Domestic helpers act out their own destiny

Singgir Kartana, Contributor, Yogyakarta

Domestic helpers are usually associated with menial jobs and household chores. You will have a different impression, however, if you see a play by the Yogyakarta Domestic Helpers Association.

In collaboration with Yogyakarta's Pendapa Literary Circle, they performed a play titled Sih at Purna Budaya Building, Yogyakarta, on Friday night.

"That was the first time such a performance has been staged in Yogyakarta," said Abror Y Prabowo, the director and playwright.

The play was about a testimony of a female journalist, Zubaidah, who has witnessed how Sih, a housemaid, has been unfairly treated before the law. She works for Mrs Tarlita and had been accused of murdering Tumirah, another housemaid in the family.

The play was a flashback that began with Zubaidah telling the audience of the case involving Sih. This was followed by scenes depicting her story. The open-ended play concluded with a call that the audience also reflect upon this case.

Despite the flashback narrative, Sih is a simple story. Sih and Tumirah migrated to the city to help alleviate their families' burden. Sih also wants to see her father, who lives in the city and has not returned home for a long time. Both end up working for Mrs Tarlita.

They have come at an inopportune time as Mrs Tarlita is having a sour relation with her husband. That's why Mrs Tarlita always vents her anger on the new servants. The two girls have never received their pay. They have been insulted and beaten. They have also been isolated in a closed room for many days. Finally, Tumirah dies at the hands of Mrs Tarlita, who got angry when she found the floor still dirty after Tumirah cleaned it. Mrs Tarlita forces Sih to admit that she is the killer.

Mrs Tarlita has also bribed the police and threatened Sih to escape prison. Under Mrs Tarlita's threat, Sih falsely confessed to the police that she was the killer. Zubaidah knows that Sih is innocent and tries to expose Mrs Tarlita's lies. She writes about Sih's sufferings but she is powerless against the law that has set justice aside.

Sih was inspired by the case of Sunarsih in Surabaya. On Feb. 15, 2001, Sunarsih, a housemaid from Pasuruan, was killed by her employer. The court passed a very light sentence on the killer.

To lend life to the performance, the stage was divided into two worlds. The upper part showed a city life, visualized through a room in a modern house plus the appliances usually found in a luxury house. This is the world of Mrs Tarlita. The lower part resembled a village area. You can see trees and equipment to pound rice in there. This represents the village life of Sih and Tumirah before they migrated.

This performance was more than just a piece of entertainment as it was also intended as a campaign for legal and social protection to domestic helpers. It was also part of a campaign against violence against women. It was hoped that the play would make more people aware of cases involving domestic helpers.

"Our emphasis was not the artistic side but the message of the play," said Fathuddin Muchtar, the production manager and also the campaign staff of Rumpun Tjoet Njak Dien.