Respect Older People

Respect Older People

            Respect is a feeling that describe feel of being honoured and has a value in the view of others person. Being respected is a need of every person in every culture.  Every culture has its own etiquette to respect people; there is some special etiquette to respect the older people. In these writing I would to tell about respect older people etiquette in Javanese culture, and Korean culture etiquette as comparison.

            In Javanese culture, older people must be respected. There are some etiquette which order us when we meet or have talk with older people. The example is when we meet older people than us or has higher status we must bowing our body and said some words; such as; “nyuwun sewu, nderek langkung” it also can said by say apologizing word if we meet or pass older people. This action make the older people or higher status people feel honoured and respected by us, so it implies to us be respected by them.

             In Javanese culture there is stratification of language. There are two main stratification of Javanese language, there are ngoko and krama language. Ngoko language is used is daily conversation with friends or equal status person. Krama is used if we talk to higher status person or older people. The stratification of language in java actually more complicated.  Ngoko and krama also had its own stratification; it’s depending on with our conversation partner’s status or age. For example; there is ngoko alus which is ngoko language but more polite than ordinary ngoko, even it’s still can’t be said polite as krama language. There are also krama desa, krama madya and krama alus which are the stratification of krama language.

            The essence of that etiquette is to make people respect and recognized older or important people. It’s also become the tools of social order to control the society socialization behaviour. For the older people it will make them feel honoured by the younger people. For the younger people it will make them recognized have good manners and deserve good respect from the older.

            Nowadays, that etiquette still used by most of Javanese people when they meet or talk with older people. Even there is different situation in my family, my family usually used ngoko language as daily language. So it’s common, if I talk with my parent to use ngoko language. It doesn’t mean that I not respect or dishonoured my parent, it just way we talk in daily. Actually this habit is not good if we see from the etiquette, but it lose the language barrier between us and make we easily talk each other. It also happens in my mother’s famiuly and some of my friend’s family in my neighbourhood.

            The habit of using ngoko language sometimes makes a problem. It makes difficulties for me to talk with the older people. It because, i am not common to use krama language, and if I use ngoko language it will make the older people had bad image of me. So, I just try to use krama language, I also mixed it with ngoko if I can’t find correct words. Even, my sentences mostly are not perfectly correct. At least I try to use krama and older people usually understand that.

            Like Javanese culture, Korean culture is also respect the older people. There are some etiquette of manners that rules the behaviour between younger people and older people. There are; greeting etiquette, table manner, and drinking manner.

            The greeting manner is very important manner etiquette. Like Javanese culture we also must bow our head when we meet older people. Its better if we firstly greeting the older and follow with bow our head, it will show them most respect.

            In eating and drinking there is some manner to respect the older.  The manner when we eating with oldies we must not touch the spoon or chopstick before the oldies. We must wait until the older touch the spoon or chopstick, after that we can start our meal. When we finished our meal before the older, we must wait them until they finished their meal when we want to excuse from the table. In drinking manner, when older people are offering you a drink, you should stand up and receive the glass with both hands and take the glass after bowing.  After the older finished pouring the glass, then you will drink the glass after take your seats. We must wait the older raise the glass. We also must not refuse the drink offer from the older people, because it will hurt their feeling, or disrespect them.

            At the end, every culture has its own etiquettes to respect others, especially older people. Even there are many varieties of etiquettes, we must realize and feel in our heart to respect others. It not just an action to get a person attention, its way we honoured others. 

Learn Message Behind “Menthok-Menthok” Song

Learn Message Behind “Menthok-Menthok” Song

            My generation can be said as lucky generation. It’s because we are in transition stage of modern era. We are child of 90’s era; still get many meaningful educations from the traditional culture. It’s such as traditional games, traditional folklore, traditional dance, and also traditional song.  I still remember when I played traditional games with its song with my friends. That’s kind of activity which now very rare to be find, especially in the city.

            Traditional song is not only for playing a game or having fun but also has it’s meaning.  It has deep meaning inside its simple lyric and rhythm. The meaning is can be consist of; moral value, social value, religiosity, etc. Traditional song can be a media to educate child with simple message.

The example of traditional kids song is “Menthok-Menthok” :

Menthok-Menthok

By: Ki GusHar Wegig Pramuditho

Menthok-menthok tak kandani, mung lakumu angisin-isini

Bokya aja ngethok, ana kandang wae

Enak-enak ngorok ora nyambut gawe

Menthok-menthok, mung lakumu megal-megol gawe guyu

            Menthok-Menthok song is tell a story about duck with its behaviour.  Menthok is a ugly duck, it has ugly face different with the ordinary duck.  The song is said to Menthok that his way of walk is embarrassing. So these songs suggest Menthok to just in cage, have a nice sleep and do not have to work. But beside it actually Menthok way of walk is funny.

            This song morale values is about confidence and respect other people. In this song we can see that even it was said that menthok way of walk is embrrassing but menthok still confidence and not closed himself. This song also give respect other value, even  Menthok is embrrassing but methok also funny. It has value that whatever the people is bad,ugly,dishonor, etc they still has a good value of theirself, so we must respect them. 

