JP/15/SRIMBEN

JP/15/SRIMBEN

Srimben, a Balinese woman who "produced " two RI presidents

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Alit Kertaraharja
Contributor
Singaraja
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As every Indonesian knows, Soekarno was the first president
and his daughter, Megawati Soekarnoputri, is now the fifth
president, the first such succession in the nation's post-
independence history. Few, however, know about the woman behind
these two-generation successes.

Her name was Ida Ayu Nyoman Rai Srimben.

In the early l900s, Srimben was born as a daughter in the
Brahmana high priest family in Buleleng, North Bali.

She lived her life as a member of the Banjar Bale Agung clan
by conducting prime duties in the family and her community. Her
duties included praying, weaving, making traditional textiles,
dancing, mekidung (singing Balinese verses) and ngayah (serving
in the community).

Her fate changed dramatically when she met a handsome school
teacher, Raden Mas Soekemi Sosrodihardjoe, at tweede klasse
scholen (elementary school during Dutch colonialism), which is
now the SDN 1 Singaraja public elementary school.

Her family never expected Srimben to marry a Javanese man. In
the early 20th century, an interfaith, inter-ethnic marriage was
taboo in Bali.

Luh Ayu, 85, and Nyoman Gel Gel, 70, Srimben's living
relatives recalled their memories.

"In the past, kin marriage was common among Balinese people,
especially among the high-caste, which wanted to maintain its
pure blood," they said.

The Banjar Bale Agung clan held a very strict rule and
tradition concerning marriages of its members. "Women in our
family were prohibited from marrying males in lower castes," Luh
said.

But the beautiful, soft-voiced Srimben made her toughest
decision in her life by eloping with Soekemi and, in doing so,
leaving her beloved family and traditions behind.

"At that time, her action was considered very risky by
Balinese women, but Srimben was so courageous to elope with
Soekemi," she said, adding that her move reflected both
persistence and rebellion against a rigid tradition.

Balinese tradition dictates that marriage to an outsider from
a different ethnic and religious group warrants "family and
communal" banishment.

By marrying Soekemi, Srimben was banned for life from entering
the family house, praying at pura (temple) and was excluded from
any traditional and religious ceremonies.

Luh said that, although the young couple only lived 100 meters
away from the whole clan, Srimben was never seen entering the
gate of her family home.

"The big family and Srimben actually had owed one important
ceremony called mepamit," said Made Arsana, a priest at Dadia
Pasek Bale Agung.

When a Balinese girl married to a man outside her family, she
must carry out mepamit, a ceremony to bid farewell to her
ancestral home and temple. After the marriage, a woman would
belong to her husband's puruse (big clan).

"But when Srimben got married to Soekemi, the Banjar Bale
Agung clan had never conducted mepamit ritual to spiritually and
morally release their daughter Srimben from any family's rights
and obligations," said Arsana.

The ritual is very urgent to cut off the spiritual ties
between Srimben and her ancestors of the clan. Balinese people
strongly believe in the Niskala (spiritual realm).

"We are expecting Megawati, as her direct descendant, to
represent Srimben to perform the mepamit ritual. So far, there
has been no green light from her," said Arsana.

While visiting the elderly Srimben in her home in Blitar, East
Java, years ago, another Srimben's cousin, Putu Ayu, claimed she
heard the old woman still mekidung.

"She still had vividly remembered her family members in Banjar
Bale Agung and kept asking me whether the girls mastered dancing
and mekidung," recalled Putu.