A Movie Review: Surga Kecil di Bondowoso (A Little Piece of Heaven in Bondowoso)
Hola, blog! Been a long time, always. So sorry that I'm not that active again in this blog. I still love to write though but why is it always ended up in draft and then I completely forgot about it.
But right now, I want to wrote a little review about a short film that I just watched.
A documentary film called "Surga Kecil di Bondowoso" by Nia Dinata.
In the beginning of this film, there's a quote by Kamla Bahsin, said that "Masculinities is a social definition that’s given to men by society. Masculinity dictates how men act, dressed, and behave with certain qualities they should have.” After that quote, the film shows the beautiful view of Suramadu Bridge and narrated voice by Ustadz (Islamic Teacher or Cleric) Nur Salim. He said that he was born and raised in Madura. Based on his experience living in Madura, he said that most Maduranese men have no respect to women, and they have the bad character. Ustadz Nur Salim didn't feel comfortable about that, he didn't like the environment, the society against his beliefs, so he decided to left his hometown.
He moved to a town called Sidogiri, where he studied Quran in Boarding School since he was 16 years old until 25 years old, the total is 9 years. In Boarding School, he had a role model namely his teacher. His teacher taught how a men respect a women, and that inspired him to become a good husband in the future. After he graduated from boarding school, he moved to another small town called Bondowoso, to fulfill his teacher wills for him to teach in that town. He teach in Junior High School as the guest teacher, that's where he met his wife, not long after graduated and moved to Bondowoso, he married to Ustadzah Nur Fadlilah.
Ustadzah Nur Fadlilah, a headmaster of the school and a very dedicated women. She is so busy managed his career and traveled out of town very often. When Ustadz Nur Salim asked her to marry him, she said to him that she is an activist who loves to work and travel, she is not the type of women who can just stay at home as the housewife. But. Ustadz Nur Salim feel okay with that. He had no problem at all.
In their marriage, there is no inequality, just like their commitment, as husband and wife must respect for each other activities. For Ustadzah Nur Fadlilah, she is actually not completely ignore the housework, she tried the best as she could to being a good wife, she also loyal to his husband, and served his husband well. It is just she is more focused on what she desired, which is active in social life and work. She proved that women can also got their own role in social life, like in education life. Ratna Megawangi stated in her book, “Membiarkan Mereka Berbeda” that has been widely demonstrated that the ability of human intelligence is the ability of a universal, where the woman was able to enter the fields of education that was previously believed to only be done by men.
Ustadz Nur Salim as the husband, he is capable and would not mind at all to do the household chores. For instance, he take care of their children, cook, do the dishes, and do the laundry. He didn't need to wait and command his wife to do all the activities. If his wife can’t stayed at home because of her activities, instead of being angry, he will take the duty which is usually done by women.
In the other side, although he was doing the housework, but he also did not abandon his main activities, teaching. Ustadz Nur Salim has his own job as Islamic teacher in Bondowoso, he also a public speaker and he teach kids and teenagers to read the Quran, and give them so many advice and good lesson especially about the equality between men and women, that is his main focus. He said to his student that women must look forward to their future to study as high as they possible to achieved, and man must support and not forbid women to reach success. It turns out, most of his students follows his advice and make him as their role model. Just like Ustadz Nur Salim looked up to his teacher, back when he was in Boarding School.
At first, the scene of Ustadz Nur Salim's family life was initially considered strange by the villagers. It is natural because in Indonesian society, there is still a common senses that men are positioned as a leader who is masculine, especially for the Muslims. The Cleric like Ustadz Nur Salim usually be on top as a leader who should always be served. But, Ustadz Nur Salim is different, he managed to break that assumption. Eventually, the change ensued. Originally considered as strange behaviour, but now is reasonable. Many other men in that village looked up and imitate to Ustadz Nur Salim.
To the conclusions, this documentary film is teach us many things, both men and women can do what they wanted, their desire. As long as what they want do not harm each other, instead better if it is mutually beneficial and can create good alignment for each other. It concluded the main point is about the gender equality. This movie can build the new view in equality of men and women not only in the family life, but also in work life. It just the society whose make the differences and classification, basically from the culture and tradition, just like Ratna Megawangi stated again in her book, the differences of role (division of labor) between man and women is not caused by nature biology distinction, but it cause by the culture factors. It’s time to not glued with common views, especially from the past, like the old tradition. Men and women are alike. Should share affection in order to keep the love alive in marriage. Responsibility shouldered together. When both men and women experienced same things and rights in the society, in the end, the gender equality has been achieved.
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