S
A L I
(The
Story of a Woman Dani *)
Etnography
Novel
By:
Dewi
linggasari
*
A not for my dad, with love
Patients have been
queuing outside the huddle. Host again provide a similar menu plus super
noodles mixed with sardines. Doctors and nurses had no choice but to eat what
the menu to start the service. Gayatri took time to visit the little patients
in honai to replace the infusion bottle and make sure his condition began to
improve, then Trimas who continued treatment, as Gayatri must perform emergency
services in the health center. The third day the patient began to decrease,
Gayatri back down to the village to see the state of small-infused patients, he
was grateful for the help given that the patient has returned to a healthy
condition.
Day four patients
decreased. The fifth day of the medical team agreed to go down to the houses to
hold counseling. When Gayatri look tiny patients visited in honai and found the
child was sitting munching sweet potato, he smiled. "My brother was
cured?" Gayatri touched the boy's cheek, he took off his shoes and sat
facing the stove. While Hera did the same thing.
"Mama, thank
you. My son was cured, "a woman hugging Gayatri, she is his mother. The
father of the child came shortly afterwards, sitting join. Lit the fire, thrust
a bunch of corn, shelled, and soon the fire had turned into coal, corn that was
ripe already, and they chew it with delicious roasted corn.
"Mama, mama
seems God had sent two of them to this remote place. We do not know what
happens if my child does not help. So far no one had never visited this place,
no one cared for us, no one knows we had trouble. Mama look at our
circumstances, our house is not good, we want a healthy home. Our clothes are
also not good. We live remote, hard-round. If later mama to town, tell him
there about our situation, we want change ", Peter, the father of the boy
suddenly opened talks at length." We are very thankful and grateful that
both mama willing to sit with us in the honai. The place is very far away, the
plane can not be expected, to be able to come to town sometimes we have to walk
as far as forty miles through the woods with. The weather had such a bad time,
when the hail down here on the way. He is not helped, he died ", the words
came out with a homely middle as if Peter chatted with friends who have long
known and highly trusted.
Gayatri see Hera's
eyes filled with tears, she was trying to hold back sobs. While she experienced
the same thing, even tears have fallen, because those words. She was not only a
physician is able to treat patients, but also a figure from another world
sitting on the floor honai, required experience issues surrounding complex.
Gayatri remembered an established life, she never had difficulty in achieving
goals, never nothing wrong, everything is so perfect. But society is facing
today? They are citizens of the same state, but does not have the same rights,
they are a bunch of neglected eastern region, which did not acquire the right
to justice. And the group with the young doctor pleaded innocent to forward all
complaints to the "he" for a change.
Gayatri suddenly
felt so small, she was not fully able to analyze or do not have the courage to
reveal the causes that result in injustice in this valley. Jayawijaya local
budget even as big as the subsidy received by the university every year. A
small amount, not in accordance with the level of hardship and unfair. But, to
whom this injustice should be questioned? Gayatri feel very stupid. She is just
a very small part of a system or regime in power. She has indeed been able to
get out of the problem, achieving goals, dignity, and became a private. But the
people demand that this plain? Gayatri powerless to answer. Similarly Hera.
The girls came out
of honai with puffy eyes. Both no longer speak, lost in their own thoughts.
Speech, memory, and the communities in which honesty has become a cue, there
was something wrong in the system of national governance. And for a while Gayatri
should stop here.
Later in the news
over the radio that the aircraft could not pick up come. Medical Group was also
stunned. In a remote and lonely days seemed slow. Gayatri reminded of Liwa, she
was no longer able to master the anxiety. She could not imagine what would
happen to that poor woman without a doctor's surgical skills. Midwives will
never be able to cope. While she worked for was a small clinic in the suburbs, she
had promised to save Liwa. She could not linger in this remote place.
While Hera looked
pensive, she was unable to hide her face covered with clouds. There is a
serious question about it. "Why Her?" Gayatri said.
"I had to
immediately return to Wamena to call mama, something bad has happened."
"What
about?"
Hera did not
immediately answer, she sighed heavily again and again, in doubt with herself.
The girl was confused before finally answering. "It's a family issue, a
very personal issue," Hera paused a moment and then continue Hera words.
"They're getting a divorce", the doctor lay down on the sleeping bag,
staring at the ceiling blankly.
