Nyai Gowok

Author: Budi Sardjono

Category: Fiction, literature

Language: Indonesian

Publication Year: 2014

Pages: 332

Description:

In the traditions of old Javanese society, a young boy who had just been circumcised would undergo several rites. One of these was becoming a pupil of a gowok. A gowok is a woman who educates young boys about the intricacies of the female body.

It is said that before reaching Java, the gowok tradition originated from the Chinese imperial court. In Java, a woman named Goo Wook Niang was the first to introduce this method of educating young boys approaching adulthood by inviting them to live in her home. Due to the difficulty Javanese people had in pronouncing her name, they eventually adopted the easier-to-remember term "gowok."

Bagus Sasongko, a newly circumcised boy and the son of a district chief in Randu Pitu, is to be "entrusted" to Nyai Lindri, a gowok. Through her, Bagus Sasongko will be educated to become a mature man.

The journey of Bagus Sasongko with Nyai Lindri leads to a unique relationship filled with affection and the intrigues brought by a man who is a friend of Bagus Sasongko’s father—a man who deeply desires Nyai Lindri.

Personal Notes:

"Nyai Gowok" is a novel that highlights a Javanese tradition unknown to many, including myself. This novel left a strong impression on me because it explores topics that are taboo in contemporary Indonesian society, even though they were commonplace in their time.