Obama Jalan Jalan

Obama Search Words Stephen Black DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) National Library Board Singapore Cataloguing in Publication Data Black, Stephen Obama search words : facts, photography and historical fiction about Barack Obama / written and photographed by Stephen Black ; with additional visual contributions from Eugene Chan ... [et al.]. – Singapore : Blacksteps, 2009. p. cm. ISBN-13 : 978-981-08-2125-8 1. Obama, Barack. 2. Presidents – United States – Biography. 3. Legislators – United States – Biography. 4. African American legislators – Biography. I. Chan, Eugene, 1969- II. Title. E901.1 973.931092 -- dc22 P ublished by © 2008, Stephen Black, All rights reserved. OCN276749634 1 Image credits: page 3 Charis Tsevis page 5 Paul Delta Niner page 12 Eugene Chan pages 22/23 Matt Herron/takestockimages pages 26/27/28 Comic by Jerry Hinds pages 24/25 National Archives via Ping News All other images and visual artworks by Stephen Black. DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) 2 Stephen Black is an artist, writer, journalist, videomaker and photographer who has lived and worked in Manhattan, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong and Singapore. Born in Toledo, Ohio, he has a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has written a book on the agaricus blazei Murrill mushroom and worked in various capacities for CNN, France 2, Fuji TV, Fox and Cartoon Network. A collection of short stories entitled Furikake will be published by Math Paper Press and Bus Stopping, a book of photographs was published in 2008. Cover design: S Black, hybrid London Executive Producer: Nature Media Pte Ltd Layout: Lin Ziyi, Felix Zakariah Design Consultant: George James Parel This project could not have happened without the support and contributions of the following people from all over the world: Kerr Sun (Singapore) Alex Zupancich (Singapore) Albert Tang (Singapore) Amith Narayan (Singapore) Monisha Kandar (Singapore) Rhema Video (Singapore) Jerry Hinds (Singapore) Samuel Seow (Singapore) Tristam Perry (Jakarta) John Agloin (Jakarta) Ati Kisjanto (Jakarta) Ismo Subagiyo (Jakarta) Israella Pareira Darmowan (Jakarta) The staff and students of Menteng 01 School (Jakarta) Rully Pasaad (Jakarta) Sonni Is. Gondokusumo Sh. (Jakarta) Maria Yulia S.S. (Jakarta) Coenkraad Satja Koesoeman and Djumeati Widiyanto (Jakarta) Hendrajit S. IP (Jakarta) DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) Tata Aboe Bakar (Jakarta) Eric Nelson (Chicago) MacArthur’s Restaurant (Chicago) Zariff (Chicago) Jacqueline Black (Toledo) Norman Black (Toledo) Steven and Julia Nafziger (Toledo) Nona (Toledo) Kathleen Vassar (Toledo) Emilie Richardson (Toledo) Tom Gearhart (Toledo) Ueta Minobu (Obama, Japan) Seiji Fujihara (Obama, Japan) Kawahara Kazuo (Obama, Japan) Miketsukuni Wakaasa Obama Food Culture Museum (Obama, Japan) Sano-san (Obama, Japan) Very special thanks to Djawhari Sumintardja A special mention to Koh Tsin Yen 3 Table of Contents Forward ........................................................................................ Timeline 1960 ............................................................................ Timelines 1961 - 1967 ............................................................. The Aloha of God (historical fiction) .......................................... 6 10 11 13 24 25 26 30 Timeline 1968 - 1971 ............................................................... Timeline 1971 - 1977 ............................................................... An American boy in Jakarta (comic) ........................................ What Israella told me .............................................................. Spain 1, Germany 0 (a short story of documentary fiction) .............. Jakarta Images ........................................................................... DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX About the Jakarta Images ....................................................... Early Twenties (screen play) ........................................................ Obama Japan (photo essay) ........................................................... Chicago (photos) ............................................................................ A World Champion In the Orchard (historical fiction) ............ Barrack Obama timeline 1977 - 2006 .................................. Presidential Campaign timeline 2006 - 2008 .................... DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) February 29, 2008 — Houston, Texas Delta Niner 5 Forward The contents of this book were gathered and produced from June to December 2008. They are meant to not only provide information and insight into the life and times of Barack Obama, but to recreate, in book form, the excitement of a time when America--and millions of people around the world-- became hopeful again. Obama Search Words is more of an energetic collage than a formal portrait. It is incomplete. To thoroughly document the excitement of the past months would have required the resources and time to travel to Kenya, Denver, Berlin, the