THE FIGHTS OF WOMEN CHARACTERS AGAINSTS TRADITIONAL VALUES PORTRAYED IN OKA RUSMINI’S TARIAN BUMI
A THESIS
BY
APRI TANTRI HUTAGAOL
REG. NO 100705066
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA
THE FIGHTS OF WOMEN CHARACTHERS AGAINTS TRADITIONAL VALUES PORTRAYED IN OKA RUSMINI’S TARIAN BUMI
A THESIS
BY:
APRI TANTRI HUTAGAOL REG NO. 100705066
Supervisor, Co-Supervisor,
Dr. Siti Norma Nasution, M.Hum Dr. Martha Pardede, M.S. NIP. 19570720 198303 2 001 NIP. 19521229 196903 2 001
Submitted to Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara Medan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra from Department of English.
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA
Approved by the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara (USU) Medan as a thesis for the Sarjana Sastra Examination
Head, Secretary,
Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A., Ph.D
Accepted by the Board of Examiners in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra from the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Studies, University of Sumatera Utara, Medan.
The examination is held in Department of English Faculty of Cultural Studies, University of Sumatera Utara on 19th July 2014.
Dean of Faculty of Cultural Studies
University of Sumatera Utara
Dr. H. Syahron Lubis, M.A.
NIP. 19511013 197603 1 001
Board of Examiners
1.Dr. H. Muhizar Muchtar, M.S. ...
2.Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A., Ph.D ...
3.Dr. Siti Norma Nasution, M.Hum. ...
4. Dr. Martha Pardede, M.S. ...
AUTHOR’S DECLARATION
I, APRI TANTRI HUTAGAOL, DECLARE THAT I AM THE SOLE AUTHOR OF THIS THESIS EXCEPT WHERE REFERENCE IS MADE IN THE TEXT OF THIS THESIS.THIS THESIS CONTAINS NO MATERIAL PUBLISHED ELSE WHERE OR EXTRACTED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FROM A THESIS BY WHICH I HAVE QUALIFIED FOR OR AWARDED ANOTHER DEGREE.
NO OTHER PERSON’S WORK HAS BEEN USED WITHOUT DUE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IN THE MAIN TEXT OF THIS THESIS. THIS THESIS HAS NOT BEEN SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF ANOTHER DEGREE IN ANY TERTIARY EDUCATION.
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NAME : APRI TANTRI HUTAGAOL
TITLE OF THESIS :THE FIGHTS OF WOMEN CHARACTHERS
AGAINTS TRADITIONAL VALUES
PORTRAYED IN OKA RUSMINI’S TARIAN
BUMI
QUALIFICATION : S-1 / SARJANA SASTRA
DEPARTMENT : ENGLISH
I AM WILLING THAT MY THESIS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR
REPRODUCTION AT THE DISCRETION OF THE LIBRARIAN OF
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES,
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT
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OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to thanks and praise to the Almighty God, Jesus Christ for His blessing and mercy. I believe without His blessing I could not finishing this thesis as one of the requirements to get Scholar Certificate in English Department, Faculty of Cultural Studies, University of Sumatera Utara.
I would say thanks to Dean of Faculty of Culture Studies, University of Sumatera Utara Dr. H. Syahron Lubis, M.A., as well as head of English Department and Secretary of English Department Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A., Ph.D
For fourth years I study in this department, there are so many people whose help, guide and support me for many times. I would express my special thanks for my Supervisor Dr. Siti Norma Nasution, M.Hum. and my Co-Supervisor Dr. Martha Pardede, M.S. for their willingness, knowledge and assistance for guide me in doing and finished this thesis and also all lectures in English Department for their knowledge that given to me when I study in this department.Thanks to Alm. Bang Am for his unforgettable faithful services to English Department. May God give you a very good seat in heaven. And also Bang Mistam for helping me doing all registration and administration in English department.
for your support. Thank you all for tolerating me in my moments of despair when it seemed uncertain that I would be able to complete all of the projects that I have undertaken.
My special thanks to my all great buddies : Zega, Krista, Cindy, Eka, Elsye, Tami, Hetty ( The all Single Ladies), Hanny (piscok), Wina, Yati, Depot, Denny, Boy, Dicky, Yudi, Petrus and Martin thanks for give me spirit and advice and become my best friends. And also all members of 2010 B. Thanks for all unforgettable moments, support and courage your full attention has made my life more colorful and precious.
I would thanks to Mr. AMG, Frans Christian Sitompul, S.T. Thanks for being my partner and passion hearing my naggings when I’m in bad mood, I hope we’ll be a successes person. Finally I realize that this thesis is still far from being perfect and I welcome constructive criticism and suggestion.
Medan, July 2014
ABSTRAK
ABSTRACT
The thesis is entitled ‘The Fights of Women Characters Against Traditional Practices portrayed in Oka Rusmini’s Tarian Bumi’ This thesis is an analysis of the fights of Balinese women. The women’s problems which are discussed in this thesis are figures of women’s characters and the fights of women’s character against their tradition. The purposes of this thesis are to analyze and to provide that the life of women characters in this novel is the symbol of Balinese’s women related to their tradition. The method that is applied is descriptive qualitative method and the theory that is applied are feminism and sociology of literature. Based on this research, there is found that the life of women characters in Tarian Bumi are the symbol of social problems which are faced by Balinese women.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.5Significance of the Study ... 6
CHAPTHER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.1 Dynamic Structuralism ... 7
CHAPTHER IV: ANALYSIS AND FINDING 4.1 Figures of Women’s Character ... 23
4.1.3 Strong and Critical ... 32
4.2 Their Fighter Against Traditional Values ... 35
4.2.1 Inter-Caste Marriage ... 36
4.2.2 Prefer to be Single ... 39
CHAPTHER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION 5.1 Conclusion ... 43
5.2 Suggestion ... 44
REFERENCES ... 45
APPENDICES APPENDIX I : Summary of The Novel ... ix
ABSTRAK
ABSTRACT
The thesis is entitled ‘The Fights of Women Characters Against Traditional Practices portrayed in Oka Rusmini’s Tarian Bumi’ This thesis is an analysis of the fights of Balinese women. The women’s problems which are discussed in this thesis are figures of women’s characters and the fights of women’s character against their tradition. The purposes of this thesis are to analyze and to provide that the life of women characters in this novel is the symbol of Balinese’s women related to their tradition. The method that is applied is descriptive qualitative method and the theory that is applied are feminism and sociology of literature. Based on this research, there is found that the life of women characters in Tarian Bumi are the symbol of social problems which are faced by Balinese women.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1.1Background of Study
The gender issues already became a social phenomenon in this world, especially in western countries. The tradition in western culture has a stereotype that women are weak and powerless. There are big differences between men and women. Murniati in her books discussed that in Indonesian history, there has been a division of works based on gender. Then comes the difference of works between public area and domestic area, women tend to be isolated and live in their groups while men can socialize (2004:79). Years ago, before R.A. Kartini fought for women’s right to have education, only man who could go to school meanwhile women spent their time in house doing housework because their duties were to serve their family, get married the man who were selected by her family, give birth and rise their children.