Give a Gift in My Neighbourhoodn

Give a Gift in My Neighbourhood

            My house is in a suburb area near Surakarta City, the area usually called Palur It include in Karanganyar Regency area but it more closer to the Surakarta City, it’s seven kilometre east side of Solo City centre. Like other suburbs area, Palur is mixed between city and village life. For the example there are lot of housing residence in the area but the resident lifestyle is mixed with village life on the area. It’s mixed the traditional culture lifestyle with modern culture, especially workers lifestyle.

            The lifestyle is including the gift gifting etiquettes. There are some etiquettes of gift gifting in my neighbourhood area. The first is gift gifting when there is a ceremony. There are some traditional ceremony like; wedding, khitanan, mitoni, selapanan, birthday, etc. Usually people who held the ceremony send box of food to their neighbours. This box of food can be mean the express of thanks and to shared the sender joy with the neighbour. People who send box of food also can be mean as an invitation. For example people who will hold khitanan or selapanan ceremony will send box of food to the neighbourhood to inform that their child has born or has been khitan. It’s not a formal invitation but it’s a sign and will make the neighbour visit the sender house to give congratulations. The gift gifting as invitation has etiquette, it must shared to the entire neighbour, if not sometimes it make uncomfortable feeling between neighbours.

            For wedding ceremony process there are etiquettes for gift gifting. First family which will hold wedding ceremony will ask their neighbours to help them in wedding ceremony process. They will send gift to their neighbour as a sign to inform that they will held event and ask their help, the gift not only box of food  sometimes also can be fabric or cloth that will used in the ceremony. In the wedding ceremony invitation usually family suggest to not bring gift to their house, but if there are some people who bring and give gifts in the house, the family mustn’t reject the gift. After the wedding ceremony the family will send gift to their neighbours who help the wedding ceremony, they will gift various things; it can be food, oil, rice, sugar, etc. After the wedding there are also an evaluation meeting of wedding ceremony committee, after the meeting the family will send a plate of black glutinous rice porridge as express of thanks to their neighbour because the wedding ceremony is succeed.

             In my neighbourhood there is a tradition to share the extra food to the neighbour. For the example if there is a family who hold an event such as prayers, or meeting they will share if there are extra food to their neighbour. Sometimes the host of event in the neighbourhood will make the food more than the number of expected guest; they also make food to share with their neighbour. It also can be shared the food among neighbour, sometimes there is some people who shared gift or food to their neighbours without specific purpose; they just shared to the others.

            In my neighbourhood there is some etiquette for receiving gift. The main etiquette is simple we just must not reject the gift. Reject a gift can hurt the feeling of gift sender; it also can make uncomfortable feeling between sender and receiver who reject the gift. There is no obligation to reply the gift which received. It’s depending on the receiver to reply or not the gift. But it’s also common in my neighbour to shared gift each other.

Perjalanan Muntilan Dua Tahun Lalu

Perjalanan Muntilan Dua Tahun Lalu

        Bulan November dua tahun yang lalu adalah bulan yang amat berbeda. Di bulan ini terjadi letusan dahsyat dari Gunung Merapi yang terletak di antara DIY dan Jawa Tengah. Letusan merapi yang terjadi tahun 2010 tersebut adalah letusan yang kedua setelah sebelum nya Merapi juga meletus pada akhir bulan oktober 2010. Letusa kedua ini lebih besar kekuatan dan dampaknya bagi daerah sekitar Gunung Merapi. Menimbulakan kerusakan material dan banyak korban jiwa, lebih dari 120 jiwa melayang karena letusan merapi yang diringi gugaran awan panas yang dinamai wedhus gembel . Selain korban jiwa dan material, aktivitas di sekitar Merapi terutama Yogyakarta, Magelang, Klaten, Boyolali, dan beberapa daerah di sekitar yang terdampak langsung akibat letusan tersebut. 

        Letusan Merapi tahun 2010 ini adalah bencana yang berbeda.  Wartawan, relawan dan masyarakat terfokus pada Merapi yang ketika itu sudah menunjukan aktivitas vulkanik yang meningkat selama beberapa minggu. Pemberitaan media pasca letusan juga amat gencar, muli dari evakuasi,  pengungsian sampai dengan penyaluran bantuaan ke pengungsi.  Sebagian besar fokus media dan relawan pada saat itu adalah Kabupaten Sleman, kabupaten yang terletak di selatan Merapi ini memeang memilki jumlah korban jiwa yang cukup banyak, selain itu kerusakan cukup parah juga terjadi di Sleman akibat dari awn panas hasil letusan Merapi.  

