Gotot Prakosa talked about how a part of his education as a filmmaker was centered on the ancient Indonesian practice of Wayang.  Wayang is performance art that incorporates music and puppetry, which blends historical realities and mystical stories.  The Wayang traditions that he referred to taught Prakosas (and others I am sure) about the nature and origins of Islamic culture; after conducting some of my own research about Wayang traditions, I found that women’s roles in the theatre are minimal at best.  Even the characters portrayed to express religious philosophies are predominantly male, and evoke traditionally masculine energies and qualities.  This left me wondering if Wayang is the basis for what Prakosa considered his film education, is the film world in Indonesia also exclusionary to women?  Do female Indonesian filmmakers exist?  Do they only practice their art in the diasporas?  Are their works primarily experimental?

            In Kantata Takwa, as the Van Heeren reading expresses, Islam is represented in the form of a veiled woman who mysteriously pops her head up in random scenes.  It is interesting that the religion is represented by a woman who’s hair is covered; as discussed in Eilberg-Scwartz and DOniger’s piece, hair is symbolic of female sexuality and voice as much as the rest of her head is.  This makes me think of Cixous’ discussion of female decapitation and silence; is her veil something imposed upon her as a threat of decapitation?  Or does she choose to wear it?  Is she even granted the privilege to reflect upon the meanings of such customs? Through her silence will she gain more through the political turmoil that exists in Indonesia than the men who, while also oppressed under the New Order, are at least privileged in that they are men?  The Van Heeren reading goes on to discuss how the banning of veils led to Islamic women protesting for their rights to veil themselves, which does reflect some of Cixous’ argument that only women can speak for women.