Koran School for Third Sex

Novi, a transvestites from Surabaya (East Java) doing make up before working at late night as a prostitute. She has been in Jogjakarta since 1996. On every Monday and Thursday Novi and another 'third sex' friends gather at 'Pondok Pesantren Waria Senin Kamis' on a corner of Notoyudan, Jogjakarta - Indonesia.


Though pepole will find this place silly and nonesense, but learning the wisdom of Allah is every Mooslem's right, including transvestittes!'said Maryani (below/praying), a 48 years old trasvestittes who also the founder of the Koran School. Today the 'Senin Kamis' Koran School has more than 50 members from 'third sex' community, and some of them come from Jakarta and Surabaya.

post scriptum: this is my latest story about 'third sex', religion and power in Indonesia. thanks to Ulet Ifansasti (getty images), Lucia Dianawuri (Ilmu Religi dan Budaya Sanata Dharma), Eko, Vita, & Kanis Ehak Wain (www.bunganata.com) for the lights (beer).

Children of the Clove Hill

This is a story of the young Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) seasonal picker in Flores. They come from Boawae regency which is 200 km from Wolofeo village, where its residence planting clove as one of its commodity. They are professional clove picker on their age, which the oldest is 24 and the younger one is 14.
Their daily rate is 30.000 IDR each, and they work for more than 12 hours. They start their day with one kilometer walking to the hill where they harvest their hopes and dreams for a better economical support to their family.


Aziz (14) the youngest of the four brother. With his small hand and light body weight, he move from a branch to another easily. He has been working with his brother for two years, and for that he has to skipped school.


Ino (15, left) and Yano (18, right) laughing and having smoke for a while. They just finish harvest the clove behind them. 'I will use the money to buy a brand new cell phone' said Yano.



Perfect catch for lunch said Yano (top). Everyday these boys traped 4 to 8 little birds and Aziz is the one who in charge to make a delicious barbeque for the luch.


After having luch, sometimes Yano (18) sings some blues. His songs mostly talks about the hard life of a farmer, and sometimes his other brother sing with him. the quiet clove hill suddenly sings with them as the wind blow away their songs.



For a day they can harvest up to 80 kg of wet cloves from 08:00 am to 17:00 pm.



after having dinner, Ino (15,top) , Aziz (14) and Aris (24) and their brother in law; Chuan Cu Nan from Taiwan separating the cloves from rom the shaft and leaves and watching soap opera on the television. The shaft it self has its own use and the price at market is half of the dried clove's price.




In the next morning, clove is dried under the sun. The old lady who is the owner said that she is satisfied with the work of these four brothers. 'the result of these four per day is equal to ten picker' she said. She used to spent lots of money for the clove picker on her village.


Dried clove on the storage chamber with its eqsotic aroma. The old lady decided not to sell them yet. I will wait for the good price she said. This chamber is also the room where these brother share a double bed on their nighty night dream time. The dream that they harvest on the next day up on the clove hill ...