        Pada waktu itu, hati saya dan teman saya tergerak untuk memberikan sedikit bantuan bagi korban bencana tersebut.  Niat menolong para pengungsi merapi ini juga didorong rasa ingin tahu untuk untuk melihat daerah bencana secara langsung. Pengumpulan donasi kami lakukan di dekat rumah kami saja, dengan datang dari rumah ke rumah, kami kumpulkan sedikit demi sedikit uang dari warga dan mengumpulkanya jadi satu. Pengumpulaj dana ini diakuakn oleh dua orang remaja yang duduk di kelas 3 SMA dan kelas 1 SMK.  Ya, dengan sedikit rasa amlu dan takut kami datangi rumah-rumah warga dan memberitahu maksyd dan tujuan kami , untunglah sebagia besar rumah yang kami datangi memberika respon positif. 

               Setelah hampir satu minggu aksi pengumpulan dana, akhirnya terkumpul uang sebanyak kira-kira enam ratus ribu rupiah. Uang tersebut lalu dibelikan kebutuhan pokok seperti gula, mie instan dan peralatan mandi. Kami juga telah memutuskan tempat tujuan bantuan akan diberikan, kami memilih sebuah kampung di Kota Muntilan, di kampung tersebut terdapat saudara dari Ketua RT kami. Menurut Pak RT saat itu warga di kampung tersebut belum menerima bantuan dari pemerintah karena akses yang sulit akibat hujan debu vulkanik di daerah Muntilan.

           Kami berangkat untuk menyalurkan bantuan pada minggu 14 November 2010, dengan rombongan delapan orang terdiri dari enam orang remaja dan dua orang dewasa. Perjalanan kami cukup lancar walau kami harus memutar di daerah Yogyakarta karena jalur alternatif yang kami pilih tidak dapat dilalui. Ketika kami mencapai daerah Salam yang merupakan perbatasan Jawa Tengah dan Yogykarta, kondisi perjalanan berubah drastis. Jalanan di penuhi debu vulkanik yang tebal, terlihat rumah-rumah yang tertutup debu, pohon-pohon kelapa yang daun-daun nya layu karena tak kuat menopang berat abu vulkanik.

                                               Pohon-pohon kelapa yang layu karena tak kuat menahan debu vulkanik. 

Debu vulkanik tebal menyelimuti jalanan 

                                                     Suasana jalanan menuju Muntilan yang penuh debu Merapi

Semakin mendekati Kota Muntilan, kondisi semakin buruk, bahkan Kota Muntilan saat itu bagai kota mati. Tak banyak warga yang beraktivitas di luar wilayah tempat tinggal mereka, sebagian besar masih fokus menata kembali hidup mereka setalah   layanan listrik dan air bersih mulai hidup pasca-bencana.  Jalanan menuju kota pun masih dibersihkan, perlu diketahui bahwa bahwa ketika kami melintasi jalan menuju Muntilan, jalan tersebut baru dibuka tiga hari setelah sebelumnya tak dapat dilalui.

Warga membersihkan lingkungannya dari sisa debu vulkanik. 

Akhirnya kami sampai di kampung tujuan kami. Kampung tersebut terletak di barat kota Muntilan. Kaami bertemu dengan  saudara ketua RT kami dan disambut oleh keluarga mereka.  Setelah bercerita tentang maksud kami dan meminta tolong untuk dipertemukan dengan pemimpin pos pengungsian di kampung tersebut, kami salurkan bantuan kami yang tak seberapa. Bantuan diterima oleh pemimpin pos pengungsian, bantuan kami hanya berupa satu dus besar dan satu dus kecil, tak seberapa tapi itulah sedikit dari kami.   

                

                                        Salah satu relawan yang membagikan masker di  tepi jalan menuju Muntilan. 

Pepohonan tertutup abu vulkanik

Bantuaan kecil kami 

Suasana Kota Muntilan 

Santai sejenak setelah perjalanan 

Pemukiman yang tetutup debu vulkanik, bisadilihat juga lahar dingin yang mengalir di sungai 

Pembawa pasukan dan logistik 

Sedikit dari kami. 

"Nyaris Roboh"

"Nyaris Roboh" 

Salah Satu Sabtu Sore yang Nikmat

         Sudah agak lama  saya tidak mendatangi acara "Pensi" atau pentas seni. Mungkin sudah hampir lima atau enam bulan yang lalu saya datang ke acara seperti ini. Sudah menjadi mahasiswa semester tiga bukanlah alasan untuk menghindari acara seperti ini, kalau suka dan enak maka nikmati saja. Oke kali ini saya berkesempatan menikmati pensi SMAN 2 Surakarta, yang di beri nma "SMADAGASKAR III". Hanya tahu bahwa ada acara ini sehari sebelum acara, dan ada di venue tak lebih dari 90 menit, tapi ini bisa dibilang pentas musik yang nikmat. 

        Datang di GOR Manahan sekitar setengah empat sore, penampilan "Spirit of Life" menyambut di atas panggung, selaras dengan antrian sobek tiket dan pemeriksan untuk masuk venue.  Aksi band hardcore kota Solo ini, membakar semangat para pemuda di depan panggung, cukup liar aksi para pemuda ini, tapi sepertinya asyik juga. Teriakan, moshpit, dan tak lupa crowd surfing tak pernah hilang dari aksi tiga lagu mereka.

