Taken from ‘Bungklang Bungkling’, ‘Endek’, a column by I Wayan Juniartha,
as published in Bali Post, Sunday, 3 January 2010. Translated by Putu Semiada.
The palm toddy warung looks different this week. Everyone wears endek (Balinse traditional cloth). They look like a ‘sekehe pesantian’ (religious hymn singing association).
‘If I hadn’t seen the palm toddy bottles, I would have thought that the warung had been removed,” says I Made Gradag Grudug.
Made sits and eats some fried bananas. He doesn’t realize that everybody wears endek until he looks at his friends around him carefully.
“Since when you all act like high ranking officials? Does it because your goal to be civil servants don’t come true?” Ask Made.
I tell you, if you want to be a civil servant you have to bribe 100 million Rupiahs. It is just not that, when you are accepted, you have to put your letter of assignment in the bank as guarantee for the money you borrow from the bank to bribe.
“You have a potbellied. What you need now is to wear a tie, so you will look like a civil servant or member of legislative assembly.”
“If you don’t know exactly what you are talking about, you’d better shut up. Didn’t you know that endek now become mascot of Denpasar town,” says Wayan.
The sekehe members just nod. They act like they are listening to a high-raking official giving a speech.
“Our friends here have joined this movement. It’s our duty to preserve our culture. Otherwise, other countries may claim ours like what happen to our pendet,” Wayan adds.
Every one gives applause. The drinking club members are always eager when talking about nationalism.
That’s why when talking about nationalism or culture preservation, he has nothing to say. His grandfather was a hero and fought against Dutch. If it is only about wearing endek, it’s nothing for him.
“I’m a nationalist too,” he says. He takes off his shirt and change with endek that hung on the warung walls.
When Made wears endek shirt he looks like a high ranking official. After finished eating another fried banana, he starts to talk just like a high ranking official.
“If all people wear endek, I believe we can preserve this heritage.”
Also, if all people wear endek, our traditional fabric industry will survive as it creates employment.”
Everybody gives applause to Made. They think that if Made join the mayor election, he will be elected as his vision is quite clear that is preserving the culture.
“I think that when endek has become local symbol the government will give free working capital soft loan from the endek businessmen.
The sekehe members nod but then shake their heads. They don’t really understand what it is all about.
“They will give us incentive for export, holiday tax, design training, and free promotion by the the endek businessmen.
The sekeha members just shake their heads.
“I’m sure that the government has prepared the young generation how to make endek.”
“But if the government do nothing, well never mind. Let’s do the job ourselves. Now let’s buy endek and make endek shirt and we can wear it everyday.”
The sekehe members don’t shake their heads nor nod, but their eyes grow wider.
What you are talking are rubbish, Made. You know, the sekehe doesn’t have any cash now. We use all our money to buy endek for the shirts we are wearing now. Now you suggest we buy more. Do you think it is cheap?” Wayan gets upset.
Made’s mouth is sealed up now. He now realizes that nationalism is important. But the sekehe’s financial condition is more important, especially when the New Year is about to come.
You are saying that our money is finished? What are we going to do? We don’t have money to buy pork, no money to celebrate the new year’s eve, not even to buy some fire work?
They all nod.
