There are many more homoerotic elements in Indonesian lore and tradition. The king of Süra Pearta, being practically divine, used to have male as well as female concubines as recently as twenty years ago. Under the republican regime this status and court have been sharply reduced.

The Dutch rulers (not a word about politics, except that it is now proved once and for all that colonial' rule can be a pretty good thing) did not interfere much with local habits. The Code Napoleon, adopted in The Netherlands, allows any non-compulsory private behavior between adults. But in the East Indies local customs and inclinations involving minors, such as gemblaks, were also tolerated.

It was different where Europeans, i.e. Dutchmen, were concemed, also where there was a hierarchical connection, e.g. boss and employee or officer and n.c.o. Such relationships were known, possibly not interfered with, but they were always illegal.

In 1938 or 1939 something happened. Strong and persistent rumor has it that the police, reasonably well-informed about "all this," discovered that the fiance of the Governor-General's daughter was... well, affiliated. When the Governor-General, the highest man in the country, learned of this, he was naturally upset. He ordered what might be likened to the monster trials in Moscow or the crusades against the Templars or the heretics. Certainly there was no torture, no extermination. The effect, however, was really startling. Hundreds were questioned; there was some roughness and a lot of scandal. Very important persons left the country quite impulsively. Many careers were lost. Some suicides resulted from this.

There were two attitudes: the official one, based on law, often overzealously interpreted, and the public attitude which in general was hostile and which of course can affect people whom the authorities cannot and would not touch. Ostracism is unpleasant in a westem country; it is lethal in a small community such as a plantation.

Another rather predictable effect of this campaign was the cleaning upof Bali. Here a number of European artists had settled in the course of years, notably the German Walter Spies. He was a painter of merit and also did a great deal to stimulate and document Balinese art, dances, and music. Among the other painters many were quite good, some awful. There were writers, too. The majority were homophile. With understandable, if not pardonable delight, the police cracked down on these artists. In Spies' case there was the extra feature of nationality, although he was no more deutsch than a British general. He was eventually released but in 1941 he perished on a prisoner transport when the ship was sunk by the enemy.

To come to the present: the Indonesians thus far have not produced a civil law of their own although there are plenty of by-laws, emergency laws, and regulations. The homosexual is left alone by the authorities as long as he does not indulge in public or too noticeably with minors. Especially are schoolboys and students protected. Much depends on local customs and local law enforcement. Sura Kearta, for instance, is very tolerant from what I hear.

There is no organization in this field, however. I know of mixed house holds and people seem to form a coterie but they do not concern themselves with propaganda, lobbying and such. Most homophile contacts are casual and promiscuous. The bar of Duta, Indonesia, a huge hotel in full decay, seems to be the only indoor meeting place, although it is decidedly not a gay bar. For the majority there are parks and certain sex markets. The public in general regards the question with great bonhomie.

Inevitably we come to the ugly subject of prostitution. The Indonesians do not take it too seriously. There is in this low income country a lot of part-time prostitution (hetero-and homosexual) which is accepted as making ends meet (no facetiousness intended), helping out, doing what comes naturally. Part of the male prostitutes, perhaps the greater part, are transvestites. I have no personal experience with male prostitution, but pretty solid information, and it is a fact that some of them simulate the woman in unexpected detail. Their patrons are in the main heterosexual. Prostitution is against the law and the police round them up from time to time regardless of sex or attire.

The European who does not like to shop around will be hard put to it to find a partner. He is observed rather closely by his colleagues, often lives in a mess or compound of the firm and runs into acquaintances everywhere else. Not that the European community is unduly priggish (there are known inverts who are appreciated and treated normally) but in a society like that, one simply does not escape notice. So you refrain as much as possible unless you don't care a fig. After all, there is much more than sex to make life interesting, particularly in the East. Those who can't refrain will probably have all the fun they need; also, they may be sentenced, blackmailed or killed.

INFORMATION FOLDERS.

Two folders, designed to be used as companion mailing 'pieces, are available from national headquarters of the Mattachine Society and its branch offices. They are "In Case You Didn't Know" and "What Has Mattachine Done?" The first outlines the homosexual problem in the U.S. and describes the purpose of the Society; the second tells how the Society is dealing with the problem and what the organization is doing. Prices are: 100 for $1.50; 50 for $1.00; smaller quantities, 3 cents each. Unless specified otherwise, orders will be filled with equal quantities of each folder.

muttachine REVIEW