Maria Ulfah in her book Peranan dan Kedudukan Wanita Indonesia mentions some of clans in Indonesia that have this stereotype such as Bataknese. They consider women as ‘barang belian’ because their husbands will ‘buy’ them from their family, this is called ‘sinamot’ (1994:256). In Bataknese tradition only men will continue their family name because it, they never count their daughter as a child. Another clan that makes women as the second class is Bali, Nyoman Darma in Wanita Bali Tempo Doeloe mentions problem that is faced by women in Bali. In
The society thinks that women’s duties are to serve their husband and raise their children. Indonesia has a culture in which men are regarded as the first class of society. This culture is called Patriarchal culture. Patriarchal culture based on Bhasin “merupakan sebuah sistem dominasi dan superioritas laki-laki, sistem kontrol
terhadap perempuan, dalam mana perempuan dikuasai” (1996:3).Patriarchal culture
shows a domination system and superiority of men, they have a full control of women.“Dalam patriaki melekat ideologi yang menyatakan bahwa laki-laki lebih tinggi dari perempuan” (Bhasin, 1996:4).This system gives the rights of superiority
for men.
The gender issues often occur in literary works as it can be found in novels. This theme already existed in Indonesia literary since 1920. Marah Rusli was an author that used this theme as his work in Siti Nurbaya which was published by Balai Pustaka. And then, it was continued in 1930 by Sutan Takdir Alisyabanah. He wrote a novel entitled Layar Terkembang. In this modern era, there are many women authors struggle for equality of gender in their works, especially about the domination of man because of the tradition and religion.One of them is Oka Rusmini. There are many issues about women’s problems like injustice, violence, and discrimination which can be found in Oka’s works. The inspiration of Oka’s novels is not only taken from her environment but also from her experiences.
Oka Rusmini was born in Jakarta, July 11th,1967.Oka is a Balinese writer that brings the theme of Balineses’ old tradition which always harms women especially in griya ‘Brahmin’s house’ as one of her way to protest the injustice in griya. She does
24 February 2014, 01.00 am). She already wrote Sagra (2000), Tarian Bumi (2000), Kenanga (2003), and many more. In some of her works, Oka makes women as the
main characters. She shows that women struggle for their lives.
Tarian Bumi was one of her works which was inspired from her life experience.
She is Brahmins and she does not like about the griya life. Oka feels the tradition in griya, sometimes, harms the women’s lives. Tarian Bumi was already translated to
Germans Erdentanz published in 2007 also to English as Earth Dance published in 2013. This novel got appreciation from Indonesia Ministry of Education in 2003.
Talking about literature is basically talking about life. Literature means to know about life because literature is the imagination of the writers about life, about everything that the writers have felt or thought in life. Wellek (1977:94) state that …literature ‘represents’ ‘life’; and ‘life’ is, in large measure, a social reality, even
though the natural world and the inner or subjective world of the individual have
also been objects of literary ‘imitation’. It means that literary is not only as the
product of creativity, but also as the product of the reality. Literary reflects what happened in the era of the writer, and sometimes the literary doesn’t represent life directly but it is indirectly portrayed that there is a social life issue inside.
As the writer mentioned above, gender issues become one of the most ‘favorite’ theme in literary. The authors make women as object, they describe woman as gentle person and as a mother who always lives behind her husband meanwhile man are described as smart and diligent person. This situation made
which tried to make women living on equal terms with men and not pushed down, by law or by culture, into a subservient role (Endarwarsa, 2002:146).
Feminism based on the literary was a studies research which tried to understand the position and role of women as reflected in literary. Position, role of women and the domination of man will be the point of these studies. Tarian Bumi is one of novel that reflected this phenomenon, this novel which talks about the fights of Balinese women. The fights of women characters which reflected in Tarian Bumi based on the Balinese tradition. As we already knew that Bali is one of some places in Indonesia that practices Hindu religion, (stratification) caste social and patriarchal culture. In Bali, religion (Hindu) cannot be separated with culture. Religion and culture is a source of social practices, philosophy, habits and traditions. Moral values also express both tradition and religion. For this reason, the writer assumes Balinese women face different hardships compared with other ethnic groups in Indonesia. Oka shows that Balinese women are strong and critical. One of the characters that shows this is Luh Sekar, a woman from the lower caste who has a big dream to make her life become better by marrying the man from higher caste and another character is Ida Ayu Telaga Pidada, Sekar’s daughter. She is Brahmins who decides to get married with Wayan Sasmita, from Sudra caste. This novel does not only talk about fights of Telaga and Sekar but also other women around Telaga’s environment. They are Luh Kenten and Luh Kambren who decided to be single women.
The writer chooses Tarian Bumi to be analyzed because this novel raised the theme of Balinese women’s fights in an unusual way. Oka, as the author, tries to reveal something hidden in social life and the problems which are forbidden to talk (taboo). This study is expected to describe the author’s motivation and intentions
found in the novel, especially about women and social problems, culture and tradition, the philosophy of society and other issues related to Balinese society.
1.2 Problems of Study
Based on the topic and background of the study, the problem of study can be formulated as follows:
1. How are the figures of women’s characters pictured in Tarian Bumi? 2. How are the fights of women’s characters against traditional values
reflected in the novel?
1.3 Objective of Study
The purposes of this study are:
1. To explain the figures of women’s characters pictured in Tarian Bumi. 2. To explain the fights of women characters against traditional values
reflected in the novel.
1.4 Scope of Study
1.5 Significance of Study
The analysis of this study is expected to give information of the readers who want to understand and appreciate literature in general and the works of Oka Rusmini in particular. The significance of this study firstly is to show the life of
CHAPTHER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Dynamic Structuralism
Damono in his book entitled sosiologi sastra explains Structure derives from Latin word, structura means form or building. Structure means the relationship between various elements in text. Some elements in text are plot, theme, character, and setting. Teeuw (1984: 135) says, ‘Structural Analysis aims to unpack and explain as carefully, as precisely, as much detail, and in-depth and entanglement all elements and aspects of literature that together produce a comprehensive meaning’. This theory concernsin analyzing and explaning the all elements in text to get the purpose of the text, ”creativity in literature regard as something that didn’t more than extrinstic element”(Damono, Djoko:1984:36). This theory regards that creativity, reason and background of author as something unimportant in the process of analyzing literature.
Suwardi in his book Metodologi Penelitian Sastra explained that the person who introduces the theory of Genetic Structuralism was Taine, “Taine believed that literary work was not only an imaginative fact and personal imagination, but also a reflection of culture record, a shape of certain mind when literary work was created” (2003:53). Author was person who viewed an important object and turned that object into creative words that had meaning to others, and the idea was not only taken from her creativity and experience but also from society situation. In the other side, by understanding literary text and disregarding author as the one who conveys meaning will lessen the identity and value that has been used by the author in cultural condition of society.
Lucien Goldman, the one who developed dynamic structuralism. He tried to combine structural analysis with historic materialism and dialectic, he was concerned that literature should be understood as a whole. Goldman (1973:109-123) explained that one principal of this method is to be realistic. Sociology should have historical characteristic, otherwise, to be scientific and realistic, research of history should involve sociology.
2.2 Feminism
In article American Feminism movement: Breaking Down Barriers for women gives a brief explanations about the American women in era 1960s-1970s,
domestic sector doing housekeeping and child caring. Husband had full control of wives’ property. For wives, they didn’t have rights upon their husbands’ properties, because wives hadlimited rights to ‘proper support’. For working women, they should satisfy with salaries that were paid lower than men, the company rejected to give promotion so they could not develop their ability. As employees, they should quit from their works when they were pregnant.