"They? You
mean? "
"Mom and Dad.
I do not know what exactly happened, suddenly they decide to divorce. I can not
stay much longer in this place. At least I have to call from Wamena to see what
happens ".
"But the plane
never come to pick".
"We must do
something to get out of this place", Hera thought.
"I had to
immediately get to Wamena to see the patient, can not last much longer,"
Gayatri said.
"So, what
should we do?" Hera looked Gayatri linger, trying to get an answer.
"There is a
road sixty kilometers from Kobakma to Pass Valley. If you dare walk away with
some of the residents? "
Answer it seemed a
solution, the doctors looked at each other and nodded. "You dare
Gay?" Hera said.
"I've thought
about it before the plane landed on the runway".
"What Anton
and Trimas?"
"They will
definitely be with".
Anton and Trimas
apparently agree, they make decisions quickly, getting ready denganempat dozen
other residents for a trip the next day. Gayatri and Hera bed earlier than
usual, they decided to do something too bold, perhaps ridiculous, and anxious
to get back to Wamena with no calculated risk.
The next day when
the morning had not broke, Trimas and Anton had knocked the bedroom wall. They
have to pack the goods, breakfast, and steeled himself for a journey that has
never been imagined. Some people are willing to take had come, they were
sympathetic to the arrival of the medical team who have worked so hard to treat
the patient until recovery.
The sun was shining
in golden light when the group began to move. Anton walked meeting near Hera,
she caught a glimpse cloudy at that sweet face, but really she did not dare to
ask. For some women doctors into a private enclosed often filled with
questions. She was consistent with routine tasks, but off-duty, she or she
tends to shut down. The decision to take this trip is a surprise, it was
impossible not accompany Anton, he was sympathetic towards the doctor.
While Trimas runs
not far from Gayatri, he felt responsible for the safety of this doctor. His
visit to the Baliem Valley has become an amazing thing, and this desperate
journey. "The world was not less strange people," as Trimas say in
the heart. Trimas surprised, because
there was little else the doctor complaining the journey, she acted as if he
were leisurely jaunt around the city. Gayatri save all records in a small
backpack and carry it. Since the school she was hiking hobbies, along the small
villages that can not be reached by vehicles. This trip is a favorite, even
though deep down inside she felt there was a little scared. Fear of a thing
that is not easy to understand.
They passed a
silimo, take leave on a abambok-chiefs-who can not speak Indonesian and
farewell with a friendly smile. The delegation, totaling 18 people were moving
through the hardening. Half an hour later they passed Seralima village, the
last village. Still wet and dewy morning, the sun is still biased yellowish.
passing through hardening. Half an hour later they passed Seralima village, the
last village. Still wet and dewy morning, the sun is still biased yellowish.
Rows honai standing on both sides of the street looked a thin puff of smoke as
a sign of life. Residents stand in front honai, arms folded, against the cold,
watching a small group that runs the backpacks and supplies. Gayatri took time
to aim the camera. Later, it will be shooting the best photos from its
collection.
Journey continues,
more and more narrow roads, muddy and climbing. Warm sunlight penetrating green
foliage. In the vast universe surrounding roads are in green shaded blue sky
and white clouds drifting ever changing shape. Group until the first tributary
before reaching the cottage. They take a rest while, cleaning the mud and sweat
on his face and then began to move up the hill to climb fallen timber. Silence
resumed when the sound of splashing water is no longer audible. Occasional
breaks jungle animal sounds dumb atmosphere back then.
Suddenly, the road
narrows and gets worse, hardening the soil no longer remains, which must be
climbed in each step is mud. Originally mud only reach the calf, the knee was
finally buried. Gayatri gaping with eyes opened wide. She often hike the trail
in the woods, but not muddy like this. Hera has disappeared on the front, only
occasionally flashed her shadow. Gayatri sipped multivitamin, shared with
Triman then stepped back. Trimas guided by patience, go ahead and climb muddy.
On the sides of the road are mossy woods, with no sign of life in the forest,
except for the very delicate nature of the dew drops fall and then disappear
without a trace. The sky began to cloud covered, the air clean and fresh. Group
continues to run until it reaches a river with a strong current and clear
water. Group was dormant. Gayatri was relieved when she saw the bright face of
Hera, she never once complained. It preserves the live load and fear behind her
calm.
