| Should the Indonesian authority force the natives to put on trousers? | |
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| Dec 9, 2008 02:59 |   |
 | Indonesia passed the anti-pornography act in October. The law endangered the traditional culture of Papua’s inhabitants. The traditional costume for the native men is called “ Koteka” which was simply made from gourd’s shell. The new act deemed it as indecent. The natives claimed that the costume is their traditional attire and part of the indigenous culture. The Indonesian government should not force them to put on trousers. What do you think? The natives' attire: koteka  |
| Dec 9, 2008 20:42 | #1 |
| I would leave them alone if I were them. They are not hurting anyone. They've been like that for thousands of years. In fact, our ancestors lived their whole lives in their birthday suit. |
| Dec 9, 2008 20:46 | #2 |
| IMO, the Indonesian government should not let the natives to give up their tradition by force. More proper approach can be adopted to take them out of the primitive living state. Admittedly, the Papua's clan is left behind. |
| Dec 10, 2008 06:12 | #3 |
| "More proper approach can be adopted to take them out of the primitive living state." Why? I mean why they must be taken out of their way of living? The more I live this life the more I want to move back to simple life. The Indonesian government should also make a law whick would deny people be naked in their home. What if someone looks in the window and sees a naked body there? What a terrible thought! I suppose those people are not seen very often at some Indonesian city streets walking naked there. If so, then to see them naked must go to their village. Can always stay away if nudity is something people can not bare. Carlos |
| Dec 10, 2008 21:36 | #4 |
| Hi Carlos, Maybe, I am wrong. Yea, the natives may still prefer their simple living style. Perhaps, they hate the modern industrialized civilization. Sometimes, I also have the feeling that it would be nice to live an idyllic life. I like Thoreau's Walden and his view on nature. |
| Dec 11, 2008 11:32 | #5 |
| Enforcing law is easier said than done. We need to educate these "left out persons from the civilisation" with good education and approach. You cannot change them overnight, not even with new sets of laws. Make them understand why rather than forcing them to forsake their belief and culture. I had my share in educating these underprivilaged peoples (of various indigeneous groups). With the cooperation of Unesco and ACCU we introduced Functional Literacy Education (FLE), and within a span of 10 years, we could see some good changes. Malaysia In 60's people could see the aborigines with their loin cloths while women were bare-chested, but today, you can hardly see them but in jeans and jackets. Wan |
| Dec 30, 2008 17:39 | #6 |
| Some people are religious about religion-others are religious about politics; either way they know how to live your life better than you. It sounds as if the natives are about to be imposed upon. Sad news. |
| Jan 2, 2009 01:12 | #7 |
| It appears that Rousseau’s myth of “the noble savage lives on with some of us here? The Indonesians policy may be inept but their heart just might be in the right place. The women of this tribe would be pregnant every year of their child bearing lives. All would be suffering from intestinal disease and all of them live just moments from death as any one who has taken a leisurely stroll through a jungle will testify too. Every waking moment revolves around sustaining their lives. A friend of mine spent some time in New Guinea recently and he did not use words like idyllic, or stress free to describe some of the living conditions that he saw. “Men in a state of nature do not know good and evil, but their independence, along with “the peacefulness of their passions, and their ignorance of vice”, keep them from doing ill” I don’t think so. Dodger. |
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