A few days before my trip to Machang to watch a Wayang Kulit performance, I was taken to Pasar Siti Khadijah in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, My friendly tour guide from Sumpagita introduce me to this lady who owns a fish stall. At first, I saw nothing extra ordinary. Just a lady selling fish. Then my guide pointed me at her wrist. She has more bling than 5o cent (for those who has been living in Mars, 50 cent is a famous American rapper). Smiling at me, she said all this (the gold) are for ‘hari susah’ (for rainy days). My guide pointed to a man who was sitting on a mat nearby rolling his homemade cigarette. “That’s the hubby..”, he said. According to my guide, in Kelantan, it is the ladies who are the entrepreneurs. They are their families financial controller (I don’t want to use the word ‘breadwinner’, don’t want to upset my brothers). They are simply, Home Ministers. A minister who is elected by the leader (husband), control everything (or seems to) and have the power to throw the leader to the slammer (constraint area). Home Minister.

This photo was taken in Machang. Their husbands and childrens are involved in a local Wayang Kulit troupe.