Michael LyonsPolitics is in Christina’s blood. Her father Yacob Lomon, now deceased, was a beloved Dayak Party leader in the Sanggau district of West Kalimantan. You can find several articles in the categories Borneo Bliss and Sekayam Rya.
As a child, Christina spent many days traveling along the Sekayam River from village to village. Most roads at that time were more difficult to navigate than the river. Often their canoe was covered to protect them from torrential rain and the chill of night.
In 2008, Christina continued her father’s legacy and ran for political office. She narrowly lost the election to an opponent who outspent her ten to one. The poster in the photo below was from that campaign. Actually, we were walking on a trail in the jungle and I saw the poster hanging on a hut. I was amused at finding it by accident.
Our involvement in politics now revolves around an effort to make the Sekayam river area its own district, separating from the Sanggau district. As it is now, it can be a full day journey to travel from Entikong to the regency office in Sanggau.
We are members of a group called Forkonas which advocates changing current Indonesian law to allow redistricting of outdated districts. We have met with several high-level politicians and attended many rallies.
Politics in Indonesia is not really that much different than in America, except it is more civil. You can wear a hat from your candidate without getting beat up or slandered in the press. You can even have a meaningful discussion. Check out how voting is done in Indonesia here.
