Nyai: The new Soul that Haunts Indonesian Women

Nyai: The new Soul that Haunts Indonesian Women

For the majority of Indonesians, “bantal guling” otherwise bolster pillow is not unusual. In reality, the fresh support try a part of called for sleep activities getting Indonesians. We choice one bantal guling can be obtained in almost any Indonesian bed room. Although not, of many Indonesians are most likely uninformed of your history of bantal guling. The annals of bantal guling try closely connected with the latest colonial views out-of Nyai. If you are Dutch colonization had come to an end few years back, such as for example viewpoints remain affecting the stereotypes out-of Indonesian female too once the just how Indonesian women have a look at on their own. Nyai, because a cultural trope, gets your website out of discourse fight, exactly who symbolizes the colonized authorities and you can colonized brain. It is this task of your blog post in order to asked and recover Nyai among ways to decolonize our degree.

Whenever thraldom was outlawed in the 1860, the partnership altered, where in actuality the indigenous female turned concubines with the Dutch men

Bantal guling otherwise reinforce features a special English title, that is, a great Dutch spouse. It identity provides a historical meaning. Bantal guling is a consistent sleep company on Indonesians. Thereby is actually a beneficial Dutch partner. Throughout early Dutch colonization in Eastern Indies (the name to own Indonesia at that time), brand new Dutch colonizers paying off from the Indies have been just guys after the restricted immigration rules. Which contributed to employing local feminine as their sex slaves. The fresh wedding regarding native female since concubines may not be given that simple as it appears. It may be disguised according to the colonial euphemism out of “huishoudster” (a good Dutch phrase to own housekeeper). Within the connection, they remains nearly an equivalent, namely, native female as the sex submissives.