A Monkey Dancer

Last night when Selby came home, she told us that she saw 4 men and a little monkey dressed with pink outfit on the street.


They stopped directly across where Selby was standing and started to let the monkey to do a performance. 2 men were in charge to play "music" ( hitting small drums), 1 man handled the monkey by pulling and pushing with a long chain then the other man started to walk around with a bowl in order to beg for some money from the people who were watching.

The performance called “Doger monyet” and has been performed more than 100 years in West Java, Indonesia.

Doger (in Sundanese - West Java language) means a female dancer; usually in a people's theater, and Monyet (in Indonesian language) means monkey.

Selby said that when she watched the performance, it really broke her heart because she felt so sorry for this little monkey that must work for these 4 healthy men.


Selby donated some money but she had a feeling that the monkey might not receive her "right" of the income share. Just imagine, how much money actually would be earned everyday from this kind of performance, not much that's for sure and need to be divided to those 4 men for their living.

Good thing, Selby saw bananas at a street vendor, so she gave a banana to the monkey.


Look how the little monkey enjoyed her banana. The monkey must be feeling very hungry *sobs*

Selby wished that she could give the little monkey a hug or at least a pat on her head.

Listening to Selby's story about the monkey, we all hope the best for the little monkey and also for all those monkeys out there that are performing "Doger Monyet" for their lives.