Читать книгу Indonesian Gold - Kerry B Collison - Страница 20

‘Boleh juga!’ Angela agreed that the guest speaker was, indeed, handsome; one of their fellow students sitting behind playfully hushed the pair. Jonathan Dau’s daughter then pinched the soft flesh of her girlfriend’s upper arm in friendly gesture, turning her attention back to the American’s closing statement.

‘…and, it is therefore obvious that mining ventures do, in fact, benefit local communities providing sound environmental considerations are strictly adhered to. The grave consequences of irresponsible mining procedures will have lasting effects on not only current generations, but also those still to come. Today, you are students. In the future, many decisions relating to good-mining practices will fall on your shoulders and I ask you to remember the talk I have given today when you make those decisions, and consider how your future determinations will impact on society. Thank you.’

The hall exploded into applause as Stewart Campbell completed his presentation titled ‘Mining and The Environment’, the students rising to their feet in respect, as their professor moved across the dais to thank the visiting geologist for his address. ‘Cakap amat!’ Siti Rahajo thought that the American was up there with her favorite film stars, leaning forward and whispering loudly for all to hear. Angela pretended not to hear, nudging her girlfriend, Nani, and pulling a face. Siti was unpopular with the other girls because of her promiscuousness – and popularity with the boys. This class was now more than halfway through the four-year course and Siti had already slept with most of the male students during their first semester.

All of the female students were in their early to mid-twenties, an age at which most Indonesian girls would expect to be already married, with families.

‘Why don’t you ask him for a date?’ Nani challenged, sending a titter through the group.

‘Why not?’ the well-endowed Siti responded, standing straight for the boys to see her firm breasts – another reason she was unpopular with the others. Even if Siti had not been loose the young men would still have chased after her, her classical Javanese features and voluptuous figure enough to guarantee envy amongst her classmates.

‘Students,’ their professor called for their attention, the assembly falling silent as the Dean cleared his throat. ‘We have been privileged to have Tuan Campbell talk to us today. He has kindly agreed to return and speak to those of you who are still here for the final semester.’ This was greeted with nervous giggles and coughs from the students. ‘However, our guest has kindly consented to remain a little longer today, to answer any questions you might have. So, please remain seated, and Tuan Campbell will invite you to direct your questions to him.’ The professor stepped back, gesturing with one hand that the floor still belonged to the visiting geologist.

‘Terima kasih,’ Campbell thanked the Dean. Then, addressing the audience, ‘Please raise your hand if you wish to ask a question.’ The seconds ticked away as embarrassed university students searched inwardly for courage to do so, most concerned that they may appear foolish, the remainder unable to think of anything that was relevant to the earlier address.

‘Tuan Campbell!’ a solitary voice rang clearly through the hall. And, without recognition called out, ‘You said in your presentation that mining companies and local communities could both benefit through the exploitation of natural resources?’ Those around Angela Dau were stunned, turning to gawk at the Dayak student.

‘Yes,’ Campbell agreed, ‘I did make that statement.’ He moderated his voice, then asked, not unkindly, ‘You don’t agree?’ Again, all heads turned towards Angela.

‘No, Mister Campbell,’ she replied, her refusal to use the more respectful address not lost on all present. Up on the dais the professor frowned. Angela Dau was one of his finest students. However, her outspoken views around campus had attracted Bakin’s attention, and the Dean was aware that Angela was under occasional surveillance by the intelligence agency. Angela continued, ‘If what you say is true,then why haven’t we seen any examples of such benefits flowing to the indigenous peoples in Kalimantan?’ The room was stunned into silence; and, with the exception of the faint and nervous shuffling sounds, there was absolute quiet.

Stewart Campbell looked down at the pretty student, the fire in her heart reflected in her face and he nodded, slowly, while gathering his thoughts. He was on dangerous ground here, and anything he might say which could be construed as being anti-government could cost him dearly. Nevertheless, Stewart still felt a deep commitment towards the people whose traditional property had been taken, often without adequate compensation – left to become displaced people in their own land. ‘Miss?’ he asked, wondering if being pressed to give her name might make her reconsider her question, ‘may I have your name?’

