Breaking the Fast

The cross-cultural orientation provided by our host organization in Jakarta, IIEF, included an invitation to the home of Dr. Irid Agoes for Buka Puasa, the breaking of the fast at sundown that occurs every evening during the holy month of Ramadan, when most Muslims abstain from all food and drink during daylight hours. Though Muslims are far and away the majority in Indonesia, both Indonesians and Americans have a variety of spiritual beliefs and practices, so not everyone fasting during Ramadan is necessarily Muslim. I was surprised to be told that photographing the family prayer service was okay, and took only three quick photographs for fear of someone catching an electronic flash in the face during prayer. To many Western eyes, the photographs below might be misleading in at least two ways. First, most Indonesian women are not in full cover or wearing all white under ordinary circumstances. Women who were Muslims slipped on these special white coverings fit for the solemnity and holiness of the occasion directly over their "street clothes," which for about half of them included a less formal headscarf designed for everyday use. Second, many women covered their heads only while at prayer. As with Christians in the USA, there would appear to be many opinions in Indonesia concerning "correct" devotional practice, and despite the personal differences that people do have with one another, I've heard very little in the way of fussing or arguing. While it’s true that there are some people who might wish to make covering mandatory here for all Muslim women, in most parts of Indonesia it remains, for now, a personal choice—and that’s really a remarkable thing in a country that emphasizes community values over individualism.