Two days ago I received an invitation to attend the commemoration of the World Leprosy Day 2011 with the theme “No Leprosy Among Us”. This brings my mind to Grandpa Marcia, who lives in the Leprosarium Batulelleng in Rantepao, North Toraja. (In Toraja, if you have a grandchild, you will be called with the name of your oldest grandchild. Thus, Marcia is Grandpa Marcia’s oldest grandchild).

I met Grandpa Marcia at Pasar Bolu, the main market of Rantepao, which happens every six days. I was looking for a traditional bamboo hat to be worn to funeral ceremonies. As usual, when I go shopping I always look for a seller who smiles. I will pay a higher price, even without bargaining to a smiling seller. Among all the hat sellers, Grandpa Marcia’s wide smile drew me to him. From then on, I often go to his little, but clean wooden hut in the Leprosarium.

Grandpa Marcia is a Master hat maker. He has taught his daughters and neighbors how to make top quality hats.They share the work in making each hat. Grandpa Marcia does the most difficult part, which is the bamboo center top and the top cone. It takes them up to four weeks to make a hat, which includes the time to dry the bamboo strips in the sun.

Grandpa Marcia goes to Pasar Bolu every six days to bring his hats and those of his neighbors. Many of his neighbors do not dare to leave the Leprosarium, because they have lost their fingers and toes. Grandpa Marcia has also lost his right leg. However, he now wears a false leg. And once he wears long pants and shoes, he looks like any ordinary people. That’s why he does not have any problem about going to the market.

The World Leprosy Day was created and announced for the first time on 31 January 1954 by Raoul Follereau. He is a journalist and a fighter who believes, “that people affected by leprosy could be cared for like all others who are ill and so that those in good health could be cured of their absurd and often criminal fear of this disease and those who are affected by it”. 2011 is an important milestone in eradicating leprosy with the start of WHO (World Health Organization) program of “Enhanced Global Strategy for Further Reducing the Disease Burden Due to Leprosy 2011-2015”.

In Jakarta, the World Leprosy Day will be commemorated on 31 January, 2011 with three goals: to build confidence and independence for the survivors of leprosy, to eradicate stigmatization on leprosy sufferers and survivors and to empower the leprosy survivors to build their own future, their family and community. These goals are important, especially with the fact that according to the Indonesian Minister of Health in 2010, that there are still around 14 provinces and regencies in Indonesia which still have leprosy. Additionally, Indonesia together with India and Brazil are the top three countries, which still have new Leprosy sufferers.

It is clear then, that Grandpa Marcia is one of leprosy survivors who has managed to empower himself socially and economically while supporting his family and helping his community. At the same time, with his traditional hats, he maintains the continuation of Toraja culture.