       Lepas dari  "Spirit of Life", ada band ternama dari Yogyakarta, "End of julia". Penampilan mereka cukup menghangatkan kembali semangat di depan panggung. Sing along dan gerakan moshing juga cukup liar. Tiga lagu yang mereka bawakan cukup memuaskan para pencinta musik mereka di Kota Solo.  Tetapi bagi saya aksi belu dimulai.    

        "Bandoso", band black metal kenamaan Kota Solo kemudian naik ke atas panggung. Saya pun bersiap di depan pagar barikade panggung. Mencoba bermain-main dengan pagar tersebut, saya merasakan pagar itu belum terlalu kuat, bahkan bisa dibilang longgar di beberapa titik. Saya dan seorang pemuda di kiri saya mencoba mengingatkan panitia penjaga barikade untu kmengencangkan dan menjaga titik lemah tersebut.  Setelah itu Bandoso bersiap mainkan aksi mereka, sayang nya aroma dupa tak tercium, ya seharusnya aroma wangi tersbut merasuki hidung sebelum mereka beraksi. 

          Aksi pun mulai, lagu pertama cukup nimat, moshpit mulai panas, tapi masih terkendali. Gerakan tangan dan headbang mulai terlihat. Pagar hitam di depan panggung juga mulai bergoyang-goyang karena dorongan penonton.  Panggung makin panas ketika lagu kedua "Tikaman Nafsu" berkumandang. Hentakan tangan penonton di depan pagar makin liar. Pagar tersbut terdorong mundur maki mendekat ke panggung.  Bahkan di beberapa bagian hampir terputus. Aksi di tengah moshpit juga tak kalah panas, meskipu saya tak begitu memperhatikan, yang jelas aksi crowd surfing masih berlangsung.  

           Menjelang lagu ketiga, atau lagu terakhir, suasana di depan pagar barikade juga makin panas. Panitia mulai berteriak untuk menyuruh mundur penonton dan menghentikan aksi menggoyang pagar dan crowd surfing.  Untung nya aksi tersebut tak begitu ditanggapi secara emosi oleh para penonton. Beberapa penonton di depan pagar bahakn mencoba menenangkan panitia, bahwa niat mereka bukan untuk merusak. Dan akhirnya penampilan Bandoso ditutup dengan lagu "Maha Gelap Maha Sesat" yang diriringi gerakan moshpit penonton didepan panggung yang nikmat. Yeah, cukup untuk berolaharaga sore itu. 

             Penampilan selanjutnya adalah "the Mobster", band SKA ternama dari Solo ini, menyapa para penggemarnya dengan lagu "Candy". Beat bercampur gerakan dan teriakan sing along penonton menikmati lagu pertama mobster. "Bersepeda" salah satu lagu andalan merka d album baru mereka. Penonton makin larut dalam musik riang tersebut, gerakan kaik, tangan, serta lompatan-lompatan terlihat  harmonisdianatara para penonton. Penampila mobster ditutup  lagu "Sing and Dance" membawa penonton untuk berdansa bersam The Mobster. 

       

              Setelah aksi The mobster, saya pun pulang, melewatkan aksi "abdul and the coffe theory" yang menjadi bintang tamu utama. Tapi aksi selama di venue sudah cukup membayar lunas atas harga tiket Rp. 17.000. Yeah Bandoso dan Mobster memberikan keringat dan keringanan di sabtu sore itu.  Yeah terima kasih juga untuk panitia dari SMADA Solo, lain kali buat pagar barikade yang lebih kuat ya . 

Kereta Gratis

 Kereta Gratis                                 

                         

      Hari ini, 25 Oktober 2012, kereta api Prameks (Prambanan Ekspress) dan ManJa (Madiun Jaya) sudah beroperasi normal kembali. Setelah kemarain seluruh jadwal prameks dibatakan, sebagai akibat dari anjloknya kereta api prameks 213 dari Solo Jebres tujuan akhir Kutoarjo di sebelah timur stasiun Kalasan.  Selain mengakibatkan korban luka dan kerusakan pada gerbong kereta yang anjlok, akibat lainya dari peristiwa tersebut adalah terlambatnya jadwal keberangkatan kereta api jalur selatan, bahkan beberapa kereta api harus memutar melewati jalur utara sehingga menambah waktu perjalanan sekitar dua jam. Penumpang kereta api lokal tujuan Yogyakarta, Solo, Madiun, Kutoarjo pun harus menggunakan mode transportasi lain, karena kereta batal berangkat.

         Sebagai kompensasi atas kejadian anjlok nya kereta api prameks tersebut, PT Kereta Api Indonesia membuat kebijakan tiket gratis bagi kereta api prameks mulai hari ini 25 Oktober 2012 hingga 28 Oktober 2012 untuk rute Solo-Yogyakarta PP. Kebijakan ini di berikan kepada penguna kereta api prameks sebagai kompensasi dan rasa simpati atas kejadian anjlok nya kereta api prameks di Kalasan .

