Madura

One of the first things one notices about Indonesia is how Indonesians LOVE to do things en masse. Very rarely does one meet an Indonesian who appreciates solitude; most would opt for noise, crowds, and hustle-bustle. It's not hard to get into the spirit of togetherness which prevails. But too much attention coupled with little time alone for reflection can also wear you down.

In the countryside of Madura, an island off the coast of east Java, you may meet with the occasional shepherd or two, and when you do, they are sure to want to talk. But when you walk into the dense, dense environment of an Islamic boarding school, or Pondok Pesantren, crowds gather. It can feel like the walls are closing in. But relax, take it like a rock star, and you'll be all right.

Perhaps Indonesia's most fervent adherents to Islam, the Madurese comply with dress codes less strict than in some Arab nations. In the countryside or within the walls of home, strictures may drop by the wayside, but in general the Madurese dress chastely. Women must cover their hair and necks, and their limbs from their ankles to their wrists. Men may wear short sleeves, but usually cover themselves to a similar degree, preferring to wear a long-sleeved business shirt and a cap. The "fez" cap, a signature Muslim accessory, goes by many names, among them "kopia", "songkok", and "peci".

Both the men and women wear sarung made from sheet-like cotton wrapped around their waists. Women's sarungs are unsewn lengths of fabric featuring printed or batik images of roosters, flowers, and other organic designs. The men wear a sewn "tube" of fabric, invariably of a plaid weave.

Flip-flops are ubiquitous. Trust me, Teva sandals look like moon boots under a sarung.

Especially within the confines of a Pesantren, men and women live seperately from each other. In fact, most men would not have access to these "behind the scenes" views of women within their compound, dressed casually with colorful shawls instead of full "jilbab" head-coverings. (Notice that you can see their necks, even wisps of hair!).

As women do almost all of the cooking (some enterprising male students cook for themselves, but not always), the men must purchase their food from behind partitions or through tiny plate-slots. Typically, the money is dropped onto the floor-- no hand touching here-- and all that is seen is a hand pushing the plate through.

Most Madurese are farmers, growing tobacco for cash and corn for food. Many raise chickens or herd cattle, goats, and sheep; coastal families might fish or rake salt. A new bridge to Java under construction is bringing with it the promise of new jobs and the growth of Industry on the island, but most Madurese distrust the vision. They fear losing their land to developers and their jobs to outsiders coming in with more skills.

For the moment, however, Madura remains agrarian, with corn as the staple (some rice is grown as well, but much of it is imported). Let's look then to the landscape, green with December rains and fresh young corn.

The people <> The landscape <> An Islamic boarding school

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