While from a narrow
SSB space somewhere in Kobakma, news about the journey by land have been sent
and received instantly operator who served in the department. With haste
operators deliver the news to the head office and behind the counter, Yohanis,
experienced senior doctors had received reports of wide-eyed.
"So, they
brought the two female doctors walking across the forest. No! They do not know
enough about this place. Properly MAF plane to pick her up, so they do not need
to do crazy things like this. Send news again, stop them! "Dr. Yohanis
felt his head throbbing, when he was seized with panic. If anything happens to
her doctor, he must be responsible, because he gives the task. How did the
warning of the province? Oh my God!
"Sorry father,
they would have been up in the middle of the journey. I've passed that way. The
path was muddy. Towards evening they will arrive at a cabin located below the
rock cliffs for overnight. The next day and the journey can be continued until
at Pass Valley in the middle of the day, "said the operator, he tried to
be as quiet as possible to cover her nervousness.
"They will
spend the night in the hut, in the middle of the jungle!" Eye dr. Yohanis
stared straight ahead at the operator disbelief. "I hope you guys are not
making it up. Check back radio, the news probably wrong, or .... ",
Yohanis slumped in a chair, a few seconds he seemed to lose consciousness,
where the actual position?
"Sorry father,
I was not wrong to hear, the news really like that", the words were so
calm and sure. Both men, superiors and subordinates at each other. Yohanis had
bowed his head. He remembered the existence of separatist movements operating
in the forests, the doctor closed his eyes, he felt the heat of fever crawling
all over his body. "Go back to your place," the voice slowly,
almost-almost in a whisper, and then became silent. Yohanis too anxious or worried
about something he actually is not worth worrying about, or do not know. The
man felt his face paled. He grabbed my cross necklace and began to pray.
Far away from where
Yohanis prayer, the group continued walking, mud still reach the knee. At one
place a little dry entourage stopped, opened stores, a boiled sweet potatoes
and papaya. They did not stop for too long, as the sun continued to crawl and
the air gets hot. Gayatri was tired, but she had to keep running, running till
sun up to sun slips on the horizon and the atmosphere is getting dim. From a
distance came the sound of water splashing river cottage is near. Group stopped
by the river, there is a shower, some clean the feet, and wash it all away.
Half the journey has been exceeded, the legs back track felling trees, verdant
forests alive and filled with eternal silence. Hera was up at the cottage
first, followed Gayatri. They went down the path, crawl under the fallen tree
with roots sticking out, then behold roof hut made of woven reeds to stand firm
as a rock cliff bastion.
"Hera".
"Gay".
Both of them hugged
each other and then lay down on the floor of the lodge padded jacket. Outside,
a man splitting firewood. Trimas and Anton cut rod rod bushes as bedding, soon
started to get the fire going in the hut. Dark was slowly drops and the air
gets cooler. Stores opened, burnt sweet potatoes into the hot ashes. Group was
also dining with a menu of all-what it is.
Beyond black came
quickly, Gayatri and Hera had taken refuge in the sleeping bag. Trimas have
cocked rifle and placed near the entrance. Everything felt tired and
immediately immersed in each break. Fire still burning. Gayatri avoid stares
from everyone. She stared at the ceiling cottage with a giddy, she had decided
a risky journey, she must escape from the darkness of the night in the woods
and went on the next day. Night came down with certainty, no more is heard
except the silence and the sound of dry leaves falling wind blown.
Hera seemed
restless in bed, eyes closed Gayatri push yourself. She should summon the
energy for a trip the next day. At first he was troubled, but she appealed to
the God, so that she finally fall asleep. Gayatri awake several times, when she
did not hear any signs of danger, she was back asleep. Gayatri awake several
times, when she did not hear any signs of danger, she was back asleep. The
clock is ticking.
Finally dawn,
Gayatri opened eyes with gratitude, that she spent the night safely. There's no
such terrible events she had ever imagined, and she had to get ready. Travel immediately
forwarded. Biscuits, sweet potatoes, and mineral water were distributed.
Gayatri and Hera get cleaned up in a creek that is located around the cabin and
change clothes. Soon the group began to walk up the hill, the lodge was
abandoned and return quietly.
Continued ....
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