A one-horse town

Godean Market
The happy couple
Band at the wedding

16 Jan


Godean is a one-horse town, 50 yards from the cross roads and you are virtually in the open countryside but it does have a large covered market justifying its important status locally. The market is loade with vegetables, fruit, meat, farm implements and toys. Not much in the way of spices or herbs and certainly no beer. Out on the street a couple of small supermarkets but still no beer and no fruit juices without tons of ‘healthy’ additives. Asking for an internet café, assistants in two shops declared that I would have to go down the road towards Jogyakarta (probably to the café I normally use), two others did not know what I was talking about but at a telephone top-up kiosk I was directed to a small establishment on the outskirts with the usual group of teenagers conducting virtual chats with others through Yahoo, or playing games or searching for porn. A good connection though and a pleasant hi-jabbed girl in control. A couple of people in the street recognise me ‘hello mr Patrik’ clearly my fame has spread! Last Sunday I was invited to the wedding of my employer Pak T.O.’s brother (age 27, the youngest of seven) in Godean. The local street was closed with half a dozen canopies ( for protection from the sun and any rain). Immediate relatives had 100 seats reserved and then the groom and bride each had 250 seats for invited guests, and interlopers like me. The groom with ceremonial gear, a bare chest and a blue fez, the bride equally decorated but more convent ally, sitting quietly on their throne throughout. Live music provided by xylophone and drums and further entertainment from singers and dancers including brother Bowo on his ukulele type thing that he plays on local TV. The hot tea and three course meal all served to the seats by it must have been 20 waiters and waitresses. Speeches, in Javanese by friends of the bride and groom’s parents, local big-wigs, the whole proceedings held together by two jovial MCs. Bothe the groom and the bride came from these streets which must have helped with the arrangements with different houses being used for preparation of different courses, washing up, the sound system and so on. At 1.30 I shook the happy couple’s hands and returned to Mandungan with other villagers and pirate Priyo in the ageing people carrier leaving T.O.,sons and family to continue with the show.