Malay Romance Zaman Now
3. Iliran and Uluan
There used to be a social reality of the people of Palembang with what is called the dichotomy of the citizens of iliran and uluan. This is an implication of the division of territory by river: upstream and downstream. The environmental conditions in the ilir area are in the form of lowland swamps, where the land is strongly influenced by the tides of river water, so that the prosperity of the people there is not similar in the ulu. The life of the people in this area is to fish, gather economic resources in the swamp, and trade. Unlike the ilir area, the ulu area contains a highland environment with fertile land conditions for agriculture and plantations. In the identity of the city residents, iliran refers to people who claim to be the original Palembang people, because they feel their ancestors have long settled. In addition, the iliran also correlates with the descendants of the Palembang Sultanate family, the nobles, wealthy merchants. While for the uluan are those who come from outside Palembang, immigrants, hamlets, rural residents who are far from the city.
This friction began when the industrial activity and trade of the iliran people slowly deteriorated. While the uluan began crawling up and even booming in the early 20th century. Their trade products, such as the coffee, and bananas they sold to Arabs, Chinese, and iliran people experienced a very drastic increase, so that the uluan get a great deal of profit in the situation of trade disconnection with the outside world. With that the shabby uluan and kudel were able to squander his money in front of the people of the iliran and buy expensive food and luxury furniture.
The split resulted in various perceptions of each group!
For the iliran, how rich and as for those who come from the interior, it is still considered to have nothing. The iliran people assume that the uluan people are smart and smart, praising themselves, want to express their name, become famous, but only for their circles. The uluan cannot be considered a city person, because the ulu is still the ulu, who was given the nickname “ulu kamma”, which means dirty or careless, or careless, the question is more appropriate in different manners with others. And for the iliran, helping the uluan is a wretched act, because after being helped, the uluan do not seem to understand the meaning of the word thank you.
While the uluan also have their own version to look at the side of the life of the iliran. For them, people deserving of illumination nicknamed “Plembang buntung”, because the former people of iliran had success, but now there are only memories. However, the iliran people still think that they remain victorious and powerful over the uluan people, when in fact all that is only the power of the past, it is precisely the uluan people who succeeded, but the uluan people who succeeded, but the iliran cannot accept all the realities of the decline of all its glory and power. And for the uluan, the iliran is very “besak kelakar” and “besak gaya”, and as if intellectual when sometimes they do not finish folk school.
It is because of this perception that the iliran and the uluan are like cats and dogs. Sometimes the uluan felt himself more than the iliran because he was able to attend high school and was able to work in the Residency of Palembang. Sometimes the iliran feels more than the uluan because they are merchants who are good at trading, and certainly city people. There are still many perceptions of them that arise because of cynicism, envy, jealousy, ego, and arrogance. For example, the uluan nicknamed the iliran the scorn, or like to take care of other people's lives, cursing; dub wong kayo lamo and “hereditary to eight” because the rich are only his parents, while his son is not.
How is this friction in the 21st century, in this modern age, in this contemporary era all-rounded with this sophistication? Does the ilir still feel taller than the ulu? Or vice versa, the newcomer or more fitting if called urbanites feel taller than the Palembang? Are there still feelings of envy and hate between them?
***
His hair was lustrous black, his straight length was unraveling, and his bangs were stretched out on his forehead. One word: Emo. Yeah, that's the style of her hairdo. This time Masayu wore a pink shirt. Plus there's a pink bracelet on his arm. His shoe laces were pink even though they were black. Actually he's not a tomboy, really not. At first glance people will judge that he is a tomboy, but, again not. That's his signature style. Black and pink blend in every dress she wears, melted in her pink mood.
The sun straddles the sky, moves slowly, and slips slightly toward the west. The sunlight this afternoon was so hot that Palembang became really hot. In the area of 16 Ilir there used to be a tributary of Musi River named Tengkuruk River, so many boats from the interior that carry merchandise make the river a stopover. In 1928 the Company stockpiled the river and then built two roads. On the left side there are rows of lush trees and on the right side there are two-story buildings that are offices. In Europe, a similar composition is called a boulevard.
Pasar 16 Ilir is not only located right on the edge of the Musi River, but also very close to the Ampera Bridge. It used to be the center of the city's economy, because in the past, precisely in the colonial era, or when the Dutch managed to scoop the gold rope Palembang, the market was the gathering place for merchandise brought from the interior. And now the wholesale and retail center has been transformed into a modern scale market with five floors plus one basement each floor is devoted to certain groups of traders. Around the main building of the market with the type A group stands a lot of shophouses and there are several buildings nuanced Europe. Thousands of traders opened kiosks and los and held stalls. If you want to find something, ranging from clothes, batik, songket, bags, shoes, sandals, cooking equipment, chippings, and more, just come here.