Middle East and Hawaii. Surely the viewpoint of a press corps member would have resulted in a very different, more precise project, a book with impressions of jets and hotels, coffee shops and town halls, many kinds of meetings and speeches before packed stadiums. It would have been interesting to hear Barack Obama speak with no cameras or microphones around. Distance and intimacy. Singapore, where this project was based, is half a world away from America. However, the internet, with its blogs, youtube, flickr, facebook, news services and websites revealed the intimate thoughts of America. Some of these thoughts were blindly optimistic, some were coolly analytical. There were posts that were very disturbing. Some read like story ideas posted by a paranoid Shakespeare. 6 DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) As a response to the controversies and questions about Obama’s childhood years in Indonesia, I went to Jakarta to experience things for myself. I decided to use the idea of food as a starting point for research. Food is intimate; what we eat and whom we eat with speak volumes.* I spoke with people who knew him, walked on the streets where he walked and ate what he ate. Conversations with different people confirmed the following points: his relationship with his mother was strong. His spiritual life was unique. Indonesia made a strong impression upon him. He seemed like a happy young man, helpful and chubby. Shortly after Jakarta, I went to Chicago. I walked through his neighborhood, saw his mansion and his barber. I ate ham hocks in a restaurant with his picture on the wall. Then, a visit to Obama Japan, where Obama’s international appeal was obvious. It was more than a case of sharing a name. What if that town in Japan had been named Hirari (Hillary)? Would it have been so genuinely supportive? What if the town had been called Mikenu (McCain)? What if it had been named Cheni (Cheney)? My mother read Barack Obama’s book called Dreams From My Father in 2006.I was impressed by the fact that she was impressed. It is a popular and influential book and I am looking forward to reading it. *I am currently working on Obama Jalan Jalan which uses food as a starting point to look at the life of Barrack Obama, emphasizing the foods and cultures of Hawaii, Indonesia, and the American Midwest, especially Chicago. www.obamajalanjalan.com DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) 7 I would describe this book as a biographical, cinematic collage. Cinematic in this case means short films. A classic linear three act structure would have been unexciting as everyone knows how this story ends. There would be no suspense, no curiosity about the next page. As you finish each section of Obama Search Words, I hope a question results: what happens next? Onward, Stephen Black Singapore, December 3, 2008 I would like to express my gratitude to those individuals who allowed me to share their images of the Obama campaign. Thank you very, very much. DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) 8 DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) 9 Barrack Obama : Hope Over Fear Charis Tsevis, 2008 Timeline 1960 At the University of Hawaii, 25 year old Barack Obama Sr., a Kenyan, studies economics. 17 year old Anne Dunham moves with family to Honolulu, Hawaii Ann Dunham and Obama Sr. meet in a Russian language class and begin dating World human population reaches 3 billion JAN FEB MAR APR Sixteen states have laws against interracial marriage Hawaii by James A. Michener is a bestseller DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) Fidel Castro bans elections; proclaims Cuba a socialist country MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT “The Twist,” a song by Chubby American Checker U2 spy launches plane is shot a national down over dance craze. Russia. President Eisenhower and Soviet Premier Khrushchev exchange threats over Cuba. Televised presidential debate between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy in “Chicago”. The 50 star flag debuts on July 4th. The 50th stars represents Hawaii. Sixteen African states gain independence from European countries President Kennedy elected in November NOV DEC Alfred Hitchcock’s horror movie classic Psycho is released 10 Timeline 1961 - 1967 August 4, 1961: Barack Hussein Obama born in Honolulu. Communists build a wall 1961 to divide Berlin John F. Kennedy becomes President of the United States Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin is the first man to circle the earth in space The Bay of Pig Invasion: Barack 1962 US forces Obama unsuccessleaves his wife and son fully try to overthrow to study at Castro’s govHarvard. 1963 ernment Ann DunAmerican ham and Ba- involvement rack Obama in Vietnam Sr. divorce. escalates to Ann Dunham marries Lolo Soetoro, an Indonesian geologist studying at the University of Hawaii. the point of war. DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) Lyndon Johnson becomes president after John F. Kennedy is assassinated Martin Luther King Jr. wins Nobel Peace Prize Martin Luther King leads March on Selma Black Muslim leader Malcolm X is assassinated Rolling Stones, Beatles, Elvis very popular. 