The Waterfall of Hope

Drought Afflicts the Village

The next day at uni Ayi's house, Haikal, Fauzi, and the other boys help apak-apak to do some tasks such as spreading the tablecloths, arranging the chairs, straightening the cables, lifting the plates to the buffet tables, arranging mineral waters, spreading the red carpet, and other tasks that they can do. Haikal brings the plates from the kitchen to the outside near the buffet tables very carefully. He walks slowly while avoiding other boys and apak-apak that are busy walking around while doing their tasks. Rado focused himself on taping the red carpet as neatly as possible so that anak daro, marapulai and other villagers could walk on it without tripping. He is so focused until he doesn't realize that Fauzi has been practicing silek behind him. Later, Fauzi will perform silek when manjapuik marapulai. In the tradition of traditional ceremonies in West Sumatra, anak daro picks up marapulai to his house. Silek, pantun, and pasambahan dance are performed when anak daro's family arrive at marapulai's house. After that, anak daro and marapulai are paraded to the anak daro's house for ijab kabul and wedding reception. The two of them and their families are paraded by the sounds of traditional musical instruments such as gandang and talempong. The night before the wedding ceremony; anak daro goes through a process called malam bainai. Malam Bainai is the last night for anak daro to experience the freedom of being a single woman. On this malam bainai, the sisters of anak daro will put inai on anak daro's nine fingers.

The wedding reception of uni Ayi and uda Hen is running smoothly without a single hitch. The atmosphere outside in the party tent is lively and happy meanwhile the situation in the kitchen is very different. "Bundo let me continues stirring the rendang," says Febi then takes the cauldron spoon from her Bundo's hand. Her bundo replies while gives the cauldron spoon to Febi, "Just stir it a little more, Febi and then pour it to a wide plate over there. Thank you my daughter." "You're welcome Bundo," replies Febi. Then her bundo helps the other amak-amak to cook rice. The other amak-amak are busy cooking fish curry and heating the rendang just like Febi. Febi's hand continues to stir the rendang in the large cauldron. Occasionally she is using her two hands together because her other hand is tired because the rendang feels heavy to stir. Once in a while, she wipes the sweat on her forehead using a tissue. When the rendang in the large cauldron begins to dry out, she immediately takes a wide plate and pours the rendang to the wide plate. She says in her heart, "Be careful. I am not letting a piece of this rendang falls." Dina on the other side of the kitchen is struggling with water, dish soap, and plates. In front of Dina, there are two large basins. "Our war is starting," says Dina with a serious face. "Remove the trashes from the plate, wash it with dish soap, soak it in the first basin, then move it to the second basin and then lift it and dry it," says Dina repeatedly with a serious face. Dina doesn't want to be scolded by her bundo and other amak-amak. The words of amak-amak and also her bundo to her and the other girls who are in charge of washing dishes are still ringing in her head. They say, "Be frugal in using water. Don't let any water be wasted." Yes, now their village is experiencing a drought because it has been five days the rain has not fallen on their village. The water in the river begins to dry up. The use of well water must also be frugal because they do not know how long it will happen until the rain will fall on their village. The elders in their village say, "The remaining water must be used wisely and thrifty." Therefore, Dina is very careful not to waste the water.

After the wedding reception of uni Ayi and uda Hen, the five children gather at their headquarters. "Looks like, we can't go on an adventure tomorrow. The village's situation is very difficult right now. All villagers have to struggle to get water," says Rado. "Yes, I also can't join the adventure tomorrow because I have to help my parents to take care of our rice fields. Our rice fields are almost dry this morning. My parents are worried if the rice fields are dry then the rice plants and the tilapia in the rice fields will die. I have to help ayah to bring water from the river which is located far from our rice fields," replies Fauzi. "I also have to help my parents in our cauliflower field. We do not want to fail the harvest and lose money when the harvest time this time. Our cauliflower has been attacked by pests. We don't want to lose more," says Febi. "My parents also asked me to help them in the cocoa field. My parents need help for lifting water because it would take a long time if only the two of them lift the water. My younger sister can only help by lift water with her little bucket," Haikal replies. "I have to help ayah to find and dig a new well. The water in our well is running out," says Dina. "All right, let's go through this drought first. We will go on an adventure after the drought problem is over, my friends. Tomorrow I might go with my father to the neighboring village to see the state of their water source there," says Rado, "Now let's go home. Soon the sun will set. We need rest because we work hard to help uni Ayi and uda Hen wedding reception from this morning and tomorrow we will work hard to help our parents." "Ok. Let's go home," says Dina. Fauzi, Haikal, and Febi only answer by nodding their heads because they are very tired.