Didn't feel like Dodi's car had arrived at the parking lot. They both walk in Nusa Indah Park. Just below the Ampera Bridge, the heat from the human spill in Pasar 16 Ilir was felt even though they had just got out of the car. Dodi saw a very crowded human back and forth there. Stunned him. Hundreds of motorbikes passed by in the narrow market streets. If the car can pass, of course the car wants to get in there. Traders and buyers clashed with each other.
Not a single bit of Dodi knew where and where the road was to somewhere to buy something because he had never once set foot in this market before. During his life in Palembang he only often visited the malls to buy all the necessities of his life, ranging from food to clothing. So no wonder if he is now like a stranger who knows nothing.Just ten minutes walking in front of the shops, his white shirt is wet and so musty because of sweat and road dust. Fortunately, the sunlight was held back by the store buildings, otherwise, the ultraviolet light increasingly made the sweat bulges droopy.
Riot, he thought.
Apparently Masayu also started sweating. But the sweat does not make the hue of the juice decreases. Really, Masayu did not wear powder, or any kind of cosmetics. If you have stuck out her tongue to wet her lips, automatically return red to light those sexy thin lips. His smile was so elegant when his front teeth were flat.
“In the mall again much discount.”
While tidying up his bangs Masayu replied, “Here the price is cheap and which can definitely be bargained.”
Busyness in Pasar 16 Ilir added. Moreover, this is the end of the school period to the beginning of the new school year. Parents who want to buy their children's school supplies certainly choose this market and do not hesitate they invite their children directly to match the size of their school uniforms. Like what one of these traders said. Howled him:
“Sayang child. Dear child.”
Which parent has not touched his heart after hearing the screams of his dear case? Soon they received every whimper of his son.
Some of the children asked for the mercy of their mother while tugging at the hand of their beloved mother:
“Cold bag Masiya en de ber, Ma.”
Which mother is not satisfied with her heart? With love the mother quickly approached the seller with the right tactic to get the item dreamed of the baby at a cheap price as cheap as he had to bother stringing words to seducing the merchant.
“How much?”
“Fifty,” replied the sellers fathers while tidying up his merchandise.
“Fortunately dikit.”
The middle-aged woman replied simply, “Three five.”
The trader let out a loss breath, then exclaimed, “Four five.”
It's kind of a debate in the world of commerce. It is commonplace if you want to get cheap goods.
“Ya already, anyway three five.”
“Fatty.”
The mother walked away from the small room. And when it was far enough, he knew that the merchant would scream from a distance.
“Ya already, Mom, here, three five.”
Turning his body back to the stall, the buyer happily held tightly to his son's hand. The right strategy in the world of buying and selling has been well understood, although not titled S.E, the mothers understand how the rupiah in the wallet remains in a stable condition.
Like the mothers of the family economists, Masayu was also the same. Not only is he good at literary writhing, he is also good at bargaining. This time he and Dodi stopped at a clothing store. For a moment he looked for the color of his favorite clothes. After a while he tried to match her with his posture, apparently fitting. Plain black t-shirt, there are only a few white stripes.
“That's two five,” cetus seller.
“Can less?”
“Price fitting.”
Masayu estimated that the capital of this shirt is at most about 15 thousand rupiah. He then offered twenty thousand. But the seller does not want, he wants to keep the price he mentioned earlier. While Dodi won't interfere, he can't bargain. He used to shop without bargaining, just pay.
“Come, Brother, twenty.”
By paying attention to the trader who is about the age of three-headed Masayu called “Kak”. Because in Palembang the call is no stranger than the designation “Mang.” If in Java, “Mas”; if in Medan, “Bang”.
Not many cincong, sellers reverberate, “Buy how much, Dik?”
“Two only.”
“Ya already, twenty.”
Masayu invites Dodi to leave the stall and go back around Market 16. No hesitation he entered the basement, then climbed several floors, to invite Dodi to look around various kinds of clothes and accessories for men. Some times Masayu offered Dodi a cool black leather jacket, but Dodi refused, feeling more fit to wear the clothes he bought at the mall. It's the real problem, the problem they are, that Dodi thinks about.
Everything that is sought for the purposes of Masayu college is thought to be enough now, such as t-shirts, jackets, sweaters, jeans, socks, shoes, and accessories, such as bracelets, rings, and necklaces. His hands and Dodi's hands were a little hard to carry. They came out of the Market 16 building, and to go home, they had to pass through shophouses and hundreds of merchants lined up on the edge of the narrow street. It's as tight as Dodi's lungs.
And. and. Dodi no longer sees Masayu. He was searching where Masayu, his body colliding with the people in front of him, tried to break through the crowd, through the dense cracks of the streets, and he was separated from Masayu in the middle of the market.
Unfortunately, his HP was left in the car.