1964 Indonesia, Malaysia, 1965 Philippines, Singapore and Thailand form ASEAN, the 1966 Association of Southeast Soetoro famAsian Naily moves to tions. Jakarta 1967 Race riots occur through out Los Angeles, Detroit, Philadelphia and other large cities. President Johnson announces a draft lottery. New York:: John McCain work starts on is shot down World Trade in Hanoi. Centers 11 DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) August 8, 2008 — Honolulu , Hawaii Eugene Chan 12 The Aloha of God Yesterday, quite a few people borrowed soap, razors and shampoo from each other. Clothes got washed. Pathways were swept. Cats and dogs were brushed and groomed. Criminals disappeared and the police took away the wildest crackheads. Most of the schizophrenics seemed OK and people smiled a lot. Last night guitars played. Now, it is three in the blazing afternoon and two hundred yards away, at Ke’ehi Lagoon Park, four thousand Hawaiian Barack Obama supporters are impatient. They cheer when the bland saxophone music finally stops and boo when it starts again. The sounds drift over the bay, over the slow moving traffic on the Nimitz Freeway. A swimmer swims away from the sounds, past the Coast Guard boat with the machine guns. He brushes against rough sea weed and a plastic bag the color of his skin. He swims on until the rally is a colorful line against the green mountains. On his back he studies the clouds above, then kicks water up into the sun. Round diamonds fall back on him and he closes his eyes. “They talk about change and hope and they play that saxophone shit? Jerry, d’ya ever hear anything more soulless than that? Gees. I remember when I was kid and Nixon came. Wonder what kind of music they played then. Must have been something soulless and evil. And Cheney was here a while back. Don’t even wanna think about that...” 13 DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) Jerry passes a tall can of beer to Duane. “Nixon, when you were a kid? They had loudspeakers back then?” “You’re not even funny dumbass. Do you know who the first politician to use loudspeakers was? Hitler, that’s who.” Jerry reaches into a bag, pulls out a loaf of white bread and a can of tuna. “Get started on some sandwiches. And make one for Dino. He’s hungry.” Jerry pulls out a bottle of water and fills the bowl. The big skinny mutt finishes the water immediately. “How much we got left?” “Eighteen bucks. Not a bad Friday morning. But I had a brilliant idea. I’m gonna make a sign. Bet I’ll make a hundred bucks from all of them Democrats going home happy and high on Obama juice. Right Dino?” Dino briefly takes his eyes away from the tuna and wags his tail. Across the road, the music stops. The crowd’s cheering becomes quiet and two amplified voices float over the crowd. In the leafy shade beneath the freeway, the two men eat and listen, one in a wheelchair, one on a battered lawn chair, the dog between them. “Abercrombie and Akaka. Not surprised. Makes perfect political sense. Old school, hippy stylee. Power to the people.” “Power to the people right on!” They smile as they tap their cans of beer together. “Yeah. I knew Akaka’s brother. Met Martin Luther King because of his brother. Went to the mainland, went to Selma, Alabama because of his brother.” “Were you smoking crack when I was at the store?” 14 DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) “Jerry, I’m serious, man. I was a part of history. The Freedom March from Selma to Montgomery. Look it up when you’re at the library. Selma was a big deal, man. Bloody Sunday. Martin Luther King gets the Nobel Prize, meets the king and then the President but this was bigger than both of that.” “ Yeah right, Mr. History Time Machine Know-It-All. “I’m serious man. This is all true.” “Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I’m listening. Pass me the bread.” “Alright. I told you my dad raised orchids, right? Well my mom worked in the business too. But she also did community stuff and was always helping people. Somehow she got involved when they were planning a big civil rights thing with Martin Luther King at the U of H. Reverend Akaka put that together. And whenever they needed somebody to do grunt work my mom volunteered me. There were some cute girls helping out, so it wasn’t all bad! “So you were the nigger’s nigger and you got laid.” “Real funny today, aren’t you, Mr. Bush Iraq Mental Discharge Boy… Anyway, we donated leis for Martin Luther King and all the people from the mainland. We did ‘em in the kui style, the peaceful style. King and Reverend Akaka said the leis were a symbol of the Aloha of God. They were impressed I guess. So that was the first time I met Martin Luther King, first time I met a black man. I shook his hand the first day at the airport and then later I ran errands for him and everyone else. So anyway, a few months later my dad picks me up at school and says we gotta make fifty leis. Immediately. And he says that 15 DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) I am going to Selma, Alabama to deliver them. I had to