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I Want to go to Merauke, Too
Didimus had heard from Indonesian traders that Merauke had changed a lot. The traders’ stories made him nostalgic for Merauke, fantasizing about the hometown he had never seen again so that it seemed perfect in his mind
Didimus Gepse (right) and Ruki Zakayo
“From Sabang to Merauke are a series of islands that combine as one, that is Indonesia,” Didimus “Didi” Gepse sang enthusiastically. The elderly man, who is a member of the Marind tribe that hails from Merauke, has lived in Tais, Papua New Guinea (PNG), for 22 years.
I asked him if he understood the meaning of the song. In Indonesian with a Papuan accent, he replied, "It means Soeharto came from Sabang across through the islands to Merauke."