‘My name is Angela Dau,’ she responded, confidently, ‘and I come from East Kalimantan. My people are Penehing Dayak.’ The pride in her voice instantly moving Campbell, understanding immediately why this student would consider some of the content of his address as provocative. With the surge of foreign investment in the mining sector, it was the indigenous peoples of Indonesian Borneo that had suffered the most.

He smiled kindly. ‘I can understand how emotive an issue this would be, for you, Miss Angela,’ he paused, searching for the appropriate words in Bahasa Indonesia. ‘But I’m certain you will appreciate that it is not my position to enter into political debate as a guest in your country.Your question should best be directed to the government representatives.’ Campbell was saddened that he was unable to engage this young woman in open discussion; to do so would be irresponsible, the consequences severe for both.

Angela Dau felt the heat rise around her neck, ignoring her friend Nani’s warning tugs at her sleeve.

‘You can be confident, Mister Campbell,’ she said, her voice clear to all, ‘that I most surely will.’

The professor stepped forward quickly and addressed his students. ‘I ask that the students refrain from raising issues which are of a political nature.’ The message was clear, the Dean’s interruption saving both Campbell and Angela from further embarrassment. ‘Now, are there any other questions?’

Students turned to look at each other, none now really inclined to speak up. Then, from a girl standing in the third row, ‘I have a question,’ she said, raising her hand confidently. All eyes turned to the student in surprise.

‘Yes, then,’ the Dean wanted this session ended, ‘what is it?’

‘I’d like to know if Tuan Campbell is married?’ she asked.

To everyone’s relief, the student body broke into laughter, Siti Rahajo frowning at the catcalls, brazenly standing her ground. The professor was pleased with this distraction, bending over as if doubled in laughter, then reaching up to slap his guest on the shoulder. Campbell, too, could not resist a smile, addressing the seductive Siti directly.

‘Sudah kawin, tapi belum nikah,’ he answered, causing the students to roar in response, the play on words suggesting that he was sexually experienced, but remained unmarried, a delight to their ears. Sensing that this had gone far enough the Dean moved quickly to bring an end to the session, thanking Campbell profusely for his attendance, before escorting him away from the lecture theatre.

****

Outside, as they strolled across to the car park, Campbell inquired regarding the Dayak student.

‘She’s one of my best,’ the professor claimed, proudly, ‘and will most likely top her class.’ The bespectacled guru hesitated, took Campbell’s arm and turned to face the younger man. ‘You handled that well, Stewart,’ he said, in a fatherly tone. ‘Angela Dau can be overly aggressive, but I have a special interest in seeing that she comes to no harm while away from home.’

Campbell waited for the professor to continue, accustomed to the man’s frequent pauses for effect.

‘Her father placed her in my care while she completes her studies.’ The Dean then looked up into the American’s eyes. ‘Jonathan Dau and I flew MiGs together during Soekarno’s time.’ He observed the moment of puzzlement sweep Campbell’s suntanned features. ‘Jonathan is her father. He is also a highly respected Dayak chief.’

Campbell was taken aback, impressed. ‘And you flew, together?’ he asked, a new respect creeping into his voice for the balding academic.

‘Yes,’ the Dean confirmed, ‘and there’s more.’

The men stood in the shade, a few hundred meters from where Campbell’s driver remained faithfully alongside the Mercedes, the professor revealing that Jonathan Dau was also a revered dukun. Campbell expressed surprise, the professor agreeing that it was unusual, but then he went on to explain that, within some indigenous Dayak communities, it was not uncommon to find a hereditary chief who also carried the mantel of village shaman. ‘Angela is an only child, Stewart, and, as such, will carry considerable influence within the Dayak communities when she returns.’

