traces of distant days

The Netherlands 1966

2011-05-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Continuing their journey from Paris, my grandparents landed on very familiar cities in the Netherlands: Den Haag and Amsterdam. Felt like her second hometown, my grandma started her walk in a gloomy morning around the Scheveningen area, which was a popular seaside resort with a long sandy beach, an esplanade, a pier, and a lighthouse. The cold and windy air didn’t make her afraid to keep wearing kebaya (and the glorious hairdo). From the background of these pictures, we could see the distinguished tower of the pier and the scenery around the beach area.

Walking through the beautiful parks of Den Haag, my grandma arrived at Madurodam, a miniature city located not far from the Scheveningen beach. Madurodam was named after George Maduro, a law student from Curaçao who fought the Nazi occupation forces as a member of the Dutch resistance and died at Dachau Concentration Camp in 1945. As his parents donated the capital to start the Madurodam project, the Kingdom of Netherlands perpetuated his name for the valor he had demonstrated in the Battle of Netherlands against German troops.

Looking around for some gifts, my grandma walked through The Passage area, where she could find some of the best fashion boutiques, antique shops, and galleries at the stylish Hoogstraat and Noordeinde. There she bought a bottle of wine as a gift for a supper at a friend’s house in the evening.

However, Den Haag was very familiar to my grandpa, a city where he often visited for the sake of business purposes. He had many friends in Den Haag, among others were Mr Tanaka Yuudai – a Japanese engineer who owned a contractor firm in Den Haag, and Mr Effendy Kameroğlu – a Turkish businessman who married an Indonesian lady, Madame Sari Mewengkang.

Instead of staying at hotels, my grandpa took an offer from a friend (Ir. H.V. Groethuysen) to stay at his mansion, situated at a neat environment overlooking a graceful garden and a little palace in the distance. Mr and Mrs Groethuysen’s courtesy was such a blessing for my grandparents.

During their trip back to Amsterdam, my grandpa took these photographs, showing the aerial view around the Amsterdam Centraal, with the Great Canal and Church of St. Nicholas (Sint Nicholaaskerk) in the background. The church is one of the landmarks in Amsterdam, a city that would never make my grandparents bored to visit.

Rome: Spring 1965

2011-05-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

I only got several pictures which depicted my grandparents’ excursion in Rome on the late Spring 1965. It was a journey on upheaval times, followed by the devastating Rebellion of the Indonesian Communist Party which happened on September 30, 1965. Reminiscing the difficult era, my grandma seemed worried about her three children that she left faraway in Indonesia. My grandpa, also in his concern, relentlessly captured the unspoken moments of my grandma who looked so pensive in these vintage photographs.

Vatican City: Here was St. Peter’s Square, with its majestic colonnade, its beautiful fountains, and St. Peter’s Basilica, the great church with Michelangelo’s dome sitting on top of it. A very impressive sight, my grandma was stunned while admiring the beautiful architecture.

Then the Apostolic Palace, which is the official residence of the Pope. It's from the window loggia (decorated with frescoes) of the study where the Pope greets and blesses pilgrims on St. Peter’s Square every Sunday.

The old grandeur, we could observe the horse-drawn carriages.

The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral of Church of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope. When my grandparents were there, it was still under renovation.

Basilica of St. Paul Outside The Walls (Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le Mura) is one of four churches that are listed as great ancient major basilicas of Rome: St. John Lateran, St. Mary (Santa Maria Maggiore), St. Peter’s Basilica, and St. Paul Outside The Walls. This basilica was founded by the Roman Emperor Constantine I over the burial site of Saint Paul the Apostle, located in the suburbs of Rome.

Finally, my grandma in front of the Roma Termini train station. The building is characterized by the extremely long and modern façade. Arrivederci, Roma! Ci vediamo la prossima volta :)

Early Autumn in Paris 1966

2011-05-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

There’s no city more enticing than Paris. A city where Chopin wrote some of his finest compositions, a city which beauty had bewitched Charles Baudelaire to write his famously “Les Fleurs du mal”, a city of love where Igor Stravinsky had an affair with Coco Chanel. Nevertheless, everybody wants to go to Paris. So did my grandpa who brought his beloved wife to taste some of the most beautiful romance on the early autumn of 1966.

