I was in Indonesia’s West Papua province to document World Vision’s gender and development programme, when I noticed a curious habit common among the local men.
“Why do men here carry a stick when they walk?” I asked the local Lani pastor and community leader. He did not reply immediately. Interspersed between several meetings he mulled over my questions for several hours before responding.
West Papua, Indonesia’s eastern province, home to lush green forests and the vanishing Bird of Paradise still holds many mysteries. The Lani, still untainted by processes of “civilisation,” have few possessions. Those who dress traditionally spend little on clothes. They share community resources. Commonly referred to as “stone age people,” they have names for 26 different kinds of mushrooms.
In response to my request to attend a Lani Church service, my colleagues from World Vision Indonesia took me to a “neighbourhood” church, a two-hour trek across two hills.
On the way, I saw women going to the market, carrying five to seven kilos of sweet potatoes in woven straw-bags strapped over their heads. In addition, they carried a child on their shoulders. Every few hundred metres up the valley; they would catch their breath while using the time to wash the produce in the stream.
A few feet ahead of each woman walked her husband, rather nonchalantly with a wooden stick in hand. In contrast with his wife’s double burden, he carried a light bag slung over the shoulder. While her gait was stooped, he appeared like someone going on a moonlight walk.
Why the unequal distribution of labour? Every step I took increased my empathy for the women, as my 12-kilo camera bag got heavier.
The pastor later approached me and said, “I gave your question some thought.” He went on to explain that until a few decades ago, the Lani used to fight battles between villages. Men used to walk with spears, ready to defend their wives and children. In order to be ready to defend, men did not carry bags or children but a spear. However, the wars ended and spears became redundant but instead of discarding these, men turned them in to sticks. What once had a significant role now was useless but more importantly become an impediment for the family’s progress.
What outdated spears come to mind in your life and work? How many have now been turned in to sticks and continue to be carried?
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E-mail kristina@worldvision.org.sg |