          Kebijakan tiket gratis ini disambut baik oleh masyarakat. Euforia ini terlihat di media sosial ketika beberapa orang mengungkapkan rasa gembira atas kebijakan ini. Ya, memang kebijakan ini patut diapresiasi, kebijakn ini menunjukan tanggung jawab PT KAI daop Vi Yogyakarta terhadap para pelanggan nya. Tetapi sebenar nya ada beberapa hal yang seharusnya dipertimbangkan seperti kondisi kereta api dan tiba nya long-weekend pada saat pemberlakuan kebijakan ini. 

          Marilah kita, jangan salahkan PT KAI, kebijakan tesebut adaah bentuk tanggung jawab mereka sebagai penyedia jasa transportasi yang mengalami kecelakaan. Tetapi marilah, kita berpikir secara jernih atas kebijakan ini. Sebagai orang awam, ada baik nya kita jangan terlalu berpikir euforia saat ini.  Kita lihat jumlah kereta api prameks yang beroperasi.  Jumlah Kereta api prameks adalah tiga rangkaian; satu rangakaian rusak dan satu lagi anjlok di Kalasan kemarin. Andai kata keadaan kembalo normal (sesuali jadwal sebelum kecelakaan)pasti lah  beban rangkaian kereta itu bertambah

          Kondisi long-weekend juga bakal sangat berpengaruh. Dengan pemikiran orang Indonesia yang pragmatis, tentu nya kejadiaankereta api gratis ini tak akan dilewatka begitu saja. Tetapi ada hal-hal yang perlu diperhatikan, kereta api prameks pada masa long weekned seperti sekarang ini, biasanya sangat penuh, bahakn tak tersisa tempat untuk duduk di lantai. Apalagi jika jumlah penumpang makin tinggi akibat dari kebijakan tiket gratis ini. Masyarakat harus nya mengsntisipasi ini. Jangan sampai mereka kecewa karena tidak meras nyaman selama perjalanan. 

           Dengan kondisi seperti di atas, sebaiknya kita maklum dan sadar akan kondisi tersebut.   Sebaiknya, manfaatkan dengan baik kesempatan ini. Tetapi terimalah keadaan yang ada, jangan kemudian mengeluh dan bahkan tidak terima atas keadaan tersebut.  Selain itu mari kita berharap Keteta Api Indonseia dapat meningkatan pelayanan, fasilitas, serta infrastruktur perkereta-apian sehingga dapat memuaskan para penguna kereta api. Karena kompensasi yang terbaik adalah layanan yang baik.   

What’s Polite and Impolite Question in Your Country?

What’s Polite and Impolite Question in Your Country?

            What’s polite and impolite question for conversation in your country? That’s important question to us, to find the answer before we have conversation with foreigners. It’s because there are some question which are commonly used by Indonesian people to have conversation are impolite for people from others countries.  To find the answer, I asked a group of foreigners that I met at “BonBin” (a Famous food court on my faculty), they are consist of many countries such as; France, Lithuania, Tunisia, China, Argentina, Germany, Morocco, and Switzerland. I found some interesting answer from them, and this time I want to write the answer according; Cathy, student from China and Steve, student from Germany.

            Cathy is student from China, she now studying Bahasa Indonesia in my faculty. She has lived in Indonesia for one month and will stay for about six month.  When I asked her about impolite question in her country, she answers with unique answers. She said the in polite question is such as “How many girlfriend/boyfriend that you have before? “. She said that is a harsh question, it’s same as like “how many is your boyfriend/girlfriend right now?”  She also said a question like “What is your father/mother job? “ is also in polite question.  Beside that she said beside private matters, those are polite question.

            Steve is student from Germany, he’s has been in Indonesia for one year. Steve said that the first impolite question is about money. It’s impolite to ask someone about “how much is your salary?” or “How much money do you get every week/ every month?”. It’s also impolite to ask someone political side, it’s impolite to ask “are you left side or right side?” Religion question also sensitive issue, when you asked it in conversation.  The common conversation that Germany people had is about; sport, hobby, activities, food, etc. Steve also noted that they prefer to talk directly to their purpose. He also said that most German people is very concern about time, they prefer to done their work in time. It’s make them less have talk each other, even for have a little joke, it’s very rare for them to have it.

            Have a little talk with this group of foreigners is very nice. They had good responds of my question, instead my English is not very good.  The situation also enjoy, the answer my question while they have lunch.   There is Philip, foreigner from Switzerland which give me a joke, he answer “the polite question in Switzerland, is which not impolite ones”. Philip also told me that Swiss people usually make a joke about French.  They also ask me about Indonesian people joke. Unfortunately I can’t give them a good joke, because it’s difficult to make funny joke in English.