bring a banner too. “Why you? And why couldn’t they just send them or buy some there?” “Reverend Akaka pushed the whole thing. All he kept saying was “Martin’s people need the Aloha of God, Martin’s people need the Aloha of God.” I guess he said that to someone at the airlines to get my ticket for free. And do you think it would’ve been easy to buy fifty leis in Alabama in 1965? Leis for a black man leading a civil rights march?” So, my first plane ride was Los Angeles and then Dallas and then to Montgomery. Two days! Some people picked me up and I stayed at their house. We left in the middle of the night and got to Selma at dawn. I unpacked the leis and they were all in great shape. Single strand, beautiful white vanda dendrobriums, yellow centers. Kui style. The whole place was full of blacks but there were some white people there and everyone was dressed up. Man it was cold! And then out of nowhere the Reverend Martin Luther King walks up to me. He had a real powerful voice, a deep voice and he recognized me! “Duane! Welcome to the mainland, to the state of Alabama and the city of Selma. It is a blessing that you are here. You are a gift, another blessed gift from Reverend Abraham Akaka and our brothers and sisters in Hawaii who share our struggle! By now everyone is watching us. And then he holds up a lei and says to everyone,” ‘Behold brothers and sisters, here is a symbol of peace and justice… this is the Aloha of God.” I was holding a lei in my hand and I wasn’t sure if I was sup16 DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) posed to put it on him or not. But tradition says you offer a lei at first meeting, and this was the first meeting and there was no one to ask, so I put a lei on Martin Luther King! Seventeen year old kid putting a lei on Martin Luther King in the middle of Alabama. It’s like I was on stage with him. Then I put one on the guy closest to me and then asked him to put one on someone else. Like that. We put on all the leis real quick and then I remembered the banner. I start unfolding the banner and some people start crying. “What’d it say?” “Hawaii knows integration works. Then Reverend King started going over plans with people and I had breakfast. Then the march started. Three days, marching in the cold! I was in it, kind of near the front holding the banner most of the time. I was proud! But boy was it tense. Real tense. People yelling “Nigger” and “Nigger lovers” and throwing a bunch of stuff at us all the time and Jesus Christ I was thinkin’ these redneck cops are gonna start blastin’ any minute. They chased the guys who brought cameras. I mean the whole purpose of the March was to remember three white ministers who’d gotten beaten for civil rights-and one of those guys died! And that just happened less than a week before I got there! In the same spot! Dogs and tear gas and clubs and everything. But by the time we reached Montgomery there were thirty thousand people from all over the mainland. People were singing in the rain and wrapping themselves in the flag and crying and prayin. Everybody exhausted. Sleepin in the mud and not really eatin’. ” “ Wow. Your parents were crazy.” 17 DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) “Shut up Duane!” Dino moves his eyes upwards toward Jerry. “Trying to teach you some history. The leis story never made the papers here. Reverend Akaka gave my mom a newspaper clipping from the mainland. Had a picture where you could see the orchids in the march. Pretty soon after that I went to Vietnam. And now we’re here.” “And now we’re here. Cheers, bro. I was just kiddin’ about your parents. I’m sure they were real nice people.” A wave of loud excitement crashes in from across the street, carrying two dramatic words, ”Barack Obama”. “Aloha! How’s everybody doing today? Howzit.” “Howzit Jerry?” “Not bad, Duane, not bad. It’s all good. But it’ll be even better when this is over and we can get a little change. Right Dino? Get a little change?” “I’m actually here on vacation. I’m going to get a plate lunch. I might go to Zippy’s. I might go to Rainbow Drive-In. I haven’t decided yet. Get some Zip Min. I’m going to go get some shave ice. I’m going to go do body surfing... I’m going to see my tutu, my grandma, and I’m going to watch my girls play on the beach and once in a while I might go into the water. But mostly I’m going to watch them.” “Bet you ten bucks he don’t show at any of those places to eat. He ain’t gonna be eatin’ plate dinners at Zippy’s any more, that’s for sure. He’s a three star fancy sushi guy now. Fancy homecoming dinners with bankers and lawyers.” “This is your government. This is the government of and by and for the people. This is a government of the single Mom, like my 18 DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) mother, when she was living here in Honolulu, who had to get food stamps sometimes but still was able to get me a good education and still was able to send me to college, that’s what this government is.” “You still getting’ food stamps? “Not really sure… I gotta sort that out one these days. Duane, I don’t know how long he’s gonna talk but I’m