Indonesian
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Di rumah si miskin
Extract One
Extract 1: Opening Credits - Di rumah si miskin
| Content | Issues |
|---|---|
| Before sunrise, progressing to daybreak and early morning. | Urbanisation |
| Cityscape (Jakarta), street lights, traffic, tall buildings. | Urbanisation |
| Cut to kampung and the kampung dwellers starting work with activity and purpose. | Poverty & wealth |
| Gempol is seen carrying a bundle of papers as he walks across and down the rail overpass. | Living & working conditions |
| The arrival of a train. | Urbanisation |
Analysis - Opening Credits
This scene sets Jakarta as the location of the action, and
the time is early morning. In the kampung, people are
awake and active well before sunrise (to counter the heat of
the day). 
Although this scene portrays the extreme
poverty and deprivation of dwellers in such city kampungs, there is a definite
sense of purpose in their morning routine. The diffused
morning light softens the harsh reality of these people's
lives and living conditions. Background music starts softly
reflecting the quietness of early morning and becomes louder
as the light intensifies and reaches a crescendo as the train
arrives bringing many more people to work in the city.
Question
What is the role of music and lighting in this scene?
Task
Imagine that you are making a documentary about living and working conditions in Jakarta. Write the script for the Indonesian voiceover to accompany the image seen in the opening credits.
Extract 1: Scene 2 - Di rumah Andri
| Content | Issues |
|---|---|
| Cut to Andri's house. Opulent western-style house - cultivated gardens, electricity, sound of the radio. | Wealth
Urbanisation |
| Cut to Andri's bedroom - father waking him, exhorting him to say his morning prayers if he wants to become president. | Conflict & relationships
Generation gap |
| Cut to garden where 2 servants are working on the cars (2 Mercedes Benz). Gentle repartee between them. | Living & working conditions
Conflict & relationships |
| Cut to house - father leaving for work, western dress shirt and tie, briefcase, lavish furnishings, new and modern. | Urbanisation |
| Juxtaposition of servants shows inside and outside | Living & working conditions |
| Andri asks his father to attend a school meeting and becomes upset when he delegates to Peris. He complains to Balung but she excuses his father. | Conflict & relationships
Values & traditions |
| Father leaves the house, reprimands servant for not wiping feet. | Conflict & relationships |
| Peris eating breakfast (crockery and cutlery), kitchen appliances - Peris's superior attitude towards servant - modelling father. | Conflict & relationships |
| Conflict between Andri and Peris.
Balung uses emotional blackmail to discipline Andri (re loud music and wearing towel downstairs.) Andri responds with little or no respect. Peris shows her independence and defiance as she leaves for Bandung. |
Values & traditions |
Analysis
This scene introduces Andri, his family, his home and the servants who share in the life of the family. Their opulent home and privileged lifestyle reflect their wealth and status in Indonesian society. There is also strong evidence of the impact of westernisation in their daily lives. The family dynamics are not cordial and suggest less traditional roles and attitudes, in particular Andri's attitude to people older than himself, ie his father, sister and the servants, as well as the father's and sister's attitudes to Andri and the servants. This scene is punctuated with loud music suggesting disharmony within the family.
Questions
- What effect is created by the first view of Andri's
house?
- What is/are the role(s) of the servants in the family?
- What are the indications of a privileged lifestyle?
- Discuss the relationships between the various members
of the household.
- What role does Peris play in Andri's life? How does she affect his life?
Tasks
- Summarise what happened in this scene. Write your
answer in standard Indonesian.
- With a partner role play a conversation between Balung and Pak Dimik. Recount the events in this scene and your feelings at the time.
Extract 1: Scene 3 - Di rumah si miskin
| Content | Issues |
|---|---|
| Direct cut to kampung - extreme poverty, no proper housing, no sanitation, shared bathing and toilet facilities. | Poverty & wealth |
| Cooperation, sharing light-hearted complaints of someone wanting to be left alone while washing. | Conflict & relationships |
| Exchange between Gempol's mother and father -
chat and gamble - wife not willing to allow him to forego
his responsibilities.
Cut to traffic scene. |
Values & traditions
Conflict & relationships Urbanisation |
Analysis
The director creates a stark visual contrast when the camera cuts from Andri's house to the kampung where Gempol lives with his family. He parallels Andri's life by showing the daily routine of the kampung dwellers. Unlike Andri's household, the flow of life seems to be smoother and more harmonious. Gempol's mother demonstrates the traditional role of women in this setting and highlights the perceived responsibilities of husbands and wives.
Questions
- Compare the living conditions of the two boys.
- How would you assess the interpersonal relations of the
members of Andri's household, and of the people who
live in the kampung with Gempol?
- How does the director create a strong visual impact in his treatment of the kampung scene?
Tasks
- Prepare a two-minute monologue in Indonesian comparing
the home environments of Andri and Gempol.
- Imagine that you have just visited Gempol's home. Write a letter to the editor of a national daily, commenting on the living conditions you witnessed.
Extract 1: Scene 4 - Di sekolah
| Content | Issues |
|---|---|
| Cut to highway overpass with traffic heading towards high-rise city buildings. kampung area below freeway. | Urbanisation |
| Gempol climbs over a fence, carrying his bag of papers. He makes his way stealthily forward. | Street kids
Living & working conditions |
| Cut to Andri's classroom where students are dressed neatly in their school (SD) uniforms. Teacher, also in uniform, asking students questions about Indonesian history and the constitution. | Poverty & wealth
Working conditions |
| Move to shot of Gempol peering in through the window | Poverty & wealth |
| Back to classroom view where students are not taking the lesson very seriously, prompting the teacher to tell them that they are lucky to be getting an education. | Poverty & wealth
Values & traditions |
Analysis
The cut to the scene of the traffic heading towards the city buildings with all the noises associated with urban life suggests oblivion to the fact that, below the freeway, another world exists in the poverty of the kampung. The traffic flow represents the middle class heading for work and school, whereas the kampung dwellers have been up and working since before dawn.
