This week while looking at the reading from Salagdo’s Migrations, one picture that was particularly
moving was of a Mosque in Southeast Asia. The mosque of Istiqlal is the largest
in the world and is located in the center of Jakarta, Indonesia. When
researching the mosque I discovered that it was built to commemorate the
independence of Indonesia from the Netherlands in 1949 and demonstrate their
gratitude for God’s blessings.
The Indonesian National Revolution was an armed conflict and
diplomatic struggle between Indonesia and the Dutch Empire, and an internal
social revolution. It began with Indonesia's declaration of independence in
1945 and the Netherlands' recognition of Indonesia's independence at the end of
1949. The revolution was one of the largest of the twentieth century, and
although the Dutch could control the cities, they had no control over villages
and the countryside. The revolution destroyed the colonial administration of
the Dutch East Indies which had ruled from the other side of the world. It also
significantly changed racial castes, as well as reducing the power of many of the
local rulers. It did not significantly improve the economic or political
fortune of the majority of the population, though a few Indonesians were able
to gain a larger role in commerce.
I find it incredible that although this photograph was taken
nearly 50 years after the conflict, these people are still so committed to
their religion and still thanking their God for his deliverance. Although I may
not agree with their religious views, I still find it so moving that they are
so devoted to their prayer times. They give up so much time in their day to
attend these prayer services, and even though there is still political unrest,
they show their gratitude for what has been given to them.
Works Cited
Frederick, William H. (April 1982). "In Memoriam: Sutomo" (PDF). Indonesia (Cornell Modern Indonesia Project) 33:
127–128. seap.indo/1107016901.
Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. 396-397. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York:
Aperture, 2000. Print.
Loved this! You set a great background for this. I loved this picture (and apparently so did Nathan because we all chose it!) becuase of the story it tells. I think this picture tells a story the strength of faith. I love how the people turn to faith to strengthen them in their time of need. I know that when we need strength during our trials the place to turn is our Father in Heaven who loves us so much and strengthens us when we are week. I can't even imagine the troubles of those in the Arab world looking for freedom in the darkness of tyranny but I know that in all trials as we turn to faith we will be okay!
ReplyDeleteI thought it was really cool how you put the picture first and delved into it quickly. Generally I put an intro beforehand and then post the picture and explain it, but I thought this way flowed really well. It is interesting how I notice little things that we talk about in class, like how this blog post was point first.
ReplyDeleteI loved your last paragraph. You handled it with a profound respect for their culture while still maintaining a personal belief system without sounding pretentious or judgmental. You're awesome, Sammy!