The Brides of Singkawang
In Singkawang, West Kalimantan, many people of Chinese descent work as farmers, fishermen or deckhands—just like the indigenous people. Trapped in poverty, marrying off their daughters to Taiwanese men seems the only way out. But it also brings about suffering and new problems.
March 27, 2001
As dusk approaches, Singkawang seems to be dressing up for an evening out. Coquettish amoys (a nickname for Chinese girls), dressed in trendy clothes, from tank tops, miniskirts to long dresses, start roaming Jl. Diponegoro, the main street in the small town. They are ready to flirt: their laughter fills the air, their perfume permeates the air, mingling with fumes from the motorbikes they’re riding.
Jl. Diponegoro is the rendezvous spot.
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