Mary Wollstonecraft was one of women author who wrote“A Vindication of The Rights”.She told her views and her opinion about women situation in 16th century. This book got good reaction from radical contemporary.On the contrary, some people mocked this book, even some women thought that this book provided something that could not be accepted. “The Historical Magazine declared, in 1799, that her work should be read ‘with disgust by any female who has any pretensions to delicacy; with detestation by everyone attached to the interests of religion and morality’” (Sayers, Sean:1990:9). And because of this, she was called as the mother of feminism. In 1962, Betty Friedan emerged to complete Mary’s thought with her book, The Feminine Mystique. These thought became the origin of feminism movement.
Feminism is a movement that opposed the domination of man and patriarchal culture. Based on literature, feminism connected with method to understand literary works as process of production. This movement connected with women emancipation and right equality, in social contemporary knowledge called as equality gender movement (Ratna, 2004: 184).
for women and the right to be divorced from her husband.The second wave of feminism movement was developed by Betty Friedan. This movement encouraged changes from the practical activity towards activities which were more theoretical. The third wave movement of feminism accepted pluralisman respect the choices made by women to obtain happiness honesty and personal will. And the last, post feminism. This theory described the simultaneous in corporation, revision and depoliticization of second wave feminists’primary goal. The persons that developed this feminism were Naomi Wolf, Susan Falludi and Ann Brooks.
Endaswara explain that feminism based on literary is a studies research which tried to understand the position and role of women as reflected in literary. Position and role of women and the domination of man will be the point of these studies. Based on this domination, researcher will focus this studies based on (1) Position and role of the women in literary, (2) The backwardness of women in many aspects of life including education and social life, (3) Give the attention from the reader side, in particular how the response of the reader about women emancipation (2002: 146). The goal of this studies are: tries to figure out the position and role of women in the literary, and the researcher should clearly analyzing the domination of patriarchal culture, found the ideology of the author, how they described the role of women and described they point of view of this phenomenon.
product of emancipation, the goal of this movement are the equality gender, and omit the women’s representation as the object.
Based on the definition of feminism and women characters in Oka’s novel, Tarian Bumi supported feminism liberal and radical.
2.2.1 Liberal Feminism
Liberalism was the first movement that created feminism liberal.This theory was developed since the 18th century. The first thought of liberalism feminism based on liberalismin which believed “the whole system over individual rights is justified, because it produces a framework, which is elementary for us to choose what the best for each of us”(Tong, Rosmarie Putnam:1998:16). This concept considered that all people in this world could do and get whatever they wanted to make betters lives. This concept inflicted a movement in which women got freedom from man’s inferiority. As the mother of liberal feminism, Wollstonecraft in “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman”, criticized the comparison between women who could work, so they could improve themselves and get the freedom to make decisions for their lives.Women of middle class that lived just to satisfy their husbands and raise their children and live in paradigm that women could not go outside home and wreck they skin. This paradigm turned them into women who didn’t have morality. Wollstonecraft believes that women need to be educated just as well as men so that they can grow up to be moral and autonomous human beings.
male/female difference; emphasize equality of opportunity and promote strategies that tear down barriers; seek to extend to women the individual rights gained by men. In America, this movement had pushed for women's suffrage, culminating with the passage of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote in 1920. According to Tong at the book“Feminism Thought”, characteristic of liberal feminism's primary goal is equality in the public sphere, equal access to education, equal payment, ending sex segregation in works, better working conditions-won primarily through legal changes.
2.2.2 Radical Feminism
After the ‘first wave’ of feminism that reflected in Mary’s book, Betty Friedan captured her frustration and even the despair of a generation of college ducated housewives who felt trapped and was unfulfilled, in her book“The Feminine Mystique”. "I'm desperate. I begin to feel I have no personality. I'm a server of food and a putter-on of pants and a bedmaker, somebody who can be called on when you want something. But who am I?" (1962:117). Friedan stunned the nation by contradicting the accepted wisdom that housewives were content to serve their families and by calling on women to seek fulfillment in works outside home.
Radical feminism focus on maximize male/female difference but stress disparities in power, especially male dominance (alternate name—“dominance feminists”); focus on sexuality and sexual relations as key to patriarchal oppression; seek to use law to help women “take control of their own bodies” (Access from
th 2014, 22.21pm).
2.3Bali Culture
Bali is one of thirty four provinces in Indonesia, and the famous island among the others island. Denpasar was a capital city of Bali, it was located in south of equator. The word Bali derives from Sansekerta ‘Bal’ means power and word Bali means sacrifice. Almost 95 % Balinese are Hinduism, and 5% are Catholics, Christen, Muslim, and Kong Hu Cu. Balinese tremendously respect their ancestor’s culture, Bali was the place with unique culture, because they cannot separated their culture and religion. They lives in patriarchal culture and caste in society, caste (stratification). They divided it into three caste; Brahmins, Ksatria, Waisya, and Sudra. Name of people will indicate their caste, Ida Ayu and Ida Bagus indicate that
they are Brahmins. Anak Agung and Dewa indicate they are Ksatria, I Gusti indicate that they are Waisya. Nyoman, Ketut, Wayan and Made are Sudra. But in Hindu religion itself, they never mention about caste but only ‘varnas’ color.
(Portuguese) came to India, they utilized varnas and made varnas become caste based on their family and ruined the nationalism in India. In Indonesia, Javanese was the first people who introduced the caste system when they established themselves in Bali in 1343, creating a colony for the Majapahit classes, but this tradition still exist in Bali and India until now.
Caste systems have an important role in of Balinese tradition, there are influence their traditions and habitual example from speaking, people who talk to people of similar or highest caste they will use subtle language but when they talking to people of lower caste they will use scurrility (Access from
th 2014, 23.16 pm).
nd 2014, 20.56 pm).
2.3.1 Balinese Women
I Wayan Sudyana in his research Balinese Women and Identities: Are They Trapped in Traditions, Globalization or Both? Explained the term ‘wanita’ (women)
derives from rakta swanita which means women’s seed. Balinese customs originates from Hinduism, in which the concept of Balinese women is adjacent as Hindu women: they are born, live and are bound by their desa adat (Hadriyani,1988: 195). The concept of unity between men and women is called arddhanisvarimurti (Kaler, 1994: 61-74) in which men and women are described to complete each other. Bhagavad Gita 10.34, one of the holy books that forms Balinese culture, also comes
from Hinduism.
Bhagavad Gita describes women as a goddess as a manifestation of intellectuality and knowledge, prosperity and loyalty (satvam). They give strength to purify men’s attitude that are considered improper. Hyang Maha Suci (God the Almighty) in Hinduism is described as a mother, and the deepest relation between men and God is assumed as a relation between mother and her child. Hyang Maha Suci also is depicted to be feminine, through the description of Durga, Laksmi and
Saraswati. The three goddesses are directives that must be followed by Balinese
women (Takwin, 2001: 70-75).
Women who expect to be equal to men are expected to be able to place her self -esteem in conformance with emancipation without leaving their beauty and elegance (Radhakrishnan,2003: 96). On the other hand, in some places women still experience a bias gender and their position is yet always subordinated by construction of their social environment. There are three representations of women in social research. First, women tend to be seen as a capital in social transformation. The second one is the role accusation or ‘women’s absence’ in national development. Third, there is a discourse that determines and, furthermore, fortifies women position as a victim. In the first discourse, it has been brought to discuss women’s roles in social transformation and, then, there will be a women accusation because of unfairness in accessing development and developing a construction that women always become victims (Abdullah, 2001).
