Child of All Nations by Pramoedya Ananta Toer Page B
Authors: Pramoedya Ananta Toer
Tags: Romance, Historical
Ads: Link
between Geelvinkbaai and the Mapia Islands on the other, both, no doubt, ready to defend the neutrality of the Indies. So the civilized world then turned its eyes to the Philippines. And Japan was still overrunning the possessions of the decrepit giant China. Victory after victory. Her power swelled; she became more resolute, more self-confident. Amazing Japan!
Three years ago, one history book said, a treaty had been signed between the Netherlands Indies and Japan. In it the Netherlands Indies had claimed the right to look upon Japanese residents of the Indies as having the status of Orientals. That was three years ago. One year after that agreement the Indies government hurriedly prepared a new law that gave the same legal status to Japanese residents as to Europeans.
Now, at the time of my writing, Japanese residents in the Indies have the same status as Europeans.
How proud must the Japanese be. How proud must Maiko be. And why not? They were the only people in all of Asia that had the same status as the white-skinned peoples! I could only sit, mouth agape, in wonderment. What had transformed these people? As a single grain of sand of the great sand-mountains of Asian peoples, I secretly felt some pride too, even though, yes, even though as a Javenese youth I felt far below them. I was a child of a conquered race. The European teaching that I had received had not equipped me to understand Japan, let alone the greatness of Europe.
What I was feeling then was that Europe had obtained its glory from swallowing up the world, and Japan from overrunning China. How strange it was if every glory was obtained only at the cost of the suffering of others. How confused I was, surrounded by the reality of the world. I was overcome by directionless ideas and feelings. Perhaps I was still too young to expect to reach any clear conclusions. Yet it was precisely conclusions that I needed. Conclusions—the mother of a clear and firm stance in life.
The conferring of equal status on the Japanese in these Dutch-conquered islands startled all who heard of it. Japan had left the Arabs, the Chinese, and the Turks behind—flying by themselves up into the heavens to join the ranks of the Europeans, and not just on paper, but in the treatment they received.
People said that on the plantations and in the workshops, the businessmen and foremen now called them tuan. But Maiko certainly marred Japan’s good image. It was even being said that the Japanese had the right to be paid the same wage as Pure Europeans for the same work. I didn’t know if it was true. The Japanese, it happens, don’t like working for employers who aren’t Japanese themselves.
Perhaps, in all of the Indies, I am the one and only Native who keeps notes like these. Who else is interested in other peoples? Notes like these bring no respect, let alone any material benefit.
Mama, like the others, was not interested. It is true that she once said there was no point in hiring Japanese if Natives could do the work. Even so, because she had never paid attention to the matter, she was surprised to find several auction papers urging, “Sack all the Japanese coolies! Their labor is too expensive!” In the midst of all these proposals and demands the papers also got an opportunity to advertise the goods they had for auction. Indeed, several of our own workers told how three Japanese had been sacked from a carriage workshop and a bakery. Both businesses were owned by Europeans.
Then the news was announced: The Country of the Rising Sun, of the Meiji Emperor, was appealing to all its people overseas, advising them: Learn to stand on your own feet! Don’t just sell your labor to whoever is willing to hire you. Change your status from a coolie to an entrepreneur, no matter how small. You have no capital? Join together, form capital! Learn together! Be diligent in your work.
I felt that appeal was addressed to me too, like a voice from the heavens, just like in the
wayang
,
Three years ago, one history book said, a treaty had been signed between the Netherlands Indies and Japan. In it the Netherlands Indies had claimed the right to look upon Japanese residents of the Indies as having the status of Orientals. That was three years ago. One year after that agreement the Indies government hurriedly prepared a new law that gave the same legal status to Japanese residents as to Europeans.
Now, at the time of my writing, Japanese residents in the Indies have the same status as Europeans.
How proud must the Japanese be. How proud must Maiko be. And why not? They were the only people in all of Asia that had the same status as the white-skinned peoples! I could only sit, mouth agape, in wonderment. What had transformed these people? As a single grain of sand of the great sand-mountains of Asian peoples, I secretly felt some pride too, even though, yes, even though as a Javenese youth I felt far below them. I was a child of a conquered race. The European teaching that I had received had not equipped me to understand Japan, let alone the greatness of Europe.
What I was feeling then was that Europe had obtained its glory from swallowing up the world, and Japan from overrunning China. How strange it was if every glory was obtained only at the cost of the suffering of others. How confused I was, surrounded by the reality of the world. I was overcome by directionless ideas and feelings. Perhaps I was still too young to expect to reach any clear conclusions. Yet it was precisely conclusions that I needed. Conclusions—the mother of a clear and firm stance in life.
The conferring of equal status on the Japanese in these Dutch-conquered islands startled all who heard of it. Japan had left the Arabs, the Chinese, and the Turks behind—flying by themselves up into the heavens to join the ranks of the Europeans, and not just on paper, but in the treatment they received.
People said that on the plantations and in the workshops, the businessmen and foremen now called them tuan. But Maiko certainly marred Japan’s good image. It was even being said that the Japanese had the right to be paid the same wage as Pure Europeans for the same work. I didn’t know if it was true. The Japanese, it happens, don’t like working for employers who aren’t Japanese themselves.
Perhaps, in all of the Indies, I am the one and only Native who keeps notes like these. Who else is interested in other peoples? Notes like these bring no respect, let alone any material benefit.
Mama, like the others, was not interested. It is true that she once said there was no point in hiring Japanese if Natives could do the work. Even so, because she had never paid attention to the matter, she was surprised to find several auction papers urging, “Sack all the Japanese coolies! Their labor is too expensive!” In the midst of all these proposals and demands the papers also got an opportunity to advertise the goods they had for auction. Indeed, several of our own workers told how three Japanese had been sacked from a carriage workshop and a bakery. Both businesses were owned by Europeans.
Then the news was announced: The Country of the Rising Sun, of the Meiji Emperor, was appealing to all its people overseas, advising them: Learn to stand on your own feet! Don’t just sell your labor to whoever is willing to hire you. Change your status from a coolie to an entrepreneur, no matter how small. You have no capital? Join together, form capital! Learn together! Be diligent in your work.
I felt that appeal was addressed to me too, like a voice from the heavens, just like in the
wayang
,
Similar Books