There is a noticeable contrast between the drabness of Gempol's clothing and his dirty feet and bag, with the smart clean clothing worn by the school students.
The red and white of the students' SD uniform are also the colours of the national flag, which is a powerful nationalist symbol throughout the film. This is especially significant in this scene where the topic for discussion is the history and constitution of Indonesia.
On the classroom wall there is a poster of the Pancasila - the five principles of the Indonesian state formulated in 1945 by Sukarno. During the New Order period students spent a lot of time studying Pancasila. The teacher says that not all children are lucky enough to afford an education. This could be a gentle criticism of the failure of the government to implement Keadilan sosial - Social justice for all the people of Indonesia, the fifth principle of the Pancasila. There is another reference to education and Pancasila when the residents of Gempol's kampung read out parts of the Pancasila from scraps of paper. The ideals of Pancasila are supposed to uphold human dignity and bring prosperity to all.
It is interesting to note that at the time depicted in this film teachers are also wearing a uniform. This was a tradition among many public servants in Indonesia.
Questions
- What is the director's purpose in presenting this
scene?
- Discuss the attitude of the students in the classroom?
- What is the significance of the wearing of uniforms by
both teachers and students in this scene?
- "Learning about the constitution is an integral part of schooling in Indonesia." How does this compare with an Australian school setting?
Task
Imagine that you are Gempol. You are speaking with Andri, discussing your reasons for visiting the school.
Extract 1: Scene 5 - Di luar sekolah
| Content | Issues |
|---|---|
| Commotion outside the classroom. The children react and rush to the window. | Poverty & wealth
Conflict & relationships |
| Gempol is apprehended by a teacher and is led away, protesting his innocence. | Poverty & wealth
Conflict & relationships |
| The students gather around to watch. Andri arrives and a student explains that a thief has been caught. Andri asks what he has stolen and when told "nothing yet", he asserts that Gempol is therefore not a thief. | Values & traditions |
Analysis
In this scene the lives of Andri and Gempol have intersected for the first time and the director highlights further the enormous social gap between the two protagonists. Note the immediate assumption by one of the teachers and the students that Gempol is a thief or a potential thief.
Questions
- Comment on the camera technique used as Gempol is led
to the office and Andri's classmates look down from
their upstairs classroom.
- How does the reaction of the school students reflect a stereotypical attitude about poor people?
Extract 1: Scene 6 - Di ruang kantor sekolah
| Content | Issues |
|---|---|
| Gempol is interrogated by staff in the office. He explains that he collects waste paper for a living. | Working conditions |
| There is an immediate cut to the street scene outside the school. Pak Dimik is waiting in the Mercedes and Andri gets in. | Poverty & wealth |
Analysis:
In stark contrast to the initial response to Gempol, the teachers who interview him in this scene are understanding and gentle. Consequently over the next few days the children are encouraged to bring in papers to help Gempol. Perhaps the teachers form a supportive link between Gempol and the children of the upper class.
In the scene after school we see the schoolchildren taunting each other, acting like ‘normal' kids with no responsibilities, their needs totally catered for and oblivious to Gempol's situation. This scene highlights the contrast between the wealthy and the poor.
Questions
- How does the director allow us an insight into the
discussion between the teachers and Gempol?
- Discuss the attitude of the teachers towards Gempol.
Task
Imagine that you are Andri. Write a letter to the advice column of a teenage magazine. Describe the incident at school with Gempol, express your concern about your classmates' attitude to him and ask advice on how best you can help street kids like Gempol.
Extract 1: Scene 7 - Di rumah Gempol
| Content | Issues |
|---|---|
| Cut to scene in the kampung. Gempol tells his father about the day's events. | Urbanisation. |
| The father and a friend (Unyeng) are folding and tying papers. The father explains that it is quite natural that because of his occupation (pemulung) and his clothing he would be mistaken for a thief. | Living & working conditions
Poverty & wealth Values & traditions |
| Gempol asks his mother if he can go back to the village to stay with his grandmother so that he can complete his schooling where it is not so expensive. | Poverty & wealth |
| The father explains that there are two kinds of paper, the sort they collect, which is all they have, and money, which they don't have. | Poverty & wealth
Conflict & relationships |
| His mother soothes him and encourages him to go to bed because he must work again in the morning. | Conflict & relationships
Working conditions |
Analysis
In this scene the camera focuses on Gempol. He is seated and states what he wants while the activity of the household goes on around him. He repeats his wish to receive an education. This is the first time he mentions returning to live with his grandmother in the village where schooling is not so expensive. This is also the first time the viewer realises Gempol's family has not always lived in the kampung in Jakarta.
This scene highlights the activity of the family, even at night when they all have allotted tasks. This is in contrast to Andri's household where the menial tasks are done by the pembantu.
This scene highlights the interaction between Gempol and his parents. His mother is understanding of his wishes, whereas his father is much more pragmatic and dismissive.
Questions
- Why is Gempol's father unsympathetic when Gempol
explains that he was suspected of being a thief?
- Discuss the symbolic value of kertas in this scene?
- How and why does the director make Gempol the focus of this scene?
Task
Imagine a conversation between Gempol and Unyeng in which Gempol discusses his aspirations about returning to the village to receive an education.