We’re Indonesian and We’re Proud to be

Setelah Birds of Baluran National Park terbit, saya dapat kabar dari kawan, bahwa kawannya kawan saya itu bertanya kepada kawan yang punya kawan tadi, “Buku burung ini dua penulisnya orang bule ya? Swiss dan Richard?”. Spontan saya langsung ngguyu ngakak, ya jelas donk, kalo nama Richard Noske sudah jelas orang bule. Tapi “Swiss Winnasis”! Uteke a?!

Ok, now I tell you how bule I’m!

I was born on May, 1981 in Batu. A place where mountains surround my small city. That’s why my father gave me a name “Swiss”. I think our mountainous land inspired him as he gave me that cool -but strange- name. My homeland always remind me a beautiful place which I saw it often in the calender photos when I was child. People call it Alpine but no snow, colorfully spring or other shits. Both my father and mother are indigenous of the city, and all to my great-grandparents. Just next door village neighboring or I call this peknggo, then tripping over accidentally caused by wires, cloths, gowns etc means kesrimpet! Now, you see how bule I’m.

Then how can I write this book, in English lagi?

The first thing I must tell you that I can’t speak English! Ok.. ok.. it’s too lebay if I can’t English, rectify it, I’m not good in English speaking. And I didn’t even have any plan to write an English book! For me, English language, how to learning, writing or speaking in, was a big big trouble! Sak hoha! The point is nyuwun sewu mawon if I must speak in English. Mbok sak death-e no way! Do I say it “was”? Yes, “it was”. It was my big problem. But it’s no longer shit until I get Google Translate! Hohohoho… My definitively guru! Much better than my junior high school English teacher Pak Sudadi or Pak Suadmadi.

I meant it! I’m not ashamed to admit it! I used Google Translate to made this book happen. How can I figured it then I’m not a native speaker? I’m an Indonesian then bahasa is my mother tongue (ilate mboke?) then spending a lot of time doing nothing means mbathang… hahaha gak nyambung. It’s all bullshit if I tell you I didn’t use GT. I’m proud with this book and I’m not ashamed with all of its weakness.

I tell you guys, my point is, don’t feel be inferior as you are and Indonesian. We have a great land. We have forest, mountains, sea and all kind of awesome species and amazing cultures within. We have everything that much country doesn’t. There no reason to be inferior. Worth it with “read” every single thing from our land then write in even in a single word. No more bule who know our land more than us. We are ruler on our own land. We are Indonesian and we’re proud to be!