Cul De Sac

With a loud thump and cracking sound suddenly the windshield of the car was splattered on asphalt, and two students were carried away with bloods on their heads or torn rib-cage. This is not scene from an accident, but the scene that has become increasingly common these days in the education world in Indonesia.

Their identity changes abruptly on the street, all because they want to prove that they are not a mere “coward”, reflected in the willingness to eliminate one another, and absurd identity.

This story is a memoir for me, and those who refused to take part therein. For some people, high school days are both happiest and the most frightening at the same time. We would go home, and ask, “who the hell can guarantee safety at that time?”

I feel fortunate to be free of it. But out there, there are still many students who fear the effect from a ridiculous culture called “tawuran”-student brawl. (2010)

Text Editor : Adrian Murphy