gonna head over. You OK?” “Yeah, bro, I’m fine.” Jerry and the dog head towards the rally. Suddenly Jerry rushes back, Dino leaping and enjoying the run. Jerry runs up a pathway and into a cardboard and tarp construction. “Jerry, bring me the guitar, wouldya?” Jerry trots back down the path, passes Duane the guitar. He kneels and begins writing on a piece of cardboard. “We are family” and then on the other side, “Speaking of change…” “Go get ‘em” Duane says. Jerry and Dino head back towards the crowd. Over the sound of cheering and applause, the voice of Barack Obama is friendly and loud: “I’ll see you on the beach.” The swimmer is still floating and kicking water towards the sky. He hears only waves and the sound of water falling on water. DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) 19 DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) March 25, 1965 — Selma, Alabama Matt Herron DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) June, 29 2008 — Jakarta, Indonesia Stephen Black DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) An American in Jakarta 24 Script by Stephen Black, 1960 Barack Obama begins to study at the University of Hawaii. He is from Kenya and . The family of Ann Dunham moves from Mercer Island Washington to Honolulu Hawaii. In late 1960, Barack and Ann meet in a Russian language class. 1961 On February 2, Barack and Anne get married in Maui, Hawaii. August 4, 1961: Barack Hussein Obama II is born in Honolulu, Hawaii. John F. Kennedy is President of the United States. 1963 Barack Obama leaves his wife and son to study at Harvard. More than 250,000 people attend the “March_on_Washington_for_Jobs_and_Freedom”March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The rally was organized by A. Philip Randolph with the help of Rustin and Martin Luther King Jr. Lyndon Johnson becomes president after John F. Kennedy is assassinated 1964 Ann Dunham and Barack Obama Sr. divorce. A. Philip Randolph is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Martin Luther King awarded Nobel Peace prize. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is passed. 1965 Black Muslim leader Malcolm X is assassinated 1966: Ann Dunham marries Lolo Soetoro, an Indonesian geologist studying at the University of Hawaii. 25 DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) 1971 Barack Obama returns to Hawaii 1972 Ann Dunham returns to Hawaii and enrolls in a master’s program at the University of Hawaii, studying the anthropology of Indonesia. 1973 Sears Tower in Chicago completed, WTC completed in NYC. Tallest buildings? Elvis sings at a fundraiser for the Kuiokalani Lee Cancer Fund in Hawaii. Globally broadcast, 1.5 billion people in 40 countries watch. The Senate Watergate hearings are televised. 1973 Nov 19, Saudi Arabia, Libya and other Arab states proclaimed a total ban on oil exports to the United States. Gasoline prices quadrupled from twenty-five cents per gallon to over one dollar. The New York stock market took its sharpest drop in 19 years. (HN, 11/19/98)(www.bullnotbull.com/archive/market01222006.html) 1974. She returned to graduate school in Honolulu in 1974, while raising Barack and Maya. When Dunham returned to Indonesia for field work in 1977 with Maya, Barack chose not to go, preferring to finish high school in America. 1977 Barack Obama graduates from Punahou School. Two years at Occidental College. Roots, the serialization of Alex Haley’s story of generations of his African and African American family, becomes themost popular television program in history. 26 DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) Drawn, Inked and Lettered by Jerry Hinds DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) prepared for the loneliness. It was constant, like a shortness of breath” — Barrack Obama, Dreams from my Father June, 29 2008 — Walkway towards Barry Soetoro’s house Jakarta, Indonesia “She wasn’t DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) June, 28 2008 Jakarta, Indonesia DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) Timeline 1968 - 1971 July 19, 1968 President Nguyen 1971 Van Thieu (South Vietnam) and world map Yoichi Okamoto Barry Soetoro goes to St. Franciskus Asisi Primary School for 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades Martin LuMove to ther King Jr. Menteng. assasinated Barry in 1968 attends 4th grade at Menteng 01 School Obama’s sister, Maya Kassandra Soetoro, is born Barry returns to Hawaii, lives with grandpartents DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) 1969 Richard Nixon sworn in as President of the United States Sukarno rules Indonesia and thousands are killed for political reasons. 1968 Campaigning in the primary elections, Robert F. Kennedy is assassinated. in 1968 Street protests and violence at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago 1968 Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to walk on the moon Woodstock Music Festival 1970 1971 30 Timeline 1972 - 1977 July 19, 1968 President Nguyen Van Thieu 1967 (South Vietnam) and world map Yoichi Okamoto DRAFT SAMPLE CHAPTER (not final) 1973 1974 1975 1972 1976 1977 31