Grandma Tina

After the Rosary prayer for the Month of Mary at Grandma Tina's house, Teacher Joni invited his wife to go home. Unlike usual. Because of this, his wife furrowed her brow and displayed a look of astonishment. This was because the host was preparing drinks for those who had come that evening. As on previous nights at every house, they would sit, drink, and taste the cakes served by the host, before finally heading home illuminated by the light of their phone flashlights and the moonlight.

“People are ready to drink,” his wife whispered.

"I'll go first. You follow Ama for a moment," replied Teacher Joni.

Their child, Ama, sat with other children on the floor covered with a mat. They were noisy about something. Meanwhile, some of them had fallen asleep during the prayer. While the other children laughed at their friends who mispronounced the Hail Mary prayer. Such is the scene every night in every home.

In the midst of the children's commotion and the stories of the prayer participants, the host assisted by young mothers prepared drinks, various cakes, and jagung titi for the prayer participants who were present tonight. Who knows where this habit came from, but this reality was repeated and continued until tonight.

Children usually sit in a circle and get a plate or two of cakes and jagung titi. If there is not enough, they will ask their respective parents—that is if their parents are also present to follow the joint prayer. In addition, they eat and drink under the supervision of their parents so that there is no commotion due to each other grabbing the cakes served by the host.

Alongside this, both male and female parents sat sharing casual stories about trivial matters that were close to them. Sometimes about their children's school, unpredictable rain, excessive heat, garden yields, and their livestock, such as chickens, horses, goats, and pigs. For the past two nights and entering the third night, tonight at Oma Tina's house, they spoke more about the African Swine Fever (ASF) that had entered the village and attacked their pet pigs. This was another reality for them after experiencing crop failures and prolonged heat. All these realities were brought into their prayers throughout this rotating prayer session, including tonight at Oma Tina's house. May Maria, Mother of Mercy, and Mother of Perpetual Help hear every cry of her children.

"Family at home is ready, so let's have a drink first before going home," his wife whispered again as she noticed that Teacher Joni had not yet hurried from his seat. She shifted her chair closer to the small table next to her husband. Teacher Joni was forced to remain seated, encircling the small table filled with glasses and pastries.

In addition to his wife, Teacher Joni did not respond much to the discussions about the ASF virus because he knew that one of his pigs in the pen was still healthy. He bought and raised that pig in preparation for his child's First Communion event in June. This May, the pig will have been raised by him for a full year. For Teacher Joni, the pig will be suitable for consumption in June.

Although he did not comment at all, deep in his heart lay a concern about the deadly virus. This anxiety was clearly visible on his face. His mind was also filled with uncertain thoughts. Thus, on the way home with his wife, children, and neighbors, Teacher Joni said little and chose to walk a bit faster.

“What’s wrong with you?” his wife asked after arriving home.

"Don't eat and drink carelessly. Something will happen to you just because you talk a lot," said Teacher Joni.

His wife suspected that her husband was going to discuss the deadly virus, but the answer made her understand that what was meant was the prohibition of eating and drinking in Grandma Tina's house. The villagers had often suspected Grandma Tina of being a menaka. This suspicion was inherited in the form of stories that were continuously spread to everyone in the village. Villagers who died unnatural deaths, pets such as horses that were approached or touched by Grandma Tina's hands and later died, would always be seen and associated with Grandma Tina.

"That's because Grandma Tina was holding a horse," was the casual comment from the village people.

That story made the villagers cautious, and even some others—who had experienced similar situations as described by many—chose not to visit, let alone eat and drink at Oma Tina's house. However, other residents were not too concerned about the story and chose to continue visiting Oma Tina's house as usual, including tonight to pray together during the Month of Mary.

"You are a religious teacher, but you still think badly of people," his wife added.

"This is something I don't know whether you are a religious teacher or not!" replied Teacher Joni.

"You've just finished praying and you're already thinking strange things."

“I was just talking, Peni.”

In the morning, Oma Tina visited Teacher Joni's house. She intended to return the jar and pay for the cakes she had ordered to be consumed together last night at her home. At the same time, she inquired about Teacher Joni's pig, in case it was for sale, as she would buy it as a gift from the village for her grandson's First Communion event in the city.

Not for sale, Grandma. Ama also wants to receive First Communion this June, so just one caretaker is needed for the preparation of the event.

"The teacher is at school, supervising the children taking exams."

"I want to ask the price of your pig, don't let the teacher want to sell it?"

"I'm not selling, Grandma. Ama also wants to receive First Communion this June, so I will take care of just one animal for the preparation of the event."

"Oh, I thought the teacher was selling. The first grandchild in the city is also set to receive their first communion this June, but all the pigs got sick and died, including those at home."

"That's done, Grandma. The teacher has given this to him, he has been drinking a liquid made from gamal leaves, so he is still holding on until now, Grandma."

Grandma Tina said goodbye and went home after making sure that Tanta Peni had received the cake money.

In the evening, as he was about to feed the pig, Teacher Joni found the lone pig lying weakly in the medium-sized pen. In the feeding area of the pen, there were remnants of several pieces of cake.

From the cage behind the house, Teacher Joni shouted for his wife.

“Is this the leftover cake from last night that we ate at Oma Tina’s?”

"He. Grandma Tina brought money and the jar of cookies earlier. There were leftover cookies, so I mixed them with other leftover food and just fed them this morning."

"Did Grandma Tina come to the house?"

"Yes, he came to bring money for the cake, and at the same time asked about the pig, thinking we'd sell it."

"Have you seen a pig?"

"Just standing behind the house, not to the cage."

"Ai, the pig is dead."

"You're always suspicious."

In the morning, before going to school, his wife saw Teacher Joni carrying a hoe towards the back of the pen. In the pen, there was no sound of pigs as usual.

February, 2025

Note:

1. Titi corn: one of the local foods in Lembata, NTT.

2. Menaka: a black magic practitioner, a sorcerer.

Selo Lamatapo, author of the short story collection Well Digger (2021). Now living in Santarem, Amazon, Brazil.

Aprililia, born in Talu, Indonesia, in 2000, is an artist and educator. Her works have been exhibited in several solo exhibitions, such as The Art of Aprililia at the Arma Museum, Bali (2023), and Resonance of Being at the SIKA Gallery, Bali (2024). Aprililia is also active in performing arts, one of which is Tanah Ibu Tanah Rempah (2021). She received an award as a Creative Youth in the Field of Fine Arts in 2020.