Again, Campbell was surprised. ‘She intends returning to the isolation and primitive conditions. Why?’

It was the professor’s turn to show surprise. ‘To help her people, of course!’ Then he grinned, mischievously. ‘That’s what anyone would expect of a Dayak chief.’

Campbell peered into the other man’s wrinkled features, unsure of the professor’s statement. ‘A woman – as chief?’

‘Yes, certainly, with her people’s support,’ the professor explained. ‘There are matriarchal, indigenous groups throughout Indonesia.The Bataks in Sumatra are an example.And then there are the matriarchal tribes of Borneo where the women practise polyandry.’

‘What was the name of Angela’s ethnic group she mentioned back there?’ Campbell asked. The professor then briefly explained the origins of the Penehing Dayaks, Campbell arriving at the conclusion that if Angela Dau’s high-spiritedness was common amongst the Upper-Mahakam women, he should make a point of visiting when the opportunity arose. Although he had frequented Kalimantan on numerous occasions, Campbell had yet to venture further upstream along the Mahakam River than the rapids.

On the drive back to Jakarta, he could not get Angela out of his mind, the story of her family so intriguing Stewart Campbell fell asleep that night, with her name still fresh on his lips.

****

‘Come on, Nani!’Angela scolded,‘We’ll be late again!’

Aduh!’ Nani wailed, ‘They’ll wait,‘Gela. Slow down,you’re making me giddy.’

The pair hurried across the square and, as they approached the group of boys Nani pulled Angela back. ‘Don’t run,’ she whispered, hoarsely, ‘they’ll think we’re too anxious.’

Angela came to an abrupt halt, the sharp look sufficient exchange for Nani to realize she had already said too much. ‘What exactly did you tell the boys?’ she was keen to know.

Her friend cupped one hand and whispered conspiratorially, as if the waiting group of students could hear. ‘I didn’t tell them anything,’ she embellished, ‘just that you agreed to go on the picnic.’

Angela looked directly into Nani’s eyes, the distinct feeling that she was lying causing her to hesitate. ‘If you think I am going to go with Didi,’ she insisted, referring to the tall, Menadonese lad who had often made it clear regarding how he felt, ‘then you are going to be disappointed!’ With this, Angela stood her ground refusing to advance further. ‘So, what have you said to them, really?’ she pressed, arms crossed over her breasts.

‘Look, ‘Gela,’ Nani persisted, ‘they aren’t expecting anything. Promise! It’s just that they are going up to Tangkaban Perahu on their bikes and I thought it would be fun to go for a ride.’ The prospect of revisiting those surrounds did not particularly appeal. Angela had been there a dozen times already, the active site shouldering the surrounding hills of Bandung, a constant reminder that this island of Java hosted most of the world’s active volcanoes. Her last visit had resulted in near disaster when the volcano’s crater had burst into increased activity, the sulphur-laden air catching her group by surprise as the deadly cloud rose heavily into the air. Angela was not in a hurry to repeat that experience.

Nani then took a stab at Angela’s pride – and her Achilles Heel.

‘Are you scared of the road?’ she tried, referring to the dangerous curved track that led up to the summit overlooking the volcano’s crater. Angela unfolded her arms and placed these defiantly on hips.

‘Let’s go,’ she snapped, now in a hurry to prove that she was not, sauntering ahead of Nani to join the group of youngsters waiting in the large shadow cast by the beringin tree.

This one hundred-year-old banyan was a recognized gathering point for the Year Three students – and young lovers. It was said that the founding president, when still a student studying engineering, first fell in love with Inggit Garnasih under this very tree. The male students used this fable to ingratiate themselves with their prey, the number of young women who had lost their virginity within sight of this seemingly perpetual marker over the years, uncountable. Angela waved nonchalantly as she approached the underpowered group of Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki motorbikes, observing that the majority of these already boasted pillion passengers. A moment of concern passed when she spotted an unpopular boy sitting astride his bike, and made a beeline directly to his side.