Enjoying the cool morning air of Paris, my grandma walked down the promenade of the celebrated L’avenue des Champs-Élysées. Along the avenue, she could spot the baroque-influenced architecture of the grandiose street, which is typical of the Haussmann boulevard style. So many cities have adopted the concept of Champs-Élysées, including the Andràssy Avenue in Budapest, Hungary. The Champs-Élysées itself ends at L’arc de Triomphe, built by Napoleon Bonaparte to honour his victories.

Then she arrived at the Eiffel Tower. Built in 1889, it's the tallest building in Paris until present. Named for its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the tower was built as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair – the ultimate moment when Claude Debussy heard the Javanese gamelan for the first time and made it as the basic of his composition "Pagodes". Perhaps it was like a déjà-vu for my grandma, if only her thought drifted to the 1964 World’s Fair in New York in which she and my grandpa had attended two years previously.

Without any doubt: The majestic Basilique du Sacré-Coeur! A famous landmark of Paris, the basilica is located at the summit of Montmartre hill. The area itself (Montmartre) is a place where artists live together, forming a unique artistic atmosphere. Meanwhile, its location offers a tremendously beautiful panorama, overlooking the city of Paris. In a solitary mood, my grandma seemed so pensive to adore the monumental view of Paris.

After Montmartre, she landed at Musée du Louvre. Hailed as one of the largest museums in the world, she could easily spot Leonardo da Vinci “Monalisa”, Michelangelo statues, or remains of Egyptian Pharaoh. Too bad, the Inverted Pyramid made of glass hasn’t been built at the time (it was built in 1983). Exactly beside the Louvre Museum, there’s Jardin des Tuileries, a public garden created by Catherine de Medici as the garden of the Tuileries Palace in 1564. It was first opened to the public in 1667 and became a public park after the French Revolution. In the 19th and 20th century, it was the place where the Parisienne celebrated important events, met, promenaded, and relaxed.

Then she walked toward the Pont Alexandre III, an ornamental bridge that spans the Seine, connecting L’avenue Champs-Élysées and Les Invalides. Pont Alexandre III is widely regarded as the most ornate, extravagant bridge in Paris. Meanwhile, Les Invalides is a museum and monument which contains the burial site of Napoleon Bonaparte.

La Conciergerie, was once used as a prison where hundreds of prisoners during the French Revolution were taken from the eerie antechamber to be executed on the guillotine at a number of locations around Paris. Those famous prisoners included Queen Marie Antoinette, Madame du Barry, and the Girondins. Without a sense of trepidation, my grandma observed the building while walking on the Seine riverbanks.

And the journey ended at Notre Dame Cathedral. It seemed that my grandpa never let his camera out of his hands. Perhaps he didn’t take many pictures, but his passion for taking my grandma’s figure reminds us of the legendary love story between photographer Henry Cartier-Bresson and Ratna Mohini.

Nevertheless, Charles de Gaulle Airport also kept a lot of love stories inspired by the romantic city. Adieu, Paris! Je ne vous oublierai jamais :)

My Grandpa in Minneapolis USA 1957

2011-05-02T03:08:00.000-07:00

I found these pictures, dated from October 20, 1957. At the time, my grandpa was still involved in a project between the Indonesian government and Dunwoody Institute (now Dunwoody College of Technology), developing master plan of building design and construction for devising some infrastructures in Indonesia.

My grandpa (two from right) discussing the project with the professors

My grandpa (right) was escorted by some officials

Disneyland Los Angeles 1964

2011-05-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

Continuing their journey from New York, my grandparents arrived in Los Angeles International Airport. We could easily recognize the airport’s Theme Building which looks like an arch.

