poetry – KARTINIISME

In my opinion, the picture book “11 Words For Love” written by Randa Abdel-Fattah and illustrated by Maxine Beneba Clarke is profoundly Kartiniist.

As I see it, the book defines the single most important non-physical ingredient for personal health and social cohesion in family terms which kids and therefore hopefully everybody should be able to understand.

That is what Kartini dedicated her life to doing. That’s what made her a national hero revered in the fourth biggest country in the world, Austraia’s near neighbour, the Republic Of Indonesia.

I believe “11 Words For Love” is a great book. It addresses what Australia (a.k.a. Terra Nullius) desperately needs and has needed for a long time – a social order that begins with love.

Sadly, modern Australia does not really know what to do with such an idea.

Australia can pretend to love, but was founded on the denial of the existence and rights of others through the concept Terra Nullius.

Here are some discursive thoughts, from me, on 2 of the 11 words. I hope these ideas help to explain why I find “11 Words For Love” so wonderfully Kartiniist.

“Al Hob” (The Love) is connected to the word “Habibi” (“my love”, “my dear” or “my darling”) It can be a person’s name in the form Habibie. I regard President BJ Habibie (pictured above with his beloved mum Raden Ayu Tuti Marini Puspowardojo) as Indonesia’s most exciting quick achiever president ever. He gave East Timor more generous terms for a vote on independence than those proposed to Habibie by Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Habibie also established freedom of the press and set many political prisoners free. These were all truly outstanding acts of love.

“Al Wud” is closely related to the word “Wadud” which is name for God meaning “loving one” and also the name of American born Islamic theologian Amina Wadud who now lives in Yogyakarta in Indonesia and has written, “Those who truly believe in the Quran would equally wish for the woman the opportunities and growth and productivity which they demand for the man.”

I love the way Randa and Maxine have introduced profoundly important concepts from the rich and beautiful Arabic langiage into English literature.

Geoff Fox, March 24^th, 2026, West Footscray, Australia

Devastating climate change has been a part of God’s creation for a long time.

On January 17, 1903, (normally the wet season) Raden Ajeng Kartini wrote this to her friend in Holland about an unseasonal drought in Java:

“For three longs weeks not a drop of rain has fallen. It is boiling hot as it has never been before, even in the dryest Oostmoesson.

Father is in despair; the young rice in the fields is turning brown, Oh, our poor people! So far they have had enough to eat here and they do not know the most frightful of all calamities which a land can suffer—Famine. But what has not been, may be; and this great drought in the time of the wet season presages anything but good. What will happen if it keeps up? For several mornings the wind has blown as it usually does first in May. Has the turning point been reached, has the dry season begun?

It is frightful, every one looks on helpless. It is hard to see everything that has been sown and planted turn brown and die, without being able to turn a finger to help it, and the great heat harasses the body too; one feels dull and listless.

What do you think of such a complaint from a child of the sun? Oh, how frightful for the people who are working out in the fields, if for us in here it is so scalding hot, and this is the wet season (Westmoesson). Do not be chary with your cold; could you not spare a little of it? You may take as much of our warmth as you wish.”

Here is my attempt to write lyrical musings from the above:

“The Child Of The Sun

Take our heat, old Holland, and let us keep some of your cold.

Our people must eat,
But our crops are all dead
In a drought my heart dreads.
So let us get some of your cold.”

Geoff Fox, January 17, 2025, Australia

Tag: poetry

KIND-HEARTED KARTINI and CLIMATE CHANGES