There are two basic roles of women that is called double-roles. Most of the communities also identify women’s triple-roles in the society, for example roles in the Balinese Community. The main activities of the women are in the domestic sectors. Meanwhile, the activities in the economic and social sectors are conducted by the men. Balinese women have known not only the double-roles but also another role that is social (adat) role from long ago.
women’ are demanded to do their role in desa adat, as one of the characteristics of Balinese people.
Generally, most of Indonesian cultures, including Balinese culture, are still dominated by patriarchal that tends to precede men and put at side women’s position. Women have more rules to be obeyed which means women have mor e tasks to do. At these circumstances, men’s position is more dominant Women cannot release themselves from traditional thought that as a housewife she has to take care of her husband and children. The assumption in the society that women must be able to finish all of their obligations – in which household is the main obligation.
It is interesting that then the way women do all of their roles in their daily lives is revealed. Generally, the explanation of Balinese women’s roles and activities is as follow:
2.3.1.1Domestic Roles
Roles are behaviors that someone carries based on his or her status. Roles are the dynamic form of status. Roles done by Balinese women in the household is started from marriage as the beginning. Balinese customs demand a formal ceremony of marriage that is marked by kala-kalaan ceremony. This indicates an official marriage according to Balinese custom law so that the new status of husband and wife is also acknowledged by the environment. The status has brought a role as a husband and a wife. The role is in form of responsibility has to be done to retains the family. Balinese women emphasize some concepts in conducting their domestic roles:
• Their responsibility as a wife, in the other word a married woman must
community, the people tend to blame the wife. It has made they have heavy burdens in keeping their marriages Divorce in Balinese culture is still taboo).
• An ideal wife, it is better to: understand the husbands’ situation and
needs; respect the husbands; give opinion to the husbands, if asked; support the husbands; have responsibilities in domestic and social roles; earn for living and manage family’s financial matters.
• A concept that a woman is a good mother, a woman that is able to pregnant, giving birth and also raise her children well so that they become suputra (a son that makes his parents proud).
• An ability to manage a conflict settlement. Other domestics’ roles are
like cooking, taking care of their children, cleaning, washing and other house chores. This also includes worshipping that is done in every household.
Women’s domestic tasks are the actualization of their role as wives and mothers. It is to remind them of their main responsibility.
2.3.1.2Economic Roles
are also growing. Balinese women see this as a good chance. Their activities to earn money do not oppose their domestic roles and their working hours can be adjusted to customs activities.
2.3.1.3Social Roles
Married Balinese women will have a chance to be a member of adat (krama adat) from the organization, either from desa adat or banjar adat. Balinese people
have an organization that manages the rituals. In the Balinese society, all of the social activities are entirely organized by the customs (adat). Desa adat as a custom organization has some members called krama adat. It consists of a couple of HIndu husband and wife who live in that desa adat. If two members are officially announced as husband and wife, they will automatically be krama adat, on the other word a Balinese woman who gets married will have a status as a member of desa adat.
The assignments as a member of desa adat are divided in some banjar (Banjar is a small group in desa adat. It is lead by kelihan Banjar. All custom activities are managed) or directly under the desa adat. The status of women (krama istri) is as a spouse of men’s status (krama lanang). Some activities are giving sesaji
(mebanten), joining a community self help ( ngayah) in Kahyangan Tiga temple and giving mutual assistance (nguopin) among all members of desa adat and banjar in human-life-circle ceremony (Rivai, 1981: 139) (Access from
st
CHAPTHER III
METHOD OF RESEARCH
In analyze this thesis the writer apply theory dynamic structrualism, this theory based on two approaches; intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic approach is a kind of literature approach which analysis is based on elements in the text, such as character, plot, setting, etc. Meanwhile, extrinsic approach is a kind of literature approach which analysis is based on the content and the others aspects that influence this works, such as sociology, psychology, history, etc. The writer uses feminism theory to analyze the struggle of women character which is reflected in the novel, feminism is a movement that opposed the domination of man and patriarchal culture. This movement connected with women emancipation and right equality, in social contemporary knowledge called as equality gender movement (Ratna, 2004: 184).
There are some kind of researches to find the data such as library research, laboratory research and field research. To find the data as reference of writing this thesis, the writer uses library research, it is kind of research where researcher gains the data from related books and other literature, which has a relationship with the object of study, such as text books, thesis and dictionary.Furthermore,the writer uses descriptive qualitative method. Qualitative research is characterized by its aims, which relate to understanding some aspect of social life, and its methods which (in general) generate words, rather than numbers, as data for analysis (Green, 2007:2).The writer also uses descriptive method because in analysis the writer also describes the situation, condition which has in relation with the problems of study. Descriptive method is a kind of research method using technique of searching,
collecting, classifying, analyzing the data, interpreting them and finally drawing the conclusion (Surakhmad, 1994:139).
3.1 Research Design
In analyzing this thesis, the writer needs several data that related to the objects of this study. Oka Rusmini’s Tarian Bumi is needed as the main source, because the novel contains important information for the subject matter that is being analyzed. Journals, books, or other online sources are also needed to support finishing this thesis.
3.2 Data Collection
The first step in data collection is collecting the data by reading whole story of Tarian Bumi, the data form of this analysis are paragraphs, phrases and sentences.
The writer reads and understands the novel and finds some general data related to Researcher Source of Data:
TarianBumi
Conclusion
Data:
Quotations from the text of novel ‘TarianBumi’
Data Selected – Interpreted
Analysis Method:
figure of women characther that be found in this novel and the fights of women against the traditional values. The next step, the writer chooses the data by giving the red colors to the sentences or paragraph which only deals with the problems of this study; it is about the figures of women’s characters and the form of women fights against the traditional values.
The last step, the writer finds the appropriate data which can be analyzed to answer the problems of the study. The other sources such as journal, books, e-book can be used to support finishing this thesis.
3.3 Data Analysis
Data analysis is applied when the data which concern to the problems and are collected and selected. The first step is analyzing the data that already selected according to critera / figures that reflected in women character. This step helps the writer to find the figures of women character in Oka Rusmini’ Tarian Bumi.
The second step, analyzing the data to find fight of women’s character against Balinese values that showed in Oka Rusmini’s Tarian Bumi related to feminism theory. The data is classified into liberal feminism and radical feminism. This step helps the writer to show the fights of women character against the traditional values in Oka Rusmini’ Tarian Bumi.
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS AND FINDING
4.1 Figures of Women Character
As the writer mentioned above, most of Balineses hold Hinduism in which social caste is applied. The tradition and panoramic view makes Bali become favorite tourism destination. The tradition in Bali is really unique. Today, we can see women are busy making offerings meanwhile men prepare the ceremony in Bali. In this novel, The figures of women characters reflected in women which come from different generations. The figures of women that reflected in Tarian Bumi are:
4.1.1 Ambitious and Dreamer
Social caste already became the problem of Balinese. Sudra caste as the lower caste sometimes lives in poverty. Because of it, some women in Bali decide to get married with the man from higher caste to make their lives become better. The woman that reflects this figure is Luh Sekar. She is a Sudra woman. Poverty becomes the first reason for her to get married with the man from higher caste. Become the part of griya ‘Brahmin household’ can made her status more than others sudra. This reason can be seen in these quotations;
Luh Sekar bangga diangkat sebagai keluarga besar griya. Dia merasa dengan menjadi keluarga besar griya derajatnya lebih tinggi dibanding perempuan-perempuan sudra yang lain.(Oka Rusmini:19)
Luh Sekar proud being part of griya family. She thinks by being the part of griya family it makes her social status get higher than the others Sudra’s women.(Oka Rusmini:19)
“I’m tired for being poor, Kenten. You know it. Please, find me a nobleman, Ida Bagus . I will do whatever you want, I ‘ll! (Oka Rusmini: 20)
She never wanted to get married with the man from her caste. She rejected the proposals from them and only wanted to get married with the man from Brahmin. This can be seen in this quotation:
Dia juga pernah bercerita pada sahabatnya, Luh Kenten, bahwa dia hanya ingin menikah dengan lelaki brahmana, seorang Ida Bagus.