Visiting Disneyland in Anaheim (Orange County, California) could be a totally new experience for my grandparents. As the Disneyland was still in the progress of expanding its “lands” (themed areas), it only consisted of five themed lands when my grandparents were there: Main Street USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland.

From the pictures below, we could see the Sleeping Beauty Castle at the far end of Main Street USA, where on the street itself we could find many specialty stores, such as a candy store, jewelry and watch shop, a store that sells Disney collectable items, and many others.

Frontierland recreates the setting of pioneer days along the American frontier. According to Walt Disney, "All of us have cause to be proud of our country's history, shaped by the pioneering spirit of our forefathers. Our adventures are designed to give you the feeling of having lived, even for a short while, during our country's pioneer days." Speaking of national pride, my grandma was still glued to her kebaya.

And on the Skyway to Tomorrowland, my grandma looks scared of heights.

One of Disneyland's signature attractions is its monorail service, which opened in Tomorrowland in 1959 as the first daily-operating monorail train system in the Western Hemisphere. The monorail was originally built with one station in Tomorrowland. Its track was extended and a second station opened at the Disneyland Hotel in 1961.

My grandparents ended their American journey with a vacation in Hawaii. Here’s my grandma in front of Honolulu International Airport.

Universal Expo in New York City 1964

2011-05-01T11:27:00.000-07:00

My grandparents who had a deep passion for traveling always made themselves available to see another side of the world. It seemed that Aladdin’s song of “I can show you the world. Take you wonder by wonder,” became my grandpa’s credo to please my grandma. Each year they traveled together, while their children were entrusted to my grandma’s mom. My grandpa himself never missed the Universal Exposition which always being held every two years consecutively in different countries of the world.

This time, my grandpa brought my grandma to the Universal Expo 1964 which was being held in New York. The expo itself upheld the theme of “Peace Through Understanding”, dedicated to “Man’s Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe” although American corporations dominated the expo as exhibitors. The theme was symbolized by a 12-story high, stainless-steel model of the Earth called “Unisphere”.

This American section contains the most well-preserved pictures that I got from a stack of dusty old albums. On the first pictures, we could see the skycrapers of Manhattan and Statue of Liberty.

Then the journey was begun at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street where the Empire State Building stood up. At that time, it still held the record as the World’s tallest building. Among others, the peculiarity of the travel was my grandma, who always glued to her kebaya. Bringing up the national pride as an Indonesian and Javanese, she always dressed elegantly in that intricate apparel, equipped with a sturdy sanggul hairdo. We could see her in front of the Empire States Building’s entrance, at the rooftop, and a bird’s-eye view overlooking the Chrysler building.

Then she walked on the Lexington Avenue to the neighborhood of the Upper East Side, observing the melting pot of a society.

There she was, at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the borough of Queens where the Universal Expo was being held. She posed in front of the famous Unisphere, completely dressed in kebaya and sunglasses. I just can’t imagine anybody else: A conservative Javanese, whose daily activities were usually filled with asceticism things and traditional ordinance, went to a place where everybody from all over the world could mingle. I think it was a blessing.

And this is the Port Authority building. It looks familiar for me. It seems that I used to see this building in Playstation game: Grand Theft Auto.

Another sightseeing, with the observation towers and the General Motors company as one of the exhibitors.

The New York journey ended at JFK International Airport. This time my grandparents were about to leave to Los Angeles.

In memory of my grandmother

2011-05-01T07:25:00.001-07:00

Our beloved grandmother (we called her Mbah Putri), R.A. Soekartini Soemoadiparto-Soemantri (1925-2005) was born in Kediri, East Java. She grew up in an educated environment. Her father, R.M. Soemani Soemoadiparto was a principal in a Dutch Colonial school, while her mother, B.R.A. Siti Soerachjem Poedjokoesoemo was a spiritualist and a descendant of Mangkunegaran aristocratic family of Solo.

