Just a village in Sumatra

Two momentous events occurred in my village this weekend: the preparations and celebration for a child’s fist haircut and our little dirt road was paved. In regards to the first incident, I well expected that my immersion in Indonesian life would offer many insights into traditional culture, but an eight-hour celebration of a baby’s first hair cut, attended by the entire village and distant family and friends, was not something I saw coming. Saturday morning Sumi informed me that we needed to go to a neighbor’s house to “help with cooking” for a party the next day. I was subsequently impressed when we arrived to find 40 women already working at various stations, chopping vegetables, squeezing coconut milk from the grated coconut meat, stirring cauldrons of curry, and squatting on the ground while slicing raw beef on sheets of cardboard. Of course the emphasis of this community get together was as much for the women to chat and gossip as it was for them to help out a neighbor in the preparations for the following day’s celebration. The next morning I wandered over to the same house just in time to eat a bit and then watch the haircutting ceremony. A short procession led the grandfather carrying the baby to the front of the gathered villagers- of course dressed up in their best Batik- where he stood as a series of village men took turns cutting the baby’s hair. When this was finished it was evidently time for singing, chatting, and more eating, these alternating until after 3pm when I made my final escape with Sumi.


The paving of my village’s road marked one small step in rural development this weekend. Not only am I happy to be finished suffering the jolting experience of riding my motorbike down the previously rugged dirt path, but the local children also immediately expressed their approval by pulling out every single bicycle they could to play and ride up and down the smooth road. I was surprised to see that the fresh new asphalt extends even out onto the side streets and am curious what kind of effects this will have on village life. Not only will it be easier for people to go into town, but it will also be easier for other people and modern conveniences to reach us.