‘Hi, Joko,’ she pretended, climbing behind the surprised youth, ‘thanks for waiting for us.’ She glanced across at Didi, struggling to contain his anger and disappointment, so stung by what she had done he gunned the inadequate Suzuki which spluttered, then died, adding to his embarrassment.

‘Hi, Didi,’ Nani took advantage of the situation and climbed on, wrapping her arms around his waist as the T-125 Stinger coughed back into life. Didi attempted to throw dust at those in close proximity as he drove away but failed at this as well.

Angela patted her companion of choice firmly on the back. ‘Don’t get any ideas. Okay?’ she demanded, Joko eagerly nodding agreement as he too kicked the bike into gear and followed the others. He had seen her throw opponents around, twice her weight as if they were dolls, and had no misconceptions as to why Angela had selected him for her ride.

****

Didi had made it quite clear to others that Angela was his; the major difficulty with this was that he had failed to convince the independent Dayak student that this should be so. They had never dated, Angela constantly sending reminders that she was not interested. Angrily, he tore down through Bandung’s streets, narrowly missing pedestrians, mobile-roadside stalls and the occasional beggar being led across the narrow streets.

‘Slow down, Didi!’ Nani screamed; her pleas ignored by Didi as his mind remained clouded with Angela’s humiliating putdown. Within minutes, they had left the others well behind, Nani hanging on for dear life as they tore through the City of Universities’ outer suburbia, climbing quickly through the winding road which twisted its way up to the Tangkaban Perahu lookout. Nani clung tighter and tighter, wishing now that she had not misled Didi about the date. Nani knew that Angela would not go with Didi and had banked on this, hoping to manipulate the event so that she could take Angela’s place. Now, Nani regretted her decision, terrified that Didi’s anger would be the end of them both.

****

‘Can’t you go any faster?’ Angela urged, the wind dragging her fine, black hair in a long, twirling tail behind.

‘It’s dangerous,’ Joko warned, but ready to impress if she said it was okay.

‘Just catch up with them,’ she shouted, the wind now bringing tears to her eyes.

‘Hang on!’ Joko warned, pulling back behind a slow moving minibus, just in time.

‘What are you waiting for?’ Angela complained, gripping and squeezing his waist painfully. Joko did not hesitate. He pulled out wildly and overtook the vehicles ahead, narrowly bringing disaster upon them when oncoming vehicles ground to a halt to avoid smashing into the two.

‘Aduh,‘Gela,’ Joko cried out, ‘let them go!’ Angela could feel Joko trembling and reluctantly decided to let it go.

‘Just drive us to the crater,’ was all she said, releasing her grip from around his waist.

They continued on for a few minutes, slowing to a halt when they came upon the scene where Didi’s bike had hit a patch of gravel, spinning both rider and passenger through the air into the broken asphalt surface. Incredibly, both had landed safely without any injury other than pride. Angela climbed off Joko’s machine hurriedly, ran across to where her friend was sitting up against the side of the road, and grabbed her by the shoulders.

‘Are you all right?’ she shook her gently, more angry with herself than Nani for what had happened.

‘Enggak apa-apa,’ Nani answered, reassuring Angela that she was not injured. Others had begun to arrive at the scene, most dismounting to see what had happened.

On the far side of the road Didi was still dusting himself down, bragging to his friends, apparently not in the least concerned about Nani’s possible injuries.

‘Didi!’ Angela called, rising slowly and walking towards him, measuring her steps as she did so. Several of the youth’s friends turned, Angela’s determined, and to some, familiar pose, warning them to stand back. Didi looked up, saw Angela before him, and smiled stupidly just as the palm of her hand hit him squarely on the side of the jaw – deliberately avoiding the lethal point of contact. Without so much as a whimper, Didi collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Angela then turned on her heel, and went back to Nani’s side.

‘Joko,’ she addressed the flabbergasted student, ‘can you take us both back home?’ He looked over at the still form lying alongside the road, back to Angela, then threw one leg over his machine and nodded.