Grandma (right) with her children, parents, and maid (1959)

As a scholar’s daughter, grandma completed her educational years at HBS (Dutch Colonial education system, equivalent to high school) before she was engaged by my grandpa, Ir. Hadis Soemantri. During her younger years, my grandma got a very strong influence on Javanese spirituality by her mother. Once my grandma told me that her mother routinely performed tirakat and tapa (some kind of Javanese asceticism ritual) on a particular day in the Javanese calendar. The exceptional esoteric training which my grandma’s mother – or we called her Mbah Bengawan – had gained, made her mastered some esoteric knowledge which was called kasekten by the Javanese. My grandma recalled “She did a very stringent tirakat. Somehow, she could survive several days without eating anything. Usually, every Jumat Kliwon or Selasa Pahing night, she slept on the edge of the well at the backyard of our house in Kediri,” The strenuous tradition was handed down to my grandma. I still can remember, when I was still a kid, my grandma occasionally performed a meditation in a particular room full of kemenyan smoke (frankincense) and sesajen (offerings).

Mbah Putri, her cousin, Mbah Bengawan (1981)

Grandma & My aunty, on the way to the sacred cemetery (1981)

Doing ritual over an ancestral grave (1981)

Even though she had a very traditional way of thinking, my grandma was very flexible in mixing with Westerners. Among others, this was caused by my grandpa who often held parties or gatherings which included his Western friends. Also, they regularly travel abroad which made my grandma spoke English and Dutch fluently other than Bahasa Indonesia and Javanese (and a little bit Sundanese).

Grandma (sitting in the middle) at a function, housewarming (1960)

However, my grandma’s expectation of traditional and aristocratic life sometimes didn’t fit with the reality. My grandma who was strictly obedient to my grandpa, was shocked when seeing the lifestyle of my mother who is a feminist and a rationalist. In the early years of my parents’ marriage, my grandma was very cynical to my mom. This might be caused by my mother who rejected the traditional ritual of “husband steps on an egg and wife washes his feet afterwards” during their wedding ceremony. My mom once said, “If he stepped on the egg, he should wash his feet himself. Why should I doing that?”

Nevertheless, my grandma lived a life full of manners, sometimes in an exaggerating aristocratic way. One of my cousins told me, “Mbah Putri created her own little kraton in her house. She was surrounded by many helpers, maids, drivers, who was always doing things at her service” As a compensation, she surrendered herself at my grandpa’s command. She symbolized a typical of Javanese wife in ideal, while in other hand, her aristocratic manners laid in attitudes rather than material things. “She lived a very modest life. Her opulence laid in the way she restrained herself from luxury, while she always chose the best things when it came to the family matters,” said R.A.S. Moerdijani Soemoadiparto, her sister.

Grandma and my aunty, still 3 year-old (1960)

Can you guess which one is my dad? He's on the left

My grandma was always painstakingly supporting her children’s life, primarily during the times when my grandpa went overseas. She never complained nor grumbled. Some things that I still remember, she was a good chef and always wore kebaya, at anywhere and anytime. She never cut her hair (Her hair was hung down to her foot. She usually made a natural hairdo – sanggul – with that long hair), until she was attacked by several strokes on 1997 which made her half-paralized.

Mbah Putri, circa 2000

In memory of my grandfather

2011-04-30T10:17:00.000-07:00

My grandpa, Ir. Hadis Soemantri (1922-2000) was a Sundanese who married my grandma, R.A. Soekartini Soemoadiparto (1925-2005), a devoted Javanese woman. At that time, it was not a custom, even considered taboo for a Sundanese to marry a Javanese, or vice versa. This was due to a cultural reason: Since the Bubat War (circa 1360) happened between the Kingdom of Majapahit (Java) and Padjajaran (Sunda), the two ethnics were hostile to each other.