”Apa pun yang akan terjadi dengan hidupku, aku harus jadi seorang rabi, seorang istri bangsawan. (Oka Rusmini: 19).
She had talked to her bestfriend, Luh Kenten that she only wants to marry a Brahmin, Ida Bagus.
“Whatever will happen to my life, I have to be a rabi, wife of nobleman (Oka Rusmini :19)
That quotation as prove that Sekar had a big ambition becomes a part of griya by marrying man from Brahmin. Before marrying the Brahmin man, Sekar had the ambition to be a part of sekehe ‘dance group’ and became the pragina ‘beautiful dancer’. The background of her father who was a PKI (Indonesian communist Parties), made her family exiled from the society but it didn’t stop her to reach her dream. That can be seen from this conversation.
“Aku ingin jadi penari, Kenten.” Suatu hari dia berkata sungguh-sungguh pada Luh Kenten, shabatnya yang dia percaya.
“Mimpi!” Kenten setengah memekik. “Mimpi? Aneh sekali tanggapanmu.”
“Sadarlah Sekar, sadar. Kau tahu siapa dirimu?”
“Apa kalau ingin jadi penari harus jadi anak tokoh masyarakat dulu?”(Oka Rusmini:23)
I want be a dancer, Kenten “One day she seriously told Luh Kenten, her trusted bestfriend.
“Are you dreaming!” yelp Kenten “Dreaming? Weird response”
Come to your sense Sekar. Don’t you know who you are?
The other quotation that proves about her dream become the pragina, can be seen from this.
“Kau tak bisa menjawab. Aku yakin itu.”
“Jangan ngawur. Menjadi penari jogged itu ditentukan para dewa, bukan orang-orang tua desa ini.”
“Apa syaratnya agar seorang perempuan bisa menjadi penari?” “Dia harus cantik. Memiliki tubuh indah.”
“Apa komentarmu tentang tubuhku?”(Oka Rusmini:24)
“You can’t answer it. I’m sure about it.”
“ Don’t be silly.Gods choose the dancers, not the people in this village”. “What condition is needed by a woman to be a dancer?”
“She has to be beautiful and in a good shape’
‘what do you think about my body?” (Oka Rusmini:24)
Sekar believed that women could have a dream and ambition, and only God as the only person who can decide our destiny. Every women can had a big dream and ambition about her life and nobody can stop them to reach that. This can be seen from this quotation;
“Kupikir tidak. Semua perempuan berhak memiliki mimpi” (Oka Rusmini:25)
“I don’t think so. Every woman has a right to dream” (Oka Rusmini:25)
After marrying the Brahmin’s man, Sekar continue her ambition through her daughter Ida Ayu Telaga, she has a big ambition for her daughter. She educated and reminded her about her duty as nobleman, such as Telaga should memorize the variety of offerings, carve janur ‘coconut leaf’ for ceremony. This can be seen from this quotation;
“You are my hope, Tugeg. Someday, you have to marry an Ida Bagus. You need to deeply remember this. Now, You are not a kid anymore. You can’t play anymore. You have to start learning how to become a Brahmin girl. You have to remember various sesaji, and also have to know how to make a janur for ceremony (Oka Rusmini :59)
Her ambition through her daughter can be seen when Sekar require Telaga become a pragina. This is the quotation that proves about her ambition through her daughter.
“Jadilah perempuan tercantik di seluruh bumi ini, Tugeg. Kau harus mampu. Setiap hari hanya itu doa Meme.’
Untuk ambisi yang satu ini ibunya mendatangkan guru tari. (Oka Rusmini:66)
“Be the prettiest girl on earth, Tugeg. You have to. I pray for it everyday.’
For this ambition, her mom hired a dance instructor.(Oka Rusmini:66)
Beside become a pragina, Sekar willing Telaga marrying the man from same caste to keep her nobility. Sekar was really proud of her daughter nobility, and unwilling if Telaga got married with the man from lower caste. Even she arranged the man for her daughter.
The social caste already made the gap between one caste with the other especially with the higher (Brahmin) and lower caste (Sundra). Oka through this novel reflected that figure of women in Bali are dreamer and have a big ambition by Sekar character. Sekar as the Sudra also reflected the liberal feminism, one of concept of feminism is equal rights to improve themselves. She already had it by tries to be a good dancer and wife of nobleman
4.1.2 Traditional
The tradition and religion which cannot be separated makes Bali have a unique tradition. In this modern era, Balinese still upholds their tradition. In Bali, there are so many rituals and ceremonies that celebrated.Women in Bali should know how to make the variety of offerings, carve janur ‘coconut leaf’ for ceremony. Other
things that prove that women in Bali still uphold the tradition which is reflected in this novel, can be seen from the character Luh Sekar, She is a Sundra who got married with the Brahmin named Ida Bagus Ngurah Pidada. The consequence of her marriage based on their tradition was that she should change her name Luh Sekar became Jero Kenanga. This symbolized that she already became a part of griya ‘Brahmins house’, and made people respect her and her family. She become higher than her family, that situation made her family should respect her even her mother should use subtle language when she talked to Sekar. Become the wife of Brahmins was not easy, she should take the consequences. Changing her name and habits was
one of many consequences for marrying Brahmins.
Setelah disunting secara sah oleh Ida Bagus Ngurah Pidada, Luh Sekar tidak hanya harus meninggalkan keluarga dan kebiasaan-kebiasaannya. Selain berganti nama menjadi Jero Kenanga, dia harus juga meninggalkan semua yang pernah membesarkannya.
(Oka Rusmini : 48)
After marrying Ida Bagus Ngurah Pidada, Luh Sekar has to leave her family and all of her old habits. Beside changing name become Jero Kenanga, she also has to leave whatever which had brought her up till now.
(Oka Rusmini:48)
Perempuan itu juga tidak bisa lagi bersembhayang di sanggah, pura keluarganya. Dia juga tidak bisa memakan buah-buahan yang telah dipersembahan untuk leluhur keluarganya.
Semua telah berubah. Bahasa perempuan tua yang sudah sedikit rabun dan pikun yang telah melahirkan Luh Sekar pun harus berubah. Dia harus menghormati anaknya, karena sekarang derajat dirinya tidak sama dengan derajat anaknya. (Oka Rusmini :49)
That woman can’t pray in sanggah anymore, in her family temple. She also cannot eat the fruits that already given to her family ancestors.
