As the maternal death rate shows, the state of healthcare for Indonesian women today remains grim. Of course juxtaposing the stories of Indonesian female ghosts with real data is only a way for me to highlight an important issue using folklore and a popular culture product.īut the popular ghosts’ stories reveal the close connections between violence against women and access to healthcare for women in the distant past. Don’t let there be another ‘sundel bolong’ In 2017, at least, she would probably have received a better diagnosis thanks to Indonesia’s universal healthcare, BPJS Kesehatan, implemented since 2014. She was lying helpless for three years without a proper diagnosis. In another report, the bureau recorded 1,739 reported rape cases in 2015, higher than robbery using sharp weapons or firearms, which reached 1,097 in the same year.īut “Ibu”, the woman in the movie set in 1981, would probably have a better fate today compared with her fate then. The Central Statistics Bureau surveyed 9,000 women respondents in 2016 and reported that one in three Indonesian women aged 15-64 has experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s data on sexual violence, experienced by both Si Manis and sundel bolong, are also harrowing. These deaths could have been avoided had the women had access to proper care. The ministry data showed the top two causes of deaths in 2013 were post-partum bleeding (30.3%) and preeclampsia (27.1%). The average rate in the Asia-Pacific region in 2015 was 127, while the average in developed countries is 12 per 100,000 live births. Indonesian Health Ministry data show the maternal mortality rate in 2015 reached 305 per 100,000 live births. These women were victims of gender inequality and sexual violence.

But the background story of each ghost shares similar themes. Of course, no scientific evidence supports the existence of these ghosts. There’s a thread connecting the female ghosts beyond their gender: most of them are victims. ‘Kuntilanak’: victim of poor access to healthcare To know more about the issue of women in Indonesia’s ghost folklore, read Indonesian fictions, Sihir Perempuan (Black Magic Woman) and Kumpulan Budak Setan (Devil’s Slaves Club), by author, scholar and feminist Intan Paramaditha. Men were said to have raped and killed Si Manis in North Jakarta when she escaped her husband.Ī different kind of female ghost, an outlier, is Nyai Roro Kidul, believed to be the ruler of the southern sea of Java, who becomes the mystical wife of each Mataram king. The third one is Si Manis Jembatan Ancol, loosely translated into The Pretty One Haunting Ancol Bridge, referring to Ancol, an area in North Jakarta. Kuntilanak is said to have a penchant for haunting women during delivery and stealing newborns, while sundel bolong terrorises men walking alone in the dark of night.

Indonesian horror movies 2014