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EXCERPT OF SUPARTO BRATA’S WORK From A Novel of BARACK GIRL (GADIS TANGSI)

EXCERPT OF SUPARTO BRATA’S WORK
From A Novel of BARACK GIRL (GADIS TANGSI)
Kompas Book Publisher Jakarta, February 2004, 327 pages.
Pages 174 – 175.
You have been able to wear clothes and kebaya (Ladies’ upper wear with long sleeves) too. You just need to take care of and arrange your hair. Getting dressed will be perfect if you can knot your hair by yourself. Change appearance of your hair’s knot. Don’t let it hang look like that. If it is messy like that, although you’re wearing fine clothes, you will remain just like a crazy heroine in traditional Javanese stage show of Sriwedari.”

Because she was thoughtfully educated about everyday, and Teyi herself had strong determination to be a Javanese woman from Surakarta Hadiningrat Kingdom, so in less than a year she had been able to do all that have been taught by Princess Parasi.
“Actually I have wanted to ask you to go with me to Surakarta Land. Unfortunate my husband Sarjubehi, and I myself, have promised not to come back to Java at least for four years. Sick or healthy I will lead my life just as it is, as a wife of a Dutch East Indies soldier in Barrack of Lorong Belawan in Medan, here. So, please be patient, yeah, Teyi. Wait for another two-three years,” said Princess Parasi, a noble princess of Surakarta Hadiningrat who became a wife of Dutch East Indies soldier in Medan. She was determined to follow her husband to Medan; due to during her adolescence in her palace of Surakarta, she was repeatedly sick. Getting bored to be at home, although she was a noble girl, rich, authoritative, but repeatedly ill.
“In another two years you will have been more adult. If we visit Surakarta, I will find a prince as your husband there. You deserve it. Don’t hurry up to get married with a commoner here, married with a young soldier in barrack, yeah, Teyi. Your marriage partner is not a commoner, instead a noble person.
“In Surakarta Kingdom, ideal of a mother or woman is getting a revelation, namely getting children or descendants from aristocrats. The only way to get descendants of aristocrats is by getting revelations of noble men. A girl that has been educated on manners and etiquette like you, include in the most eligible one even to get a Crown Prince. The palace persons, there, said respected by subordinates, wanted by superior. I am sure about it, Teyi. You also still need kebaya for daily clothes outside of the palace. My clothes are still too loose for you. In two-year’s time, surely your body will be bigger, and you can wear the clothes. Or for the time being I can make a new kebaya for you.”
“Yes, Princess. When the time has come, I will tell my mother about it well. I will obey Your Highness’ messages,” promised Teyi.

Pages 213 -215:
“Teyi,” said Princess Parasi one day, after having intention to teach Teyi read and write, “I want to come back to Surakarta with you. I want to show you to aristocrats and society of the Kingdom City as my educated girl. I am sure you have been ready to get revelation, raised from the bottom and placed at the top, get an aristocrat that will descend you children. A way for a Javanese woman to improve her descendent dignity is by getting aristocrat seed that has higher degree. There are a lot of rich large-scale merchants’ girls in Nglaweyan, but commoners, striving to be married by a Ndara Bei who has a degree of nobility, even though he is been very old. That’s my intention to go home on a leave to Surakarta with you, in order that you get Revelation. Thoroughly you are raised from the bottom and placed at the top to get the revelation, even though the visit period in just a month. Yeah, it is a very short time to attract an aristocrat’s attention to you. Yet, I keep on having such great intention to find a prince that will become a father for your children. My socialization with princes there is very chummy. So, please don’t get married to a commoner until I take you on a leave to Surakarta Hadiningrat.”
“I will strive to obey your messages, Princess. Yet, are there still lots of young bachelors or aristocrats in their celibacy, Princess?”
“Ah, don’t think about the easiness or celibacy. The most important thing is a son of a high aristocrat. Even though having got a wife or been old, if a high aristocrat can descend children to you, it’s a Gift; it’s a revelation. Your descendants will inherit blue blood. It is a gift that most hunted by girls in the Land of Surakarta Hadiningrat. Don’t be discouraged first, I have the highest aristocrat relative in society of Surakarta Palace. You, as my educated girl, I wish that you can get the revelation.”
“Yes, I will always obey, Princess,” said Teyi. “Are high aristocrat princes striven to be snatched away by common bachelors, Princess? Because the men also have blue blood?”
“Of course, Teyi. Surely lots of them got married with men whose nobility is lower. Yet, now there is an absolute requirement that a man that get married to a princess of king’s relative must have got mistress and children. That’s the rule. So young man or bachelor doesn’t matter anymore in aristocrat marriages, both male and female aristocrats. Even for female aristocrats, common man must have got a child legitimately born by his mistress or another woman. Don’t you think about a young or unmarried prince.”

Translated by Untung Subagyo.

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