            At the end, I have some conclusions for my talks with them.  The first is they commonly used non private topics to have conversation with others people. It can be such as; sport, music, hobby, activity, etc. The private matters are impolite topics, it can be such as about; money, politic, family, relationship, age, and physical condition. The impolite question is can be said as rude question, and it’s bit hard for them to answers such kind that.  We must know what polite and impolite ones are, so we can have a good conversation and not make hurt feeling our partner.     

Rica-Rica and Sate Jamu “ Massri “

Jl. Ir. Sutami, Jebres, Solo 

             Sate is one of Indonesian popular food.  It’s usually made from chicken, goat, or  beef. How about Sate Jamu ? Is it made from jamu (Javanese traditional drink ) ?. Surely it’s not made from jamu, Sate Jamu is made from dog’s meat which combined with local spices.  It’s make Sate Jamu has spicy taste and can make warm our body, so people usually called this kind of food Sate Jamu.

            Rica-Rica is kind of food that come from Manado. This food name is come from Manado language which mean “hot” or refer to  “chilli” This food specialized on the spicy and hot taste of meat that cooked with the spices. The kind of Rica-Rica are very varietives, it can be from: chicken, duck, fish, beef, pork, etc. But this time we want to talk about Rica-Rica from dog’s meat. 

            Sate Jamu and Dog Rica- Rica is one of unique food that you can find easily in Solo. There are some famous stalls that sell this kind of food spread out around the city.  They usually open their stall in the evening, but you also can find who open in the afternoon, for example in Pemuda Street, Manahan there is a popular stall who sells food from Dog’s meat. That’s one of my favourites, but now I also want to tell another delicious dog’s meat food. It’s on Ir.Sutami Street, Jebres, Solo, the stall is owned by Massri and opened since 1977.  I had a little talk with about his stall in Friday evening , 28 September 2012. There are some point that i got from that talk, and I want to classified it with 10 contol point of food service control. 

·           Menu Planning

35 years ago Massri is a truck driver, he drive truck regularly from Solo-Jakarta vice versa.  He feel his job that time is not give him worthy money, beside that he also feel tired and want to lived with his family in Solo.  So in that time he decide to open a stall in Ir.Sutami Street, near his house in Jebres. 

He decide to sell Rica-Rica and Sate Jamu that time. It’s because he liked that kind of food.  It’s also because he was already familiar to cook that kind of food.  Rica-Rica made by Massri had a special things, it’s not made by Manado style but by Javanese style.  This food also had many lovers. He said that almost every day his food is sold out. He also said that every day he can gain profit around five hundred thousand rupiah. Those profits then shared with his wife and his employee which help him in the stall.

·           Puchasing

The food primary ingredient is Dog’s meat, to get best dog’s meat Massri had a supplier, which supplied him 50 dogs every week. The supplier is from Bandung,West java,  dogs is supplied in alive condition by truck every week.  In special case condition Massri also sometimes buy additional dogs from local breeder in Solo, for the example is when he get a big order, and his dogs is not enough, he buy extra dogs from the breeder.  For the spices and other ingredients such as : Rice. Carbon, Tea, salt,sugar, lemon,etc; Massri buy it from the market three times a week. 

·           Receiving

            From the supplier. Massri get a good quality dogs everyweek.  Massri said that the supplier usually come on time, it’s very rare that the supplier come after he got the short stock of dogs.  For the other iggredients which buy from market, it has own special seller. He buy from he has own  regular seller as a place to but his food ingredients.

·           Storage

            After get the ingredients, then the ingredients is keep in his house before being cooked. For the dogs, Massri had a large cage to keep his dogs. He keep his dogs and only take 5-7 dogs everyday to be killed and be cooked.

·           Issuing

            Before prepare cook the meat and ingredients, the ingredients is moved to the kitchen. The kitchen is located in Massri house.  Before that the dogs also moved to the back yard to be killed.

·           Preparing

            In Preparation to killed the dog,  there are some equipment that needed. There are knife, carver, bucket and hose. The knife and crver must be sharp and clean. It’s must be to keep the meat clean and the dog can died instanly.

            In Cooking there are some other equipment. The equipment for cooking is frying pan, pot, and stove.  There are also a griller to make sate. The griller need carbon to make fire on it, so the carbon must ready everyday.   The Ingredients and equipment must be ready before cooking. Massri usually preparing his cook in the morning, he also helped by his wife’s to prepare and cook the food.

In this step is also include the process of killing the dogs. The dog is killed by knife to make it died instanly, not like the other style which make dog drawn on the water to killed it. After the dog is died, it need to be clenaed. The meat is cutted and separated from the skin. It also cleaned the dog meat from the dirt.  After the meat is cut out and separated, the meat is wah out by water. This also to make sure the meats are clean.

·         Cooking

            The cooking process is usually start after noon. It start after the meats and ingredients are ready. The first the meat is boiled on the pot. It’s to make the meat to be more sotf. While the meats are cokked, the spices is blend together into a mix. This mixture is become the combination of the food.  After around 2 hours, the meat is moved to other pot and mix woth the spices. It boiled and mixed until the meat is well cooked. The sign the meat is well cooked is the meats colour that red.  That is the basic meats that cooked in Massri house. This meat can be used to make Rica-Rica or Sate.