Everything has changed. The way the old lady, who giving birth Luh Sekar,talk to her also has to change.She has to respect her daughter, becase she is not in equal caste with her now.(Oka Rusmini:49)
Don’t ask me what I want. That’s all. You should understand my words. You are not Ni Luh Sekar anymore. Your degree is higher than any other sudra women, including me, the woman who giving birth of you.(Oka Rusmini:51)
The quotations above as prove that there are many role that should obeyed by Sudra’s women when she marrying the Brahmin’s man. The other tradition that should be followed by Sekar was she could not touch her deceased mother because she already unqueal with her mother (she already become the part of griya). This can be seen from this quotation:
Luh Sekar tidak boleh menyentuh mayat ibunya sendiri.Dia juga tidak boleh memandikan dan menyembah tubuh kaku itu. Sebagai keluarga griya, Luh Sekar duduk di tempat yang tinggi sehingga bisa menyaksikan jalannya upacara dengan lengkap. (Oka Rusmini:56)
Luh sekar not allowed to touch her mom’s body. She also not allowed to bathe and worship her. As the griya family, Lus Sekar sit in the higher place to watch the ceremony.(Oka Rusmini:56)
Sekar who was the part of griya, should act as the Brahmin women. Her position
when the ceremony should be higher than her family. Getting married with the man from another part takes the consequence that she should leave her family. Eventhough, she already became apart of griya, she was still unequal with her husband's family. Luh Sekar was still considered as Sudra woman in her husband family. In griya, she should use subtle language when she talked with Brahmins, and she was not permitted to have a drink from her child glass.
Sementara dalam keluarga besar suaminya, Sekar tetap seperti perempuan sudra. Dia harus berbahasa halus dengan orang-orang griya. Dia tidak boleh minum satu gelas dengan anak kandungnya (Oka Rusmini:54).
Meanwhile in her husband’s family, Sekar still considered as sudra. She should use subtled language with griya’s people. She not allowed drink from her daugther’s glass.(Oka Rusmini:54)
law. She was beautiful and kind. She was a Brahmins who upheld the tradition tight. She did not accept if the Brahmins man married women from the lower caste. This can be seen from these quotations:
Kata orang-orang griya, dulu nenek adalah perempuan tercantik di desa.Tutur bahasa nenek lembut dan penuh penghargaan terhadap sesama. Dia tidak sombong...(Oka Rusmini: 16)
Griya people said, in the past grandma is the prettiest girl in the village. The way she talk is gentle and respectable towards people. She is not cocky. (Oka Rusmini:16)
Dia juga sangat mengangungkan nilai-nilai kebangsawanan.Memang dari luar dia terlihat sangat sopan pada orang-orang diluar griya.Tetapi Tuniang-mu sangat tidak bisa menerima apabila ada laki-laki griya menikah dengan perempuan biasa. (Oka Rusmini:17)
She also worships the noble values. she seems really polite to the people out of griya but your grandma can’t accept if a griya man marry an ordinary woman.(Oka Rusmini:17)
She also did Nyentanain when she got married with Ida Bagus Tugur. Nyentanain is Balinese tradition when women have been decided as the heir of her family it makes women take over men’s position.
The third character that reflects that women in Bali uphold the tradition is Luh Gambreg. She was a Sundra woman. She rejected her only son, Wayan Sasmitha
idea to get married with woman from the higher caste Ida Ayu Telaga. Balinese women are allowed to get married with man from other castes if he comes from the higher caste. People in Bali believe Brahmins women arethe sun which shinein the world, so they are not allowed to touch them. Depiction of Brahmins women can be seen from the quotation below;
“Kulit perempuan itu terbuat dari sinar matahari. Kau lihat! Apabila kau berani menyentuhnya, seluruh dewa akan melempar senjata terbaiknya.” Seorang laki-laki ikut menambahkan (Oka Rusmini:8)
Seorang laki-laki Sudra dilarang meminang perempuan brahmana.Akan sial jadinya bila Wayan mengambil Telaga sebagai istri. Perempuan sudra itu percaya pada mitos bahwa perempuan brahmana adalah surya, matahari yang menerangi gelap(Oka Rusmini:121).
Man from Sudra caste not allowed to marry Brahmin woman. He will get bad luck if Wayan takes Telaga as his wife. That sudra woman believe in the myth that Brahmin women is the sun, the sun that light the dark.(Oka Rusmini:121)
The man who gets married with women from the higher caste will get the bad luck. Oka shows the bad luck that should be faced by Gumbreg because her son married the Brahmin woman was he died. To throw the bad luck, Luh Gambreg asked her daughter in law or Telaga to do Patiwangi ‘extrication ceremony’. This ceremony was a symbol that she permitted from griya, released her nobility and became completely a Sudra, this can be seen from this quotations:
Hari ini juga tiang akan menanggalkan nama Ida Ayu, Tiang akan jadi perempuan sudra utuh,… (Oka Rusmini:153)
Today I’ll leave my nobility, I’ll be a sudra woman… (Oka Rusmini:153)
Telaga berguman, membiarkan perempuan tua itu mencuci kaki di ubun-ubunnya utuk menjelmakan dirinya menajdi perempuan baru. Perempuan sudra (Oka Rusmini:155)
Telaga mumble, let that old lady wash her foot on her cantle to made her be a new women. Sudra women. (Oka Rusmini:155)
Not only the view that makes Bali as one of the best destinations in this world but also the tradition such as Balinese dancing. Every woman in Bali is expected to know their traditional dance. Luh Kambren was Telaga’s dancer teacher. She was a woman who reflected that women in Bali uphold the tradition.She devoted herself only to keep the tradition, become the dancer. She reminded her students or other Balinese women to keep their tradition as Balinese, this can be seen from this quotation.
For Balinese women work is making offerings, pray, and dancing for the ceremony. That can made this art still exist...
They didn’t learn from the others people, how to save their precisious tradition.(Oka Rusmini:82)
Hidupku hanya untuk menari! Itulah kata-kata Kambren. Kata-kata yang selalu diingat Telaga (Oka Rusmini:83)
My life is only for dance! Kambren said. Telaga always remember that words. (Oka Rusmini:83)
Telaga as the main character in this novel also reflected the traditionally women (uphold the tradition), when Balinese women mature they celebrated the one of their tradition that is Menek Kelih. Telaga do this tradition when she mature and she should learn to memorize the variety of offerings, carve janur ‘coconut leaf’ for ceremony. These quotations can provings that Telaga was the traditional women.
Saat Telaga makin dewasa, terlebih setelah menjalani upacara Menek Kelih, sebuah upacara pembaptisan lahirnya seorang gadis baru, Telaga harus melepaskan kulit kanak-kanaknya. Kulit yang sangat dicintainya. (Oka Rusmini:57)
When Telaga mature, especially after Menek Kelik ceremony, the ceremony to baptize as symbol of a new woman has born, Telaga should leave her habit as a kid. The moment that she really loves. (Oka Rusmini:57)
Kau harus mulai belajar menjadi perempuan keturunan brahmana. Menghafal beragam sesaji, juga harus tahu bagaimana mengukir janur untuk upacara. (Oka Rusmini: 60)
You should start learn how to become a Brahmin woman. Remembering various offerings, and also have to know how to carve janur for ceremony. (Oka Rusmini:60)
Bali as one place in Indonesia which has unique culture still keeps and upholds their tradition. These characters such as Luh Sekar, Ida Ayu Sangra Pidada, Luh Gumbreg, Luh Kambren are the prove that Bali women, in this modern era, still
4.1.3 Strong and Critical
Patriarchal culture in Bali forces Balinese women to be strong women not only physically but also physiologically. Physically, women in Bali should work hard every day meanwhile their men go to coffee shop in the morning and spend their time by lazing in there. One of the women characters that reflect this phenomenon is Luh Keten. Luh Keten is Sekar’s best friend. They are really close to each other.Oka
describes Keten as a beautiful woman with the Sudra typical beauty.