In spite of the malignity, grandpa was a very educated one and had thoughts beyond his own time (though he still respected the principles of the Sundanese Karuhun). Trying to match between norms and his personal decision, grandpa finally decided to get married with my grandma, although his big family openly stated their dislike of "That lousy Javanese woman". On the other side, grandma came from a dignified Javanese family which held tightly their family heritage, including a Javanese custom that a wife must be obedient and devoted to her husband. Thus despite many obstacles occurred in their marriage, in fact, my grandma was always supportive to grandpa in everything he did.

Two from right: At Dunwoody Institute, Minneapolis, USA (1957)

Grandpa was a stubborn and full of ambition. Had a strong willingness from his early childhood, he formed a rampart personality with authoritative nature. Nevertheless, he was also an art lover. He played violin, enjoyed reading literature and philosophy, and put a very high interest to paintings and antiques. He was also a very keen painter!
He was one of those educated inlaander (an epithet that had been given to the Native Indonesian by the Dutch Colonial) who could finish his HBS education (Colonial education system, equivalent to high school), which was extremely rare at that time for an inlaander, and he got a scholarship to continue his study in Civil Engineering at Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) – its name was still “Technische Hoogeschool te Bandoeng”.

After several years of study, he was assigned to continue his accomplishment at Delft University of Technology (Technische Universiteit Delft). After Indonesia gained independence from the Dutch occupation, in 1952 the Indonesian government sent him to study in some countries in Western Europe, Scandinavian, and the United States. Ironically, during the trainings in those countries, he couldn’t see the birth of my father. After he came back to Indonesia (two years later), he was surprised to see a little baby being carried by my grandma. Didn’t realize that it was his own son, he commented of that baby (in Dutch language), “Wie is dat kind?” (Who is that child?). And my grandma got angry.

Gathering with Friends, Bandung (1963)

Experiencing so many cultures and diversities abroad, my grandpa’s perspectives became rich culturally. Beside Bahasa Indonesia (and Sundanese native language), he also mastered four foreign languages fluently, including Dutch, English, German, and French. Because of his vast knowledge (not only in engineering subjects, but also in philosophy, arts, and a great passion on promoting education), the government sent him abroad as a representative of Indonesia in UNESCO (Paris and Tokyo), and as the proposition committee for Colombo Plan in Sri Lanka. He was also involved in some projects held by World Bank and Ford Foundation in the United States.

Dinner with grandma & friends, Jakarta (1961)

His pursuit of achievement could be seen as an accomplishment. Some education institutions that once had been built by him, have shown their best output of providing this country with so many potential graduates and scholars. Those institutions include Universitas Padjadjaran, Yayasan Pendidikan Taruna Bakti, and Fakultas Teknik IKIP. His legacy in the field of material development, including Telkom Building in Bandung, Pertamina Oil Drilling Refinery in Cilacap, the first microwave tower of Telkom in Puncak, Belawan Habour in Medan, and hundreds of masterplans that built the infrastructure of this country.

As my aunty asked me to make a further research on “Life and Times" of my grandpa, let me dedicate this article on behalf of him. I hope the Black & White pictures could bring back the memories which have been laid decades ago.

With the 3 children. My dad is on the right. Bandung (1961)

Preface

2011-04-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

This blog is purposely built to commemorate the footsteps of my predecessors who have long left us all. I hope that those achievements, in which they had obtained, can motivate us all to achieve something better. What am I doing now is trying to collect so many pieces of memory and cultural roots in my extended family. The idea itself came when I found a stack of my deceased grandfather's old photo album, which contains so many interesting photos that can speak a lot. Many people say that one picture can represent a million meanings that are implied inside it. So did my grandparents at the time of their life, they had been living in many different cultures and customs, but they could still cling to their identity, as they strongly upheld the cultural heritage of their ancestors. Thus, with respect for ancestors, we can understand the origins of our identity and where we came from.

Collecting memories of the past will not be easy because I have to do a continuous research. My grandfather died when I first entered high school, which at that time I did not even think to make a study of their past. The last source I could dig up was my own grandmother, who suffered from stroke for many years (and made her half-paralyzed) but still had a strong memory. Nevertheless, little by little with patience, I try to carve their journey respectively.