'If It's Not Diverse, It's Not Indonesia': Reflections From an Ex-Journalist's Memoir
Jakarta. Former journalist Maman Suherman's fifteenth book is a memoir called "Bapakku Indonesia" ("Indonesia My Father"), a collection of childhood memories surrounding his late father. The book, in which the author encourages a return to family values and respect for Indonesia's diversity, was launched on Monday (16/04) at the Public Works and Housing Ministry's headquarters in South Jakarta.
Maman told reporters at the book launch his father was a "nobody" but he was an epitome of exemplary values many can learn from.
"Even my publisher was unconvinced. Who knew my father? No one. I had to tell them this is a story about humanity," Maman said.
Maman’s father, M. Suparman H.S., was a low-rank soldier who often left his family for months while on assignment.
But he was also kind, unabashedly affectionate to his children and protective as a mother would be.
Some parts in the book even showed Suparman the soldier being reprimanded by his wife – a contrast to the typical hyper-masculine representation of soldiers in Indonesian pop culture.
'If It’s Not Diverse, It’s Not Indonesia'
Another theme in the book is the diversity of Indonesia, reflected by Maman's own experiences. "If it’s not bhinneka [diverse], it’s not Indonesia," his father once told him.
Maman himself was a "mixed ethnic" child. His father was a Sundanese from Sumedang, West Java, and his mother a Bugis woman from Makassar, South Sulawesi.
This led to Maman being bullied at school. When he was in junior high school in Makassar, his schoolmates called him a "poor kid from Java."
But when he moved to Sumedang, he was mocked for his thick Makassar accent, which his friends told him, "sounds primitive."
But as Maman grew up, he began to see that good things can come out of differences. He never forgets the moment when his neighbors in Sumedang, and not his own family, helped his mother settle a dispute over their family home.
"Our diversity forces us to get to know each other and allow us to get new 'siblings.' I call everyone in this country my 'sociological sibling.' That’s also what this book is all about," Maman said.
The author recently also published a poetry book titled "Bhinneka Tunggal Cinta" ("Unity in Love").
Millennials, Stay Close to Your Family
Another message that Maman wants to say in his book is a simple one: family matters.
"I want to bring millennials back to their family. Ask your parents things, don't just ask Google," Maman said.
Maman noted familial bond is disintegrating not just in urban centers but also in small towns all over Indonesia.
Since Maman is an advisor for literacy projects, including Forum Taman Bacaan Masyarakat in Jakarta, Motor Literasi in Banten, Perahu Pustaka in Mandar (West Sulawesi), Sobat Literasi Jalanan in Palembang (South Sumatra) and Komunitas Jendela Nusantara in Tarakan (North Kalimantan), he still gets to travel around the country a lot.
Last year he made time to interview young people born after 1980 in 8 cities: Jakarta, Makassar, Palembang, Bandung (West Java), Surabaya (East Java), Gorontalo, Balikpapan (East Kalimantan) and Medan (North Sumatra).
His research showed that on average kids talk to their parents for only 8 minutes to 2 hours each day, and mostly through the messaging app WhatsApp.
"I asked them if they felt something was lost. They kept trying to convince themselves they didn't, but they did," Maman said.
"Parents don't have to know everything, but children still need them as dialogue partners," Maman said. "It's good once in a while to see each other face to face."
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