...Dia memiliki kecantikan yang khas, kecantikan seorang perempuan sudra. Kulitnya hitam, matanya tajam, tubuhnya sangat kuat.Dia juga memiliki rambut yang panjang.Rambut itu sering digulung seadanya.Itulah yang membuat orang-orang mengagumi kecantikannya.Dia benar-benar berwajah perempuan desa. (Oka Rusmini:31).
… She has a unique beauty, the Sudra typical beauty. Dark skin, sharp gaze, strong body. She also has a long hair. She usually bun her hair. That what make people adore her beauty. She really has a beauty of a village woman. (Oka Rusmini:31)
As the lower caste in society, Sudra women should work in order to fulfill the family needed. She should carry the firewood every day.
… Setiap bulan, Keten harus sibuk membersihkan darah dari tubuhnya. Kalau dia harus bekerja menangkati kayu bakar dari pasar kondisi itu sangat menganggunya (Oka Rusmini:27)
… Every month, Keten has to busy cleaning her blood from her body. That condition really disturbs her every time she works carrying the woods from the market. (Oka Rusmini:27)
The characters that show this beside Keten are Luh Dalem, Luh Kambren, Luh Sadri and Luh Gumbreg. Every day, Luh Sadri and Luh Gumbreg should make and delivery jejeuli ‘offerings’ and Luh Dalem should become householder and work hard.
“I also work. I wake up early in the morning, cutting jeje uli. At noon I go to the market. In the afternoon I took jeje uli to the customer. I carry it with big plastic bag. I also work hard. (Oka Rusmini: 161)
Dulu, ketika Luh Sekar berusia Sembilan tahun, tulang punggung keluarga berpusat pada Luh Dalem, perempuan sederhana yang tidak memiliki kemampuan apa pun. Luh Dalem hanya bisa berkebun atau beternak babi. (Oka Rusmini:41)
In the past, when Luh Sekar was nine years old, Luh Dalem is the one who work for her family living. The modest women who didn’t have special ability. Gardening or farming pig’ its all she can.(Oka Rusmini:41)
The statement about man’s habit in Oka’s novel supported by Reis van Dr. van Hoevell in his book the journey of Dr. van Hoevell, Van wrote this book based on his trip in Java, Madura and Bali. He says ‘Saya pun melihat tidak hanya dalam perjalanan ini tetapi dalam semua perjalanan saya melintas pulau Bali kaum pria
sering duduk-duduk saja berpangku tangan, kaum wanita sebaliknya sibuk sekali ‘. I
saw in my entire journey in Bali, that men often sat idly meanwhile women were really busy (1994:73). This is the reality that should be faced by Balinese women in their life to behard workers.
The Patriarchal culture makes the differenciate between men and women in Bali. Men belong to the first class in society. The tradition allows man to marry women more than once, "A male could legally take any number of wives, but monogamy was the rule for women" (Beteille 30) (Access from http:// www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/fall97/adra-pin.htm, April 9th 2014, 21.29 pm). This is showed in the conversation between Luh Keten and her mother. Luh Keten told her mother about the men who teased her. This distinction harms
women. Luh Keten as the Balinese women did not accept this tradition. She criticized the phenomenon. The form of her criticism reflected in her few conversations with her mother. She showed that she didn’t like the distinction of man, Luh Keten
reflected the idea of feminism liberal. She criticizes the position of man (superior) in their tradition and how luckily they are. That can be seen from these quotations:
Alangkah mujurnya makhluk yang bernama laki-laki.Setiap pagi para perempuan berjualan di pasar, tubuh mereka dijilati matahari.Hitam dan berbau. Tubuh itu akan keriput. Dan laki-laki dengan bebasnya memilih perempuan-perempuan baru untuk mengalirkan limbah laki-lakinya.(Oka Rusmini :31)
How lucky the men are. Every morning the women are selling in the market, their bodies were exposed by the sun. Black and stink. Those bodies will wrinckle. And the men free to choose new women to drain his waste.(Oka Rusmini :31)
Tidak.Aku hanya tidak senang gunjingan laki-laki yang duduk santai di kedai kopi setiap pagi. Sementara aku harus bekerja keras, kaki mereka terangkat di kursi. (Oka Rusmini:33)
No. I just don’t like the gossip from the men who only comfortably sit in coffee shop every morning.meanwhile I should working hard, their foot upraised on chair. (Oka Rusmini:33)
Women in Bali really uphold their tradition even though sometimes their tradition only makes them become the object of suffering. Luh Sekar already proved that marrying the man from the different caste could change their lives. A woman should be allowed to get married with the man that she really loves even though they come from different caste. This novel shows that there are differences between men and women, men become the first class in society. Women in Bali already know that their tradition especially patriarchal system make them become the victims. Even though their husbands harm them, women cannot rebel this situation because their tradition never allows them to do that. Balinese women think that hardworking and being the servants for their husbands become their destiny as women, they cannot complain it. As the quotation below:
hanya menyusui anak yang lahir dari tubuh mereka. Mereka pun menyusui laki-laki (Oka Rusmini :23)
Balinese women, Luh, the women who not use to complain. They prefer to work. Only with that way they realize and know that they still alive and have to stay alive. Their sweat are fire. From that sweat they maintain their family livings. They not only breastfeeding the children who born from their body but also the men. (Oka Rusmini :23)
Through this novel, Oka wants to show that Balinese women are the strong women even Dr. Ayani Nakatani one of the professors in Okayama University labeled Balinese women as the ‘super women’. Until now there are so many women in Bali who still obey the tradition which sometimes harms them. She wants them to become more advanced and brave to get their happiness. Women in Bali are described as strong women who are tenacious and loyal so it is reasonable that they can be equal with men.
4.2 Their Fighter Against Traditional Values
lanjut, dan membantu membukakan pintu ke sorga bila orang tua telah meninggal
(2003:45). Family craves for having son because son will continue their descent (purusa), helps their parents when they become older, and helps to open heaven’s door when their parents died (2003:45). The tradition already placed men more special than women.The system which becomes the cause of this phenomenon is patriarchal system. Although the phenomenon of this tradition become the public secret, but there are still many women that don’t realize it. They still believe that raising their children, being the servants of their husband are women’s destiny.
In Tarian Bumi there are the women’s characters that fight against the tradition. They fight against the patriarchal culture which harms them, the other tradition that women fight in this novel is caste system. There are two kinds of the fights of women characters that reflected in this novel, there are:
4.2.1 Inter-Caste Marriage
Balinese used social caste in their society. Therefore, there are some rules that should be obeyed in their marrying. Years ago, Balinese could not marry people from other castes but in this era, they are allowed to get married with other castes but with the rule that men can marry women from lower caste than him not with women from higher caste. In this novel, the author tries to rebel the tradition. Through this novel, the writer shows Ida Ayu Telaga as a woman who rebels this tradition. Ida Ayu Telaga was a Brahmin and a beautiful dancer. Her mother educated and
“Kau adalah harapan Meme, Tugeg. Kelak, kau harus menikah dengan laki-laki yang memakai nama depan Ida Bagus. Kau harus tanam dalam-dalam pesanku ini.Sekarang kau bukan anak kecil lagi.Kau tidak bisa bermain bola lagi.Kau harus mulai belajar menjadi perempuan keturunan Brahmana. Menghafal beragam sesaji, juga harus tahu bagaimana mengukir janur untuk upacara (Oka Rusmini;59).