‘Come on,‘Ni,’ she called, affectionately, helping her friend straddle the bike.

****

In her two years attending the Bandung Institute Angela had avoided forming intimate relationships, remaining dedicatedly focused on her studies. In consequence, she was branded cold and distant, the many, rejected young men on campus confused by her apparent lack of interest in their sex. Angela had been tempted – the campus was studded with handsome, young men, but she remained on track and, apart from occasional, group casual outings, was rarely seen in the company of boys. Apart from occasional visits to Jakarta during semester breaks, when she would travel to the capital together with Nani by train, Angela remained in Bandung.

She had returned to the Longdamai, Mahakam village only once since commencing her studies and as the end of the second year came to a close she became impatient to be reunited with her father, and extended Penehing family. Contact with the village had been maintained via weekly radio hookup, courtesy of the Dean. Communication was invariably difficult, interrupted when weather conditions deteriorated, their conclusion often leaving Angela angered by the absence of more modern facilities to link the isolated communities in Kalimantan to the outside world. With a growing awareness of the disparity between the wealthy, Javanese elite and their provincial cousins, Angela realized that the Penehing people would remain neglected and without adequate representation as long as their voice went unheard. Wise beyond her years, she also understood that there was little that the Dayaks could do to rectify this situation, against the powerful, centralist government in Jakarta.

As she matured, so did Angela’s appreciation of the special gift she had inherited, the ‘tenaga-dalam’ or inner force phenomenon always evident in her family line. And, under her father’s guidance and instruction, she had acquired a sound awareness of the responsibilities she would one day assume. Introverted and calm, coupled with a strict and rigid temper, Angela emulated Jonathan Dau in every way, her devotion and commitment to the Penehing Dayak as determined as her father’s. Inseparable in mind and spirit, Angela became a perfect copy of the mould; her father’s philosophies, spiritual and metaphysical beliefs, all becoming her own.

As a teenager, Angela had already understood that her people and their environment were clearly under threat by the destructive forces of commerce, and centralist government policies. When she first saw the devastation visited upon Dayak traditional lands, she’d cried, the imagery contributing to her decision to follow her father’s footsteps in the fight against those who would destroy the pristine forests and fields. She sought her father’s advice and decided to study those disciplines associated with the earth sciences, believing that this direction would not only enhance her understanding of the issues, but would provide her with credentials for the future when she took up the fight against those who would destroy the Dayak environment.

Angela had learned that annual, widespread forest fires, blanketing most of Kalimantan and reaching as far as Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, were primarily the result of the expanding, Indonesian palm oil industry, controlled by the First Family and their business associates, Borneo’s corporate arsonists. Prior to her departure from Longdamai, millions of hectares of forest and grasslands had been burned to clear land for the planting of palm. In private, many amongst her fellow students discussed how firmly ensconced all three generations of Suharto’s family had become within the industry. The state-owned, palm oil plantations sold their production of crude palm oil to the state logistics agency, BULOG, at incredibly low prices. In turn, this organization made substantial profits from sales of its cooking oil, the benefits flowing to Suharto-linked conglomerates owned by Sino-Indonesian businessmen, and generals.

But, of even greater concern to Angela, was the systematic destruction of her environment’s tropical peat land. Central government policies promoting the conversion of peat, swamp forests to agriculture had significantly reduced Kalimantan’s natural ecosystem. She knew, that at current levels of conversion, millions of hectares of peat land swamps would be devastated at the expense of the Dayak people – and the myriads of wildlife, not least amongst which was the orangutan.

During her years studying away from home, Angela’s commitment to her people had never swayed, her determination to return to the Mahakam to assist the Dayak communities foremost in her mind. Determined to maximize the benefits of her academic achievements for the betterment of the Dayak people, Angela Dau continued her conscientious role as an honor student and, to the dismay of the community of male undergraduates, remained aloof to their persistent advances.