Sunday 23 March 2014

Beads for Papua 3 : Mama-mama..., Let Us Make Necklaces Together

This article is the 3rd part of 4, continuation from "Beads for Papua 1 : Here We Gooooo..." and "Beads for Papua 2 : Ilu and Its Bead Culture"... so, for a complete picture, check and read those first ya?

At first, we planned to have the "Beads for Papua" on the side terrace of the Ilu Community Health Clinic, but soon we realised that it was too crowded with hundreds of people seeking services from several spesialist doctors who came at the same time... surgeon, obstetric-gynecologist, and of course one from our team the ophthalmologist. Finally, we decided to move the activity on the terrace where we stayed... not far from the clinic. When the Mama-mama (that's how we call women in Papua) heard about the "Beads for Papua", they were thrilled and so happy!

Thursday afternoon, several Mama-mama came to string beads together. Unlike in Oksibil, here in Ilu only simple stringing that could be done. The colors they like the most were the bright colors, metallic shiny colors, blink-blink, sparkling... especially if it's red! that was their favorite color. Green was the least they chose, maybe because they see a lot of greens from the vegetations around them... trees, bushes, grass...

See... every body was happppppyyyy... each made one necklace, one bracelet, and one earrings, plus one necklace and one bracelet for each child they brought with them.

The Mama with the baby seemed used to work fast... finished first and wore it right away. Isn't it pretty.. the necklace she made? Soon after, little Malikha also had her new necklace made by her Mama.

I tried teaching them bead color and shape combination, usig some examples I made before. At the beginning, they tried to follow, but then I saw that they were so asthonished with all those pretty beads in front of them. As if this was what they thought : "Aahh, this one is pretty, I want this (while stringing the pretty beads on the plastic thread in their hands)... and this one too... and this...". Some Mama was able to make a better mix and match, but mostly strung according to what they thought as pretty beads, without able to imagine what combination it would be. However, looking at them and saw how enthusiasted and excited they were, I let them do whatever they like... it's important for them to be happy and love the things they have made.

Posed a little bit with the new self-made bead-jewelry.

And Friday the next day...

Ah yes, this handsome young gentleman is Rudy, a 8th grade student, the son of the house owner where we stayed. He helped us a lot... made all the water storages were full of clean water, switched on the generator when the day is getting dark, hot drinking water always available in the morning and at night, and many more... Since the first day of the "Beads for Papua", he was happilly involved... helping Mama-mama and his friends to make necklaces and bracelets. He is the most creative one.. and has a good taste too... more than all those Mama-mama. The blue green yellow ropes from LiliKrist was made into a small macrame bag. I tought him how to do macrame and the bag, and he quickly caught and continued to finish the bag. Unfortunately I forgot to take picture of it.

And here is the Mama bringing a baby pig inside her noken, the woven light brown bag behind her back. So it was fun and yet funny... Mama-mama came with their children, their dogs, and a pig... hahahaa... but all was calmed.

Cute little Malikha busy playing with my friend's shoe, while Rudy her big brother helping a Mama.

 This little girl is pretty with the black necklace and the new earring her Mama just made for her.
There I learned that apparently good or bad is something that is not fixed. And I also learned to understand their way of thinking, their concept about beauty. Beauty is a concept that depends on how you see it... could changed and moved with time, era, place...
With that kind of understanding, I adjusted myself and learned what kind of beads they loved, and several day later me and my friends from the cataract team made 15 necklaces for Mama-mama the health caders in Ilu.

The Mama-mama health caders is working ironing the linens and surgical clothes, and friends from the Indonesian Red Cross in action making necklaces for Mama-mama caders. Thanks a lot guys...

Mama-mama caders wanted to join the fun stringin beads in "Beads for Papua", but of course they couldn't. They had to work helping the free cataract operation program... cleaning the premises, washing and ironing surgical clothes and linens, as well as taking care of the patients.

These are the necklaces made by friends from the Indonesian Red Cross... The one who learned and enjoyed making necklaces was apparently not only the Mama-mama in Ilu, but also the kind-hearted friends from Red Cross.

Mama-mama caders... finally got necklaces also... they said: 'Thank you so much for the gifts, we are soooo happy... whaah, whaaah...'

Two days making jewelry with Mama-mama in Ilu gave me a special memory I know I will not forget. So touching and so happy to see how thrilled and happy they were with this "Beads for Papua".


(To be continued to part 4 "Beads for Papua 4 : Good Memory in Wamena and Biak")

 

No comments:

Post a Comment