Kebaya; Popular and Traditional Images

We have just celebrated Kartini's day when we noticed that most of women from girls-kindergarteners to adult women wore Kebaya. As we know that kebaya which has come to symbolize the emancipation of women in Indonesia through the figure of our proto-feminist, Raden Ajeng Kartini,  has become our national dress since the Procalmation of Independence day by President Soekarno on August17, 1945.  Formerly, Kebaya features are a tight fitting blouse that enhances the torso of the woman; the fold-back collarless neck and front opening; long sleeves; and the type of semi-transparent fabric. However, now as the the time change, Indonesian fashion also develops and it gives some influence in creating kebaya. Now we can find many variations on kebaya, some mix and match on the material till the embroidery detail. The beauty of kebaya is undeniable, for all women in our nation wear kebaya. As we can see kebaya is worn by a wide range  of women from our former president, Megawati Soekarnoputri to jamu street vendor. Many designers have helped to promote the kebaya not only as a important part of Indonesian clothing history but as a very beautiful item of clothing that Indonesian women are proud to wear. So Ladies, be confident and proud of wearing kebaya because it not just wearing a functional piece of clothing but also wearing a symbol of Indoneia’s cultural history which represents national symbolism and high fashion too !!!

Well, here are the pictures of kebaya which are shown the popular and traditional images :)

Great Women in Arts (Part II)

Marin Alsop

Marin Alsop

She is an American conductor and violinist. She was born in New York City on October 16, 1956. She took her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Juiliard School. Alsop has been music director of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, California, since 1992. She has been a conductor in many music groups. Furthermore, on September 25, 2005, Alsop became the first ever conductor to receive a MacArthur Fellowship. Due to her amazing talent, she had got many achievements as a conductor or even as a violinist.

"The hardest thing for me is always to get a big sound from the orchestra without being very demanding or apologizing," she said. "As a woman, if you're too aggressive people think: 'She's so overpowering.' But if a man does the same gesture, it's regarded as strong and virile . . . Also, when you're delicate, as a woman sometimes you're interpreted as being lightweight. Men don't get that." (http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2011/mar/08/marin-alsop-100-women)

Marin Alsop

From her short story provided above, we can conclude that women are also able to do many things that used to be done by men. As Marin Alsop, she is able to succeed in music as a great conductor even though it rarely happens among women. However, she did it because she believe in her ability. Thus, keep on working!

Jennifer Linton

Jennifer Linton

She was born in North Vancouver British Columbia, Canada on 1968. She is well-known as a contemporary visual artist. She is used to using a combination of glass, drawing, paint, and any mixed media as her appliance in drawing. Besides, Linton frequently uses herself as the model to create a humor at particular idea. In addition, she usually bring up religious nature combined with quirky look at sexuality in her paintings.

Jennifer Linton - Salome - 2002

Jennifer Linton - Pregnant Women Who experience - Unknown

Jennifer Linton - Catholic Girls - 2005

Great Women in Arts (Part I)

Georgia O'Keeffe (American/1887-1986)

She grew in Wisconsin. She was well-known as a painter and a feminist. O'Keeffe began her  art classes in such a young age. One day, she painted a small painting and was asked by her teacher about the meaning behind her painting. However, she could not answer what the teacher asked. Then she started to paint lots of large paintings. Most of her well-known paintings were about flowers. She frequently paints the whole canvas with just one blossom which looked very vaginal. That’s why, she was considered as a feminist. Some her paintings are Jack in Pulpit in 1930, Ice Cave-Circa in 1950, Sky Above Clouds IV in 1965, and so on.

Flower of Life II

“Nobody sees a flower really, it is so small—we haven’t time, and to see takes time like to have a friend takes time”—Georgia O'Keeffe.

Lorna Simpson (American/1960)

Five Day Forecast in 1991

She was born in Brooklyn. She is an African American photographer.Back then, she took a challenge by using gender and racial stereotype in her provocative photographs, installations, and film works. She always mixes text with her image to encourage viewers taking the right conclusions toward her works in such a subtle way. She also frequently uses herself as the model of her works, yet rarely shows her whole face.

