Man devotes his life to repairing 'delman'

By Joko Sarwono

BOGOR, West Java (JP). It is hard to believe that in this modern era few people can profess to running a repair shop for horse-drawn buggies. The more so when the repair shop only works on delman (traditional horse-drawn carriage), the numbers of which have dwindled drastically.

But Miming's case is out of the ordinary. He opened a delman garage in his backyard at Rt. 05/02 in Kedungbadak village in Tanah Sereal, Bogor.

How long this 63-year-old man has been in business he can't say. "I don't know, it must be some time now," he said. Though it was obvious he opened the repair shop before 1945.

"I was already working during the Japanese occupation. I was not very experienced then, and had to learn from my father," he said of the beginnings of his delman garage.

It was once a profitable business and in the early days it supported his whole household, he said.

"Back then delman were in abundance and the business kept us going, thank God," said Miming. He had about 50 customers then.

With the expansion and modernization of city transportation, the number of delman in Bogor gradually dwindled. There was no competing with the new transportation system, which was faster and cheaper. Many coachmen changed profession. The number of Miming's customers decreased each month.

"Now I have only 15 customers. Many coachmen have become drivers," he said.

His remaining customers appear to be coachmen who are unable to repair their delman, or who need a rare spare part. "Some spare parts are no longer sold in shops," said Miming.

The amount he charges for repairs varies. "It would depend on the extent of the damage. Small repairs cost only Rp 1,500," explained Miming.

These days his business does not provide a living for Miming and his family.

"Customer flow is quite unsteady. This month there were only three customers, last month there was none," said the father of two. "I will have, at most, four customers in one month. And then only for small repairs," he added.

In quiet periods when there are no delman repairs to be done Miming operates a snack stall he calls a sideline business.

"If there are no delman to tinker with, I sell porridge, sweet sticky rice balls, and bakwan (fried vegetable patties)," he said.

But even if the delman repair shop was no longer practical, Miming would not think of giving up the work.

"I will go on doing it until I die. It wouldn't matter if I had customers or not, I would still open up shop," he said firmly.

There are three reasons behind his resolution. First, he would not have the heart to send his customers away. "I feel sorry for my customers," he said. The second reason is that repairing delman is about the only skill he possesses.

"Quite honestly, I am an uneducated man, I never went to school. So there are no job alternatives; this is all I can do," he explained.

The third reason is a strong belief that delman will survive in Bogor. Bogor and its Botanical Gardens attract domestic and foreign tourists and many of them like exploring the gardens in a delman. In Miming's eyes, the delman has become an integral part of the Botanical Gardens. He is, therefore, convinced that the delman will not be eliminated from his hometown.

"Even if cars overcrowd the city, the delman will always be here. Tourists visiting the Botanical Gardens like them," Miming said.

When Miming was a small boy, his ambition was to become a soldier. "I wanted to defend the country," he said. But his father was not thrilled by the idea and insisted it be forgotten.

"Ming, don't go anywhere now. Don't stop this business. Go on with it, even if it isn't attracting any customers. Have pity on the delman people," Miming mimed the words his father uttered a long time ago.

Now, he has no desire to change his profession. "I am one of those people who don't like to change jobs," he said. His wife Amnah, 55, fully accepts this. "It is just my lot," she said.

When The Jakarta Post met him, the grandfather of six was busy doing major repairs on a damaged delman, a job for which he will be paid Rp 175,000. His health, however, has not allowed him to work long hours on the delman.

"It has been more than a month now. But, I have been sick for three months. I feel better now and I can work on it, although I mustn't force myself to do too much. If I did, I would start shivering at around noon," he exclaimed.

Even so, this rare profession appears to be on its last legs. His children and grandchildren are reluctant to keep the business going.

"No, I don't feel anything for it," said Heri, his 15-year-old grandson, who is more interested in soccer and becoming a civil servant.

Miming does not expect his offspring to run the business.

Unlike other parents who nourish hopes that their offspring might find better jobs, Miming holds no particular hopes for his children.

"I don't know what they want to become. Whatever, I guess. I can't support them anyway," he said.