“You are my hope, Tugeg. Someday, you have to marry an Ida Bagus. You need to deeply remember this. Now, You are not a kid anymore. You can’t play anymore. You have to start learning how to become a Brahmin girl. You have to remember various sesaji, and also have to know how to make a janur for ceremony (Oka Rusmini :59)
Telaga was a different person from her mother. She was never proud of being a nobleman and she never wanted to be born as the Brahmin. She felt that Brahmins were full of lying and hypocrisy. She never wanted to be born as a nobleman and she rejected Ida Bagus Adnyana, the man that her mother arranged to her. This quotation as a prove that Telaga reject Bagus Adnyana;
“Apa yang Meme tahu tentang laki-laki itu?Apa? Telaga menantang mata ibunya. Kali ini dia harus berani melawan, karena ibunya sangat memaksa agar Telaga mau keluar dengan laki itu. Dari matanya Telaga tahu, laki-laki yang selalu bermanis-manis dengan ibunya itu akan melahap tubuh Telaga tanpa sisa, lau membuangnya ke keranjang sampah. Tidak! Telaga tidak akan membiarkan laki-laki itu menyentuh satu helai pun rambutnya (Oka Rusmini:109).
“What do you know about that man? What? Telaga challenge her mom. This time she has to bravely fight because her mother really force Telaga to go out with that man. From her eyes Telaga knows, the man who really polite to her mom really eager to taste her body. Then throw her away. No! Telaga won’t let that man touch her, even just one strand of her hair. (Oka Rusmini:109)
She reject him because Bagus Adnyana was a bad man, he never love Telaga as a women. He only had a sexual attracted with her. In other side, Telaga fell in love with Wayan Sasmitha, the painter from Sudra. She already love him since they was child. The quotation below shows that Telaga was really in love with Wayan.
For Telaga her love for wayan is only for herself. That feeling strongly controlling herself. Every time she miss him, Telaga just can close her face with pillow.contently crying! (Oka Rusmini:118)
The problem was that Wayan was a Sudra and Telaga was a Brahmin. As the writer mentioned above, Balinese tradition never allowed that Telaga who was Brahmin getting married with Wayan, who was a Sudra. People in Bali believed Brahmins women were the sun which shining in the world, so they were not allowed to touch them. Depiction of Brahmins women can be seen from the quotation below;
“Kulit perempuan itu terbuat dari sinar matahari. Kau lihat! Apabila kau berani menyentuhnya, seluruh dewa akan melempar senjata terbaiknya.” Seorang laki-laki ikut menambahkan (Oka Rusmini:8)
“That skin made from sunshine. You see! If you dare to touch it, Gods will throw their best weapons.” Said the man (Oka Rusmini:8)
Seorang laki-laki Sudra dilarang meminang perempuan brahmana.Akan sial jadinya bila Wayan mengambil Telaga sebagai istri. Perempuan sudra itu percaya pada mitos bahwa perempuan brahmana adalah surya, matahari yang menerangi gelap(Oka Rusmini:121).
Man from Sudra caste not allowed to marry Brahmin woman. He will get bad luck if Wayan takes Telaga as his wife. That sudra woman believe in the myth that Brahmin women is the sun, the sun that light the dark.(Oka Rusmini:121)
The other quotations that prove man from Sudra can’t allowed to marrying Brahmin’s women was taken from author’s narration in page 121, this quotation showed that Luh Gumbreg, Wayan’s mother didn’t approve her son idea to marrying Telaga :
Teryata perempuan tua itu tidak berani menerimanya sebagai menantu. Seorang laki-laki Sudra dilarang meminang perempuan brahmana.Akan sial jadinya bila Wayan mengambil Telaga sebagai istri. Perempuan sudra itu percaya pada mitos bahwa perempuan brahmana adalah surya, matahari yang menerangi gelap. Kalau matahari itu dicuri, bisakah dibayangkan akibatnya? (Oka Rusmini:121)
In the end, Telaga rebelled the tradition by marrying Wayan. She even got the consequences. Telaga should leave her luxury as the Brahmin, and discarded by her family and no longer considered as the Brahmins. and become the ‘bad luck’ for her husband family. Telaga as the women character in this novel reflected liberal feminism, and itself focus on individual rights and autonomy; minimize male/female difference; emphasize equality of opportunity and promote strategies that tear down barriers; seek to extend to women the individual rights gained by men. Telaga showed that concept of liberal feminism (individual rights), rebelled the tradition by marrying the man from lower caste, Wayan Sasmita.
4.2.2 Prefer to be Single
The domination of man in tradition, sometimes, harms women.This situation makes women become the object. In this novel, there are some characters who fight against the tradition by being single.One of them is Luh Keten. She had seen that Balinese men and their culture (patriarchal culture) demeaned women by getting married more than once. She never wanted to be cheated by a man. The tradition and men’s behaviors made Keten decide not to get married with man. It can be seen from these quotations:
Aku akan buktikan kita bisa hidup tanpa laki-laki. Aku akan buktikan ucapan ini (Oka Rusmini:30)
I ‘ll show you that we can live without men. I’ll show you. (Oka Rusmini:30)
“Aku tidak akan kawin, Meme.Aku tidak ingin mereka bohongi. Aku benci seluruh laki-laki yang membicarakan perempuan dengan cara tidak terhormat!” (Oka Rusmini: 30)
“I won’t marry, mom. I don’t want them to fool me. I hate all the men who talk abot girl without respect” (Oka Rusmini: 30)
In fact, Kenten questioned herself whether women really needed men as part of sexuality and why women should marry man if men could not protect women.
Untuk apa hidup dengan laki-laki kalau mereka tidak bisa melindungi perempuan? (Oka Rusmini: 31)
Why we should live with men if they can’t protect the women? (Oka Rusmini: 31)
Benarkah perempuan hanya memerlukan satu potong tubuh laki-laki untuk membantu menghanyutkan sungainya ke laut? (Oka Rusmini :31)
Is that true that women just need one piece of the men bodies to help them drawning their river to the sea? (Oka Rusmini: 31)
She emphasized how lucky to be a man.Women should work hard meanwhile men spent their time by gambling and they were free to choose which one would be his new wife. It can be seen in this quotation;
Alangkah mujurnya makhluk yang bernama laki-laki. Setiap pagi para perempuan berjualan di pasar, tubuh mereka dijilati matahari.Hitam dan berbau. Tubuh itu akan keriput. Dan leaki dengan bebasnya memilih perempuan-perempuan baru untuk megalirkan limbah laki-lakinya.(Oka Rusmini:31)
How lucky the men are. Every morning the women are selling in the market, their bodies were exposed by the sun. Black and stink. Those bodies will wrinckle. And the men free to choose new women to drain his waste.(Oka Rusmini :31)
In Keten’s life, there was only one woman who really was close with her. She is Luh Sekar who was her best friend. Keten and Sekar reflected one characteristic of
Radical Feminism, sisterhood. The background of Sekar family made her only have one friend. On the other side, Keten liked Sekar not only as a friend but also a sexual attraction, this can be seen from this quotation:
