a column by I Wayan Juniartha
Translated by Putu Semiada
RETIRE THE DOKARS
There was once a nice song mentioning about dokar.
But what is it dokar like now?
It is now the source of all problems. A lot of people complain of it because it causes traffic jam. When people are driving motor bikes or cars on the streets with all their accessories (no matter they buy in installaments) find dokars while driving they would swear at the dokar drivers.
“My God, it’s a modern era, how can people still drive dokars nowadays, just like stone era. Don’t they know they have caused traffic jam? They just don’t know that we are in hurry for the meeting with investors,” I Made Bungut Aunganswears.
I Made might not think that swearing will not solve the problem. They know that horses do not understand men’s languages. Whatever I Made say, the dokars remain running slowly.
“They should not pass the main streets anymore. They should be stored in the museum together with the drivers instead,” Made continues.
I Made doesn’t seem understand that dokars existed long before cars and motor bikes.
“You will be cursed soon, Made. Never say something bad about dokar. You are not even allowed to overtake the dokarsas they are pioneers in transportation. All should respect them. You should speak in high Balinese to the dokars’ riders,” I Ketut Padang Teki joking.
“Let alone you pay the car you drive in installments, so you don’t have the right to protest. The car you pay in installment is similar to a bastard,” says I Ketut Padang Teki.
I Made is getting mad. He keeps blowing the car’s horn. He even opens the car’s window and out his head of the car. He gets mad at the dokar’s rider.
“Your horse is really weak. You should give something to him, otherwise I will never arrive home soon,” says Made while he blowing the horn.
The horn is too noisy that makes everybody startled, even I Made is startled too. The people driving motor bike are also startled, so the carriage driver as he has a heart problem. The dokar’s passengers are also startled because two sacks of offering items fall down from the dokar. The ducks (to be used for ceremonies) in the dokar quack.
What makes Made very surprised is that one of the dokar’s passengers is his own grandmother. But he is pretending as if he didn’t see his grandmother.
All his friends are laughing. They know that Made often has big-talk but has no gut at all. They know that Made has no permanent job. What he does is just to sell his grandfather’s lands to investors. Even the car he has now was bought after selling his grandfather’s land.
Just as I Made accelerates his car, he feels something hit his head. It was her grandmother who hit him with her headdress. Now it’s his grandmother who gets mad to him.
“You damn bastard! Is this only what you can do? We have given you everything but how dare you to be rude to us. How dare you mad at me in front of your ‘future’ grandpa,” Says his grandmother.
I Made is really in bad situation. He doesn’t realize that her grandma has a ‘boyfriend’. So he can understand now why his grandma likes to go market recently and she doesn’t want I Made to take her to the market with his car. However he never dares to ask her grandma about this as she might get angry and, as a matter of fact, he still ask sfor money to her too.
“You don’t seem understand about cultural heritage. The dokar is heritance from our ancestor. We have to take care of it. Because it is environmental-friendly, no carbon emission, and does not cause global warming,” says I Dadong.
I Made was a bit surprised how her grandmother knows about carbon emission.
“You see, a lot of tourists enjoy the dokars. They are modern people but like the dokars. Look at you! You claim yourself as modern person but your behaviour is not. “
I Made can not say anything. He thinks it is useless to argue his grandmother. All the land certificates are still under his grandmother’s name.
“Do you think if you diminish the dokars, there will be no traffic jam? I doubt it,” I Dadong says while she is spitting and then she gets on to the dokars.
Actually, it is not the dokars that create traffic jam, but it is the human being themselves as they are always in hurry and not discipline on streets. I Made’s grandmother is really smart.
Glossary:
Dokar: horse carriag
I Made Bungut Aungan: An arrogant person
Dadong: grandmother
I Ketut Padang Teki: A Cheeky person