            The next step is to cook and serve the menu to customers.  The basic meat then bring to the food stall and be set up for cook. The nest cook is depend on the customers request. Is it Rica Rica  or Sate Jamu ? If it Rica-Rica it will cooked with the spices again in the frying pan and added with pepers. If it’s Sate Jamu, it will cook in griller and griill with sweet soy sauce, not with peanut sauce. .

·         Holding

           The cooking process in the food stall is quick. It’s only need around five minutes per order. The time is little bit longer for making Sate Jamu because it depend on the fire temperature in the grill.  Because Massri used medium frying pan, it makes if there are big number of order he need to separated the order and cooked it into two part or three part of cooking.

·         Serving

            The serving of the food is just  like other Rica or Sate. Rica Rica is served in a plate with it’s tick dressing.  It’s consist of bones and meat, every plate should  consist of it and also some lever.  It’s served in hot condition, people can eat it by spoon and fork or eat it by hand.  But mostly of the customers eat it by using their hand, because it’s more easier and had special taste.

            Sate jamu is served just like ordinary sate.  It’s consist of meat which grilled and served with soy sauce.  It little bit different because it’s not using peanut sauce. Massri said that peanut sauce is not match if combined with Sate Jamu.  In Sate Jamu plate there are also chilli, cabbage,onion, and garlic, it’s can be used to add more taste for the sate.

·         Cleaning and Maintenance

Cleaning, is one of the important part of food business. Massri said that he always tried to make his food product is clean. He always clean the dishes by dish soap. He provide four until five bucket to wash and collect the dish.  For the water source he get it from the Factory behing his food stall, which connected to his food stall.   For the maintenance, Massri said he change his equipment when it’s wrecked. For the example for frying pan if it’s sticky, it’s mean it need the new one . For the pot , it sometimes leak, so it ned to be fixed, or be change. 

Imajinasi ? Khayalan ? Kebodohan ?

Mungkin Semuanya

Apa yang anda pikirkan tentang gambar di atas ?

Sebuah adegan pemakaman ?  Mungkin . . .

Ziarah Makam ?  Bisa saja . . .

Bagi saya, gambar ini memilki arti lebih, ya lebih dalam hal imajinasi, khayalan dan mungkin hal yang bisa dibilang konyol dan bodoh. Tapi hal tersebut sangat menyenangkan, dan secara tidak sadar menciptakan suatu pengalaman yang tak terlupakan.

Diawali dari sebuah hari minggu yang biasa-biasa saja. Hari itu kemudian menjadi suatu peristiwa ketika sekelompok manusia diatas menemukan pecahan keramik, batu, dan patahan kayu dari sisa pembangunan rumah yang ada di sekitar tanah lapang.  Bermain-main sejenak dengan papan kayu, dilemapr kesana kemari, samapi mereka cukup bosan untuk melakukannya.  Akhirnya mereka mempunyai ide untuk menyusun benda-benda tersebut yang kemudian membentuk pusara.

Tak cukup hanya disusun, mereka menambahkan beberapa tulisan di keramik dan kayu, untuk menambah detil pada pusara mereka.  Sebenarnya benda yang mereka buat ini terinspirasi oleh kematian Michael Jackson, pemberitaan tentang kematian bintang pop dunia itu cukup meracuni otak mereka.  

Dan yang paling menarik dan fenomenal dari peristiwa ini adalah video berikut yang merupakan hasil kreatifitas imajinasi bocah-bocah ini. 

Dan ini adalah saat-saat pembuatan makan a.k.a pusara Mr X 

Mengganjal Manipulasi Tangan

                                   

            Aku saat ini punya status sebagai mahasiswa. Status yang menurut beberapa orang adalah sesuatu yang istimewa. Mahasiswa berarti sudah lebih dari siswa, lebih besar tanggung jawab, hak serta kewajiban nya jika dibandingkan seorang siswa. Tidak hanya tanggung jawab terhadap diri nya sendiri, tetapi juga terhadap masyarakat.  Kewajiban dan tanggung jawab kita, sebagai mahasiswa dapat kita lakukan sesuai cara kita masing-masing, terserah bagaimana cara nya asalkan tidak merugikan orang lain tentu nya.

            Mahasiswa, terkadang identik dengan figur orang yang intelektual, kritis, dan dewasa. Well, anggap saja sebagian besar mahasiswa seperti itu, walau jika aku boleh menilai aku sendiri sangat jauh dari hal-hal tersebut.  Intelektual artinya disini mungkin, mahasiswa sering dihadapkan untuk selalu berpikir ilmiah dan logis, tidak ngawur atu asal-asalan saja. Mahasiswa juga diharapkan dewasa, dalam hal ini mampu menentukan hal yang baik dan buruk dan bertanggung jawab atas pilihan yang diambilnya.  Mahasiswa juga sering melekat sebagai orang yang kritis, kritis terhadap keadaan sekitar, kritis terhadap kondisi masyarakat, kritis terhadap pemereintah, dll.

