The Dust and The Leftovers

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

The Back of My Hands

All pictures were taken near the house where I was raised; Pondok Bambu, East Jakarta. Over the time, the neighborhood have through several changes. There was the time, when many people refuse to live there because they considered the place were lived by many bad spirits, but for the brave one (such as my dad ;)) its not a big deal, so does some people whom start to lived there.When I was a child, I remember I often see farmers harvesting their rice field. I also remember catching fireflies at night, in a terrain right beside my house.

And then came the time when the upper class people suddenly move here, so does many retired couple. For the rich people the area was considered as a potential investment, and for the retired couple, it was pretty much a serene place. That is why they gave a name for the street; 'Buluh Perindu', or the bamboo that makes people longing, which actually refer to 'flute'.

Until came the big flood.. Many of the rich people went off and sale their property in such low price. And the serene place, became some-what people see as a large swamp, covered with mud, dirty sewer, stray cats, and many working class people. The serene upper class investment suddenly change into a slump area. Many small rented house are built, along with the increasing numbers of people who move there. By the time the numbers of people just grows bigger and bigger, but not the living area. Many of the small rented house are shared with four or even nine family members or relatives (just like the one in front of my house).

The longing bamboo now became the spiky one, a stakes. A place where the forgotten people, the leftovers, are continuously fighting day by day for their life.