Another Indonesian Woman Right Activist, Ratna Sarumpaet (Profile Part II)

Ratna Sarumpaet, a mother of a famous beautiful actress Atiqah Hasiholan is one of Indonesian women's right activist. She is also a theatrical producer, actress, film director and a writer. This woman was born on July 16th 1949. As we know from the infotainment that she was actually a christian activist and maybe because of this now she is very active and really concern on social condition especially condition which related to women, but then she became a moslem after her marriage.

The murder of Marsinah, a labor activist, in 1993 led her to become politically active. She wrote her first original stage play "Marsinah : Nyanyian Dari Bawah" after she being obsessed with the case. Not only about woman, but she was also active in politic. During Suharto's New Order government she has been arrested and jailed for spreading hatred and attending "anti-revolutionary" political gathering. After released, she continued to participate in pro democracy movements. Recently, ahe was approached by UNICEF to make a survey of child traficking in Southeast Asia.

R.A Kartini, Pioneer of Emancipation in Indonesia (Profile Part I)

Raden Ajeng Kartini is a familiar name that we often hear in lyric of song and in historical book. She was a national heroine who was born on April 21st 1879 in Jepara, Central Java, so that every April 21st Indonesian celebrate it as Kartini's day. As we know that in the time when Kartini was born, Java was part of  Dutch condition so when she was at the age of 12, she was being secluded to be prepared as a bride. Kartini was a daughter of Sosroningrat, chief regency of Jepara who did polygamy at that time but she still loved and cared for her father very much. Then, she married with Rembang regency chief, Joyodiningrat and became the fourth wives of him. Being Polygamy actually against her wishes but later on her husband understood her aims and allowed her to establish school for women. Unfortunately, she only had one son and she died a few days later after gave a birth. Well Ladies, she was a feminist who elevated the status of Indonesian women.As the next generation of Kartini we should keep her spirit and continue her great goals.

Feminism and Its Story

Nowadays, we can see so many women who fight for their rights.Their struggle usually are called as 'Feminism'.  Talking about feminism always involves the story of feminist movements and of feminist thinkers as well. Based on the era, the culture, and the country, the causes and the goals of feminism are different. Before knowing beyond feminist movements, we have to know about the history of feminism (When did it started?).

Protofeminist

Feminism and feminist first appeared in France and The Netherlands in 1872. Then Great Britain in the 1890s and The United States in the 1910s. While, people and activists who discussed about women's issues prior to the existence of feminist movement used to be called as protofeminist. Nevertheless, some people did not agree with the use of this term. Some of them argue that it diminishes the importance of the earlier movements.

Feminist movements have its own era. The history of modern western feminist movements is divided into three "waves". Every waves had different aspects to deal with. For the first wave, it occurred during the 19th and early 20th centuries. In this era, feminists dealt with suffrage that obviously much had been a struggle for women at that time. Other aspects beside suffrage are working conditions and educational rights for women and girls.Then for the second wave (1960s - 1980s), it dealt with the inequality of laws and of cultural and women's role in society. Betty Friedan (1963) brought forth her exposé The Feminine Mystique, it gave a voice to the discontent and disorientation many women who turned into homemaking positions after graduating from college. After many writings about women’s changes provoked by Betty, many feminists seemed to start over their thoughts more about politics, economics, and so on through writing such as Betty had done. Eventually, the third wave started in 1990s until the early 2000s. In this period, feminists seemed to continue the second wave. The movement also respond what young women thought as the perceived failures of the second wave.

Betty Friedan (1963)

Knowing a few stories about the struggle of feminists in the past make me feel that women is worthwhile to have the same rights as men. In addition, we have to be thankful that our path is easier now due to the struggle of feminists in the past. Thus, we have to work harder and make this world proud to have women.