            Aku sebagai mahasiswa ? ya beginilah jauh dari kesan-kesan tersebut. Aku walau kuliah di sebuah universitas negeri ternama di kota gudeg, tetap saja belum banyak hal yang berubah dari ku sejak jadi mahasiswa.  Dan yang jelas aku bukanlah verminan mahasiswa yang pstut untuk ditiru,  tidak terikat organisasi kampus, malas berorganisasi, pikiran masih belum jelas, serta cukup apatis terhadap bau-bau politik. Ya begitulah diri ku, masih menikmati diri ku yang seperti itu.

            Bicara soal mahasiswa, ada hal yang cukup menarik dari satu tahun pertama ku menjadi mahasiswa.  Hal ini sebenarnya sangat umum, jamak di perkuliahan dan pasti nya sudah ada sejak lama. Tak pula di pungkiri di tempat aku berkuliah akhirmya aku menemui hal seperti ini, semenjak awal zemseter kedua. Sebut saja fenomena itu MTT (Manipulasi Tanda Tangan) atsau bahasa populer nya “titip absen”. Ya, sebuah fenomena memanipulasi tanda tangan oleh diri sendiri maupun dengan bantuan orang lain, supaya dapat tidak masuk kuliah dan terselamatkan dari syarat ada  75% tanda tangan kita di kertas presensi selama satu semester.  Dan seperti bisa ditebak, praktek ini sangat sulit untuk dibinasakan.

            Tulisan ini juga tak punya niat untuk membinasakan praktek tersebut, tak mau menyalahkan siapa pun juga. Mungkin, sedikit menyindir, tapi tak ap anggap saja angin lalu kawan. Hanya ingin mengutarakan bagaimana rasa nya melihat praktek tersebut beredar bebas di kmpus dan menjadi candu terselubung.

            Bagi ku, praktek MTT (Manipulasi Tanda Tangan) ini tak lebih dari seperti surat palsu yang dibuat seorang siswa sebagai lasan membolos sekolah. Jika dipikir-[ikir bahkan lebih hebat dari surat izin palsu. Jika surat izin palsu mengkonfirmasi siswa tersebut tidak datang hari itu.  MTT ini justru seolah praktik sulap dan supranatural, membuat seolah-olah pelaku praktik ini ada dalam perkuliahan, padahal yang berdangkutan tak ada di kelas. Pelaku di sini ialah orang yang meminta tolong atau yang memanipulasi presensi. Biasa nya karena terpaksa dan terikat tali pertemanan erat yang mengiurkan untuk dimanfaatkan sebagai cara ampuh untuk tak berangkat hari itu.

            Melihat praktik MTT, yang muncul pertama kali adalah persaan tidak adil. Betapa enak nya tak perlu datang ke kelas, tepai seolah dua setengah jam duduk di kelas.  Perasaan ku kurang bisa menerima hal ini. Beberapa teman juga kurang bisa menerima hal ini. Namun kami hanya bisa diam saja. Tak mberani melapor, ingin menyatakan perasaan kami pun takut dan tak enak dengan pelaku nya yang juga teman sendiri.

            Lalu apa yang saya lakuakan ? ya hanya diam saja, sambil sesekali menulis kalimat-kalimat bernada sindiran di jejaring sosial. Kalimat-kalimat sindiran itu cukup pedas dan tajam, entah karena pengaruh emosi yang masih panas kal itu sehingga yang keluar adalah kata yang tajam. Sekali, dua kali, dan beberapa kalimat sudah tertulis di sana, aku pun juga sudah yakin beberapa pelaku nya sudah membaca kalimat sindiran tersebut.

             Puncak nya ketika suatu siang, sebuah SMS masuk, berisi kekecewaan dan nada cukup tinggi terhadap kalimat ku di jejaring sosial.  Esok nya pengirim SMS tersebut berbincang cukup alot dengan ku, menciba menjelaskan pandangan dari masing-masing sisi. Kesimpulanya aku berpegang bahwa aku tak setuju cara manipulasi presensi. Sementara dia berpegang teguh bahwa itu adalah hak nya, dan aku seharusnya dapat menghargai nya , klau aku ingin seperti dia cukup lakukan seperti yang lain lakukan.

            Setelah pembicaraan itu aku mundur. Mundur teratur dari pergoncangan kata-kata, berlatih menerima keadaan. Keadaan juga mulai menunjukan bahwa ini semua sudah seperti sistembesar. Sulit diputus karena banyak mata rantai. Penuh rintangan dan godaan untuk tetap berdiri.  Dan karena itu, harapan ku pun tak muluk-muluk, cukup semoga aku mampu terus berusaha jujur disemasa hidup ku.  Semoga aku mampu bertahan dianatara himpitan sistem ini.