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Jakarta's 'sad clowns': Resilience and fortitude during COVID-19
As the economy declines and the job market plummets amid COVID-19, some young Indonesians have turned to performing as badut jalanan in the painful heat to survive.
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Daryanto lost his baby daughter, his wife and his job last year. But he is still smiling as he tries to make ends meet as a 'badut jalanan' (street clown), donning a bright green frog costume to earn some change on the streets of South Jakarta. (JP/Adi Renaldi)
Part 1: Trying to keep smiling
In some ways, Daryanto resembles DC Comics’ the Joker, albeit without the violence. His life may seem a tragedy, but for him, it's a comedy. At least, that’s how it came across in the way he smiled while speaking with me.
I met the 25-year-old on the first Sunday of this February at a busy intersection in Cilandak, South Jakarta. It was 3 p.m. and the rainy season, but the sun still shone relentlessly. He was standing on the roadside under a traffic light, in a frog costume with a bobbling head, like a life-size localized Kermit the Frog. Clasped in his right hand was a small green basket.
The bright green costume made him stand out amid the monochrome sea of vehicles that passed the street before him.
When the light turned red, he started performing, waving to motorcyclists, dancing and making silly gestures. All eyes were on him, as if the sun was his spotlight and the street his stage. After a few seconds, he started his rounds, going from driver to driver, holding out his green basket in a conscientiously polite manner.
Some put money in his basket, but most didn't.
When the light turned green, he stepped back and sat on the sidewalk to wait for the next round. A physically excruciating job, he does this every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to survive.
