Idul Fitri exodus more than tradition

Leo Wahyudi S, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Spiritual festivities like Idul Fitri are always long-awaited for a number of reasons.

For millions of migrants, this is the time to go home. For the past year many have worked day and night and Idul Fitri is the perfect time to celebrate their achievements with their family and friends in their hometowns.

In this country with the biggest Muslim population in the world, the Idul Fitri exodus is a decades-old tradition, along with urbanization.

At least 1.1 million people left Jakarta for their hometowns for Idul Fitri.

At the Senen railway station, Central Jakarta, a woman in her 40s sits alone on the ground, holding the jail bar-like gate at the station. Her eyes scan passers by. She must be waiting for someone special. Indeed, she was waiting for her daughters.

Katmi, the woman, has been working as a shop attendant for 10 years at Modern Land, an elite housing estate in Tangerang. Two of her four daughters worked as housemaids at Lippo Karawaci Apartments, also in Tangerang. Both of the girls, one aged in her 20s and the other 17, started working after graduating from junior high school.

Katmi's two other daughters live in her hometown of Bojonegoro, East Java, with her parents. Her husband left her a long time ago.

The three of them had made an appointment to leave Jakarta together for a family reunion over Idul Fitri.

Believing in God's might and blessings, Katmi said her family would survive, despite a bitter experience two years ago when she lost Rp 2 million after being cheated by a maid recruitment agency in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, who promised to send her abroad.

Not far from Katmi, a man in his 30s, who had been in the station since 9 a.m., is waiting for a train departing at 4 p.m.

Matari, a traditional farmer from Weleri, Central Java, said: "I came here to pick up my daughter. She wants to go home after working as a housemaid here in Cipinang Muara for seven months."

Marlina, the daughter, is only 13. She had to stop her elementary education to work in Jakarta in order to support her family.

Her father reluctantly said he told her to work to support her two younger siblings at her village since her father was just a poor farmer who worked in another man's rice field.

Meanwhile, Suhada, a food vendor in Bogor was longing to see his two children in his village in Lamongan, East Java, whom he had not seen for a year.

"I risk my life here for the sake of my children. I left my two children at the village with my relatives and now it is time for me to give what I have worked for," said Suhada, adding that he brought Rp 3 million in cash with him.

On the other hand, Yitno, was going home to see his parents in Cepu, Central Java.

"I just want to see my parents to make them happy. I feel delighted if I can give something to them," he said.

He had worked in a noodle factory in Tangerang for two years with a monthly salary of Rp 400,000. Even though it was hard for him to survive on such meager wages, he still managed to save a little for his parents.

When asked what he would give his parents for Idul Fitri, he said humbly, "I had saved Rp 300,000 for them. I believe they will be joyful with my gift because that is all I can give".

Ronal, who has been a taxi driver for six years in Jakarta, was returning home to prove to his parents that he is a devoted son.

The father of two young children said that he must make the annual journey home for Idul Fitri in order to show his parents his love.

"During the festivities, they always comment that children who do not visit their parents do not have any respect for them."

His parents will not tolerate any excuses from any of their children who miss returning home, and therefore Ronal feels the obligation to see them regardless of the stressful exodus.

Living in a large city invokes a sort of temporary and mechanical interaction among its individualist people. They may have superficial socializations but the fake congeniality lessens human attachments.

They are in search of more affectionate relationships, which is only found in simple family bonds. And, the very chance to show this is on the traditional yet spiritual ceremony that is Idul Fitri.