettes.
"As an abbess, people expect me to dress properly, but I refuse. I think it's important to attract young people, to make them not embarrassed about their religion and still feel hip and fashionable even while respecting their religion," The 36-year- old Aiko explained.
On a recent afternoon, during an annual youth program at the complex of Sadaparibhuta Vihara at Megamendung, Bogor, Aiko was on stage in front of hundreds of young Buddhists.
She asked one of them playfully, why Javanese people use the term ngalor ngidul when referring to chatting about all sorts of topics and without direction.
When nobody could answer the question, Aiko said it was because the Javanese have understood for many years that the earth is spherical.
"That's why they called it ngalor ngidul (literally means from North to South), not ngulon ngetan (West to East)," she said, followed by laughter from the young audience, members of Yayasan Pandita Sabha Buddha Dharma Indonesia (BDI), a foundation boasting several hundred members of the Nichiren Syosyu sect spread across 14 provinces, and a prominent local dance company Eksotika Karmawibhangga Indonesia (EKI).
In a serious tone, Aiko continued: "You see, we, Asian people are as smart as anyone else. Nobody said we're dumb. We can do anything and produce anything we want. You just have to be proud of what you are."
As a chairwoman of BDI and also EKI, Aiko deals a lot with youth and their problems.
"Every month, I go out of town to other provinces. And I see that cases of drug abuse, teen pregnancy (out of wedlock), and school drop-outs are on the increase. Starting from junior high school, many don't want to continue their education.
"It's not because they are poor, they just don't like school. They think even without going to school they can find jobs and money. Young people are also not proud of being Indonesian," she said.
After the program she changed into tight stonewashed denims and a suede jacket with fur collar, and sat poolside with a journalist at her family's mansion near the Vihara.
To overcome the youth problems, Aiko changed the concept of the annual youth program into an event which included fun games starting last year. Young people aged between 13 and 30 years old from all over the country gather for a week during school holiday. They attend different classes -- art, politics, history -- and do skits on different topics.
Last year it had a political party them, while this year's theme was school, where participants collected ideas on what they considered to be an ideal school.
"Many students feel they can't express themselves at school. That's why we chose school as this year's theme. We want to inspire their curiosity and imagination," said the mother of four children, from two to 10 years old.
Aiko feels that formal education here is not doing enough for students as the system is too feudalistic and too serious.
"Through this program, we just want their passion to emerge first. We want them at least to become more willing to go to school," she said.
Has the program worked for those young people, she was asked.
"I don't know for sure. But at least veterans of the program like myself have a better concept about education, and also life," she said.
"And from what I have observed, those who come from poor families have more initiative. At least they strive for higher education. As for some of the Chinese-Indonesian students, they are starting broaden, and are enrolling in majors other than economics, like art for example."
She, however, has nothing against formal education as it is the only one available.
"If I'm against it, that means I have to provide my children with home schooling or private education. But that means my children don't get to socialize as much with their peers, and I don't want that.
"However, the existing (formal) schools are not adequate, there should be other alternatives for education," said Aiko.
Aiko did not finish her degree at the University of Indonesia's School of Mass Communication, saying that "I was just lazy. I think if you've already started college, finish it. At least to get a job."
In her family, she tries to be as liberal as possible, although once, she was summoned by her son's kindergarten teacher.
"Sex in our not family is not a taboo. If my son's penis is itchy, he would say that his penis is itchy, not his 'thing' or whatever. Her teacher thinks it's obscene," said Aiko who is married to EKI's dancer/choreographer Rusdy Rukmarata.
"I also taught my children to use both their hands, even though our culture always says that the left hand is lower than the right hand. If that's so, it's like we're crippled, while both hands can be useful and good. And my children like the concept."
Aiko's concern for youth was what inspired the establishment of EKI in 1996. Her vision was to try to provide a positive outlet for youthful energy, especially in art performances. EKI also handles artist management, with various clients such as puppeteer/singer Sujiwo Tejo and singer Syaharani.
Syaharani praised EKI's professionalism and positive attitude.
"Working with them is an amazing experience. There are like over a hundred people involved in a production, and they have a difficult and tedious job, but they all work with smiles, you know. I mean, how can you manage so many people and keep them all so happy?" Syaharani said.
Apparently, Aiko's approach with young people works well. On this, Aiko simply said that "by managing EKI, I feel like I am able to use that to connect to young